Lidia Thorpe calls for King Charles to apologise for impact of colonisation during Coronation

Controversial senator Lidia Thorpe has a blunt message for the new king ahead of his Coronation on Sunday.

King Charles has been urged to formally apologise for the effect of colonisation in a scathing letter co-signed by controversial senator Lidia Thorpe. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

King Charles has been urged to formally apologise for the effect of colonisation in a scathing letter co-signed by controversial senator Lidia Thorpe.

Representatives from 12 countries, including New Zealand (Aotearoa), Canada, the Bahamas and Jamaica, made the statement ahead of the monarch’s Coronation on Sunday.

It called on the new king to commit to reparations, acknowledge the impact of slavery and return the remains of Indigenous people and cultural artefacts.

“We stand united in engaging in a process to right the wrongs of the past and to continue the process of decolonisation,” the letter said.

Nova Peris, the first Indigenous woman elected to federal parliament and co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement, also signed the letter alongside Senator Thorpe.

Senator Lidia Thorpe called for the monarch to apologise during his Coronation. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Senator Thorpe, who left the Greens earlier this year to lead the black sovereignty movement, said neither the Crown nor the Australian government had “been held to account” for colonisation.

“The British monarchy oversaw the oppression of First Nations peoples in British colonies all over the world,” she said in a statement.

“The horrific impacts of British colonisation, including the genocide of our people, theft of our land and denigration of our culture, are still felt today.

“The genocidal project that commenced in 1788 still continues and neither the British Crown nor the Australian government have been held to account for the crimes they have committed.”

She stressed that Australia did not need a king and called for the nation to “move towards cutting ties with the Crown”.

King Charles met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a private audience this week. Picture: Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty Images

“We have unfinished business to settle before this can happen. A Republic that hasn’t resolved the injustices of terra nullius continues the violent legacy of colonisation, and this is why the federal government must commence Treaty negotiations at a national level.”

Senator Thorpe has previously expressed a desire for a meeting with King Charles.

The letter comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a lifelong republican, said he would swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles during his Coronation at Westminster Abbey.

Mr Albanese extended an invitation to the monarch, Queen Camilla and the rest of the royal family to visit Australia during his private audience with the King.

“It was very warm. I appreciated the discussion that we had,” he told reporters while visiting Barrow-in-Furness in northern England overnight.

“King Charles has a great love and an affection for Australia. It comes from his time as a student there but also his many visits to Australia.”