University of Sydney student newspaper’s Queen parody falls flat

Honi Soit has come under fire for a front page depicting King Charles identifying the Queen’s body in a morgue and a series of tweets.

The University of Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Bianca De Marchi

A student newspaper at Australia’s oldest university has come under fire for a front page depicting King Charles identifying the Queen’s body in a morgue and a series of tweets that have provoked criticism from students for being “offensive and disgraceful”.

The University of Sydney’s student publication Honi Soit emblazoned the front page of this week’s edition with a parody photoshopped image of the Queen stretched out on a mortuary table with King Charles standing over her and the headline “Queen dead, Charles next”.

The article described the Queen’s death as “gruesome, lonely and painful” and joked that King Charles got the chance to “catch up with her after the event”, in an attempt at satire that has been panned by many at the sandstone university.

Honi Soit also published a tweet referencing the death of Princess Diana, which has since been deleted.

The University of Sydney Conservative Club president Cooper Gannon said the front page was in “extreme distaste” and regardless of anyone’s political views, the Queen’s devotion to a life of service ought to be shown more respect. “I think it’s nothing short of absolutely disgraceful,” he said.

“It’s a poor reflection of a paper that is meant to represent students, when it’s showing imagery of a son who has just lost his mother and painting in this light that supports their individual political agendas. It’s sad where it’s gotten to a point where it’s become acceptable conduct among student journalists.”

Sydney University student Georgia Lowden said the article was “embarrassing” and it “wasn’t right” to make light of the death of any person.

“I think I’m dis­appointed but not surprised that they would write a story that is not very respectful,” she said.

“I think what should be of concern is that Honi Soit is paid for by our student service fees, which are mandatory, and this content would never be able to stand on its own two feet without coming out of students’ pockets.”

The article also included several satirical “quotes” from the Queen that poked fun at her gene pool – the late monarch shared a great-great grandmother in Queen Victoria with her late husband, Prince Philip – and the family’s historic links to fascism.

Honi Soit’s editors said the paper had a “strong history as a left-wing newspaper running ­stories counter to mainstream outlets” and wanted its coverage to highlight the “blind reverence and exaltation of the monarchy”.

“We hope to remind readers that Elizabeth II sat on a throne that was deeply, inextricably implicated in the exportation of cruelty, exploitation and dehuman­isation that formed the British Empire,” the Honi Soit editors said in a statement.

“We haven’t yet received any backlash on campus, and our audience has responded positively so far.”

The front page was accompanied by an editorial by Honi Soit’s editors in which they admitted they were aware people “won’t like the cover of this week’s paper” but called on its readers to “challenge their emotions around the Queen’s death”.

“Elizabeth II sat on a throne that was deeply, inextricably implicated in the exportation of cruelty, exploitation, and dehumanisation that formed the British Empire,” the editorial said.

“Her vast wealth is the spoils of colonisation.

“Her dogged sense of duty to the Crown — so frequently praised by her supporters — represents a wholehearted endorsement of the British colonial project.”

The University of Sydney said the cover was clearly intended to “shock” but all editorial decisions were made by the editorial team independent of the university.

“This cover appears to be a deliberate attempt to shock and create attention as student news­papers have always done, and we understand many will consider it in terrible taste,” a spokesperson said.

“We also recognise one of our fundamental roles as a university is to champion free speech and be a place where ideas can be freely discussed, including those some may view as controversial or offensive.”