Anthony Albanese invites Prince William and Catherine to Australia
A royal tour of Australia by the Prince and Princess of Wales, and possibly their family, has been in the planning for years, but has been repeatedly delayed.
Prince William snuck off for a sneaky pint in the hours before meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday as Coronation fever starts to electrify the British capital.
Mr Albanese met with the Prince of Wales in Kensington Palace on Thursday afternoon, inviting him, the Princess of Wales and their family to visit Australia.
A royal tour by William and Catherine has been in the planning for years, but has been repeatedly delayed, firstly by Covid-19, then by the death of Queen Elizabeth II and then the planning for the coronation.
As The Australian has previously revealed, there are also discussions about King Charles and Queen Camilla visiting Australia, where the King has expressed a fear about the reception he may receive from a pro-republican audience.
Mr Albanese had officially invited the King to Australia when he visited him hours after arriving in London on Tuesday and then on Thursday he repeated a similar invitation to William.
The Prime Minister arrived at Kensington Palace bearing gifts, a box of lamingtons from Bondi Green, a business in Paddington which will benefit from the UK- Australia free trade deal which comes into force on May 31. For the meeting William had changed and both were wearing dark blue suits, crisp white shirts and red ties.
If the Waleses do come Down-Under they will be wildly popular, especially if nine-year old Prince George and eight year old Charlotte are accompanied by their cheeky younger brother, Prince Louis, five.
However before William sat down to meet with Mr Albanese, he and Catherine, wearing a striking red coat, visited the Dog and Duck pub in Soho, one of the many central London businesses expecting a coronation boost.
The couple had arrived on the Elizabeth tube line to speak to hospitality experts about the preparations for the coronation of his father King Charles and stepmother Queen Camilla. They went inside the pub to enjoy a cider, and Prince William pulled a pint of a new beer called the “Kingmaker” before emerging to wild cheers from the large crowd.
As bunting, flags and posters lined the Soho streets, Catherine told one well wisher:” Yes, it’s going to be a busy time. We’re getting there. I still feel like we’re trying to get ducks in a row.”
The pair took selfies with the crowd, in places ten deep, all trying to catch a glimpse of them.
After his meeting with William, Mr Albanese left the palace to attend a function at the residence of the High Commissioner in the UK, Stephen Smith, to meet other Australians who have been invited to attend the coronation.
On Friday Mr Albanese is expected to attend a Buckingham Palace lunch hosted by the King for the governors-general and realm prime ministers followed by a Commonwealth Leaders event at Marlborough House and then attend the Kings reception on the eve of the coronation.
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