Royally
King Charles III
They refuse to go to King Charles' party

Jenny Alexandersson

Published 15.23

Quick version

• King Charles and Queen Camilla are carrying out a ten-day state visit to Australia starting on October 18.
• ARM, the republican movement, has strengthened its position, calling the visit the royal couple's "farewell tour". They are pushing for a referendum on Australia becoming a republic.
•  Several of the highest state representatives choose not to attend the royal couple's reception in Canberra.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are conducting a ten-day state visit to Australia. But they are met by strong Republican winds. Photo: AP

King Charles and Queen Camilla have begun a ten-day state visit to Australia.

But strong republican winds are blowing and more and more Australians want to oust the British head of state.

Now the highest representatives from the states refuse to go to the king's fancy party.

When King Charles landed in Sydney, he was received by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is a republican and has previously been clear that he wants to get rid of the British head of state.

Several countries that are part of the Commonwealth have raised the issue of becoming republics. Although they have long been independent states, they want to be free even symbolically by deposing the British monarch.

Currently, a referendum on the republic is not a priority topic in Australia, but the strong republican movement ARM has received wind in the sails of the state visit.

They say that the royal couple's visit will be their "farewell tour". They sell shirts, posters and coasters with the royal couple and Prince William dressed as old rock artists.

         

         

       

        1 / 3Photo: AP

They want Australia to have a referendum on the state of the country.

"Our Head of State should be an Australian, chosen on merit, with the skills required to fulfill the role, resident here, accountable to Australians and committed to serving our nation," said ARM spokesperson Nathan Hansford.

The republican currents permeate the whole of society, even the political ranks. The royal couple will hold a reception in Canberra during the state visit. Such parties are fancy and very popular. But it has already appeared that many of the highest representatives of the various states refuse to come. Several of them state that they have other commitments that conflict with the party.

British court reporter Phil Dampier believes that the behavior is "rude and disrespectful" and that as an elected representative you should go to the reception even if you are a republican. Especially since King Charles has paused his cancer treatment for the ten days of the visit.

The republican movement ARM calls the state visit the king's "Farewell OZ Tour". The image is on shirts, coasters and many more products. Photo: Alita Brydon/Republic.Org.Au

FACTS

This is the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organization comprising 54 independent countries. Most of the countries were formerly part of the British Empire and were British colonies. The organization was founded as the British Commonwealth but changed its name in 1949 to emphasize that Britain does not have a special position among its members. The British monarch has a symbolic role and is head of state in 15 of the countries.

Several countries have left the Commonwealth over the years, including Barbados. Some countries, mainly in the Caribbean, are discussing leaving the organization.