Senator: You are not my king

Australia

King Charles scolded by senator

Julia Wide

Updated 08.40 | Published 07.12

King Charles began his visit to Australia by addressing Parliament.

But the great hall quickly fell silent when a senator stormed in and accused the king of genocide.

- Give us our country back!, she shouted.

Britain's King Charles has been received with mixed feelings in Australia, where he is also a monarch.

During a reception at Parliament in  Canberra, he and Queen Camilla were met with cheers and flowers. But once inside the parliament, he did not receive the same welcome, writes Sky News.
The King was suddenly interrupted by Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe accusing him of stealing the land from the indigenous people.

- Give us our country back! Australia is not your country, and you are not my king, she shouted.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed by Serena Williams, a representative from the local indigenous population – the Ngunnawal. Photo: Saeed Khan/AP

Lidia Thorpe, who is herself indigenous and was wearing a traditional animal skin cloak, was taken away by security guards.

Before the country became independent in 1901, it was a British colony where thousands of Aboriginal people were killed or forcibly relocated.

Photo: Saeed Khan/AP