King Charles and Queen Camilla Greet Enthusiastic Crowds During Australia Tour
King Charles and Queen Camilla of Britain received a warm welcome in Sydney during their ongoing Australia tour. On Sunday, the royal couple attended a church service at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church, where they were greeted by Sydney’s archbishop, Kanishka Raffel, and children waving Australian flags from the church’s Sunday school. The event marked the first public appearance of the King and Queen on their visit.
Queen Camilla, dressed in a pale green Anna Valentine outfit with a matching straw hat, accepted a bouquet of flowers from Ellie Mantle, the minister’s wife, who inquired about their recovery from jet lag after their lengthy flight from the UK. “Sort of,” Camilla responded with a smile.
Inside the church, King Charles and Queen Camilla signed two Bibles, including one linked to Australia’s historical beginnings—the Bible of Australia’s first minister and chaplain who accompanied the First Fleet in 1788.
Outside, large crowds gathered to meet the royal pair, with families and fans lining the streets, many singing “God Save the King.” The event gave the public their first opportunity to interact with the King and Queen since their arrival in Australia on Friday.
Later, the King visited New South Wales’ parliament, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Australia’s oldest legislature. During the visit, Charles presented an hourglass to the lawmakers, emphasizing the importance of strong parliaments to uphold democracy. Reflecting on his connection to Australia, the King expressed his joy at visiting the country as sovereign for the first time.
“What a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long,” King Charles said.
In addition to his Australia tour, King Charles will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa following his six-day stay. His visit to Australia marks his inaugural trip as sovereign and his first major overseas tour since his cancer diagnosis.
During the trip, Charles made a significant personal donation to fund a skills development program designed to combat climate change and support higher education in small island states, including those in the Pacific. This initiative, created in partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities, aims to strengthen the talent pool and enhance climate resilience in vulnerable regions facing threats such as rising sea levels.
“Throughout my life I have believed in the power of education to improve lives and unite communities across the Commonwealth and beyond,” King Charles said in a statement regarding the program, which is intended to support mid-career professionals and civil servants from small island nations.
