The King and Queen are due to arrive in Australia on the
18th October where they will be welcomed to Parliament
House in Canberra by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
and they will attend a reception for political
and community leaders.

Prominent Australians who have demonstrated achievement in
fields such as science, health, arts, culture, sports will
be on the guest list.

The Royals have a busy schedule. They will attend engagements
in Sydney on the 20th and 22nd October and visit Canberra
again on the 21st before returning to Sydney the next day.

In Sydney they will conduct a fleet review of the navy, attend
a community barbeque and visit the Opera House.

They will lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial and also
visit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Memorial.

King Charles will also visit CSIRO as part of the agency's
effort to tackle bushfires. King Charles will also meet with
prominent scientists to learn about their ground-breaking
cancer research.

King Charles will meet with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
representatives and groups.

It's a very full schedule for a monarch combating cancer and
having decided to put off his weekly treatment to come and visit
us.

This will be the King's first visit since he became King and the
first visit by a reigning British monarch since 2011.

His Majesty first visited Australia in 1966 and he has a strong
personal affection for Australia.

His Majesty has made 15 official visits to Australia. Most
recently in 2018 for the Commonwealth Games.

By coming here he's done us proud.

We need to return the gesture by welcoming him and his wife
to this land of mateship and a fair-go.

Which is obviously lacking in our state premiers
all of whom have said they are too busy to meet with the King.

Shame on them. Whether you're pro-Republic or pro-Monarchy -
the fact remains - King Charles is our current Head of State
and our politicians need to- follow
protocol and meet and greet the visiting monarch to whom they've
taken an oath to serve.

Hi Foxy

I agree. I'm a lifelong republican, but to me the Premiers' refusal to meet the king seems petulant and rude.

Hi Rhian,

Thanks.

It just seems odd that all the state Premiers have
declined the invitations to meet the Royals saying
they were busy with engagements. Surely these
engagements could have been postponed. The Royals
will only be in Australia for a few days.

I just can't understand it. Especially when the
premiers are under an obligation to follow
correct behaviour in the offices they hold.

.

I happen to have English and Irish blood in my veins, but I would, personally, prefer the land of my birth, as a third-generation Australian, to become a full democracy in which we freely elect our rulers, including our head of state, rather than continue to perpetuate the constitutional monarchy we inherited from the UK.

I don’t mind if we change to a republic or continue to remain a constitutional monarchy, so long as we elect our head of state – president or monarch – man or woman (or whatever). Nor do I mind what nationality our head of state may happen to have. We have never had an Australian head of state since the nation exists.

Nevertheless, I consider it imperative that our head of state be a permanent resident of and in Australia.

As regards our UK head of state’s occasional touristic visits, I see that the net worth of the British royal family is estimated at $AUS 41.3 billion (£21.3 billion), according to Forbes. In addition, Queen Elizabeth II had a separate personal fortune of $AUS 738.3 million (£380.7 million), inherited by her son King Charles, according to Forbes.

I find it quite shocking that the Australian taxpayer should pay the bill for these Royal tourist visits.

Here are some of the bills :

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 16-day tour in 2018 cost an estimated $1 million; Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales' 10-day visit in 2014 cost about $470,000; and the late Queen Elizabeth II's 10-day stay in 2011 cost more than $1.5 million.

Since 1867, the British royal family has visited Australia over fifty times in those 157 years and we Australians have always borne the costs. That’s a lot of taxpayer money.

So far as I am aware, the Royal family has never reciprocated with an invitation to any Australian taxpayers to tour the UK at their cost.

I don’t mind inviting friends home to dinner occasionally, but if I did that fifty times and they never reciprocated, I can’t say I would find that very polite.

Would you ?

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All the "republicans" who want to do away with the Crown and elect everyone should really give some thought to the quality of the people that they have been electing since they got the vote, and where that has got them.

There is little support for a republic in Australia. Albanese has erased the ridiculous “assistant minister for ‘the republic’”. THE republic, when no such thing existed.

The disrespect shown to the King of Australia is extremely childish, but not unexpected from the trash we keep voting for. Just imagine trying to pick a suitable President from the rubbish that would be presenting itself for the job; or the rubbish selected by whichever rubbish Prime Minister is hanging about at the time.

I believe that most Australians, no matter what they think of our Constitutional Monarchy, would be appalled by the childish behaviour of the petty little state Premiers. It might make some of the “republicans” think again about the dignity and history of the Monarchy compared with gauche politicians.

What an embarrassment for all of us!

The British monarchy is an anachronism, and even less relevant to most Australians than it is into the majority of Poms. As a republican ditching the monarchy is not a high priority with me, there is a cost involved with this sort of state visit nonsense, but it is relative small in the scheme of things. I have nothing against Charlie as such, I wouldn't like to see Old Charlie go the way of Louis XVI of France, and ending up headless.

I was hoping that we'd see a diversity of opinions in this
topic.

I'll repeat what I've said in previous discussions .

We're a country that doesn't like disturbances,
valuing stability. We are suspicious of demagoguery.
We have a fondness of long-standing norms and
conventions but most of us are comfortable when
these are challenged with merit and through due
process.

We've allowed a wide diversity of people into this
country but we also prize the arms-length distance from
the world that our geography allows.

Whether you're pro-Republic or pro-Monarchy I feel that
the behaviour of the state premiers in declining to meet
with the Royals is just rude. King Charles
is our current Head of State,
and you may not approve of that - but that's the present
reality and as a government official - you should be able
to perform the duties required.

A decision has been made by the government to welcome the
Royals - and as government officials - the premiers should
have to perform their jobs. The excuse that they have meetings
to attend is just not good enough. Meetings can always be
re-scheduled.

As for the costs involved of the Royal visit?

We've always paid for visiting dignitaries. And welcomed
them with dignity and pride showing them the best our
country has to offer. And King Charles is our Head of
State. The cost of the visit should not come into question.
At least - not yet. Not until we have another referendum
on the republic.

King Charles has made it quite clear (as did his mother)
that he will not block Australia becoming a republic. That
this was a decision for the Australian people to make.
He won't stand in the way.

I find it interesting that our state premiers have
declined to meet with the Royals and yet - the
Royals will be meeting with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander representatives and groups - who
have accepted their invitations.

They could have refused with good reason because
the negative affects of colonization are still having
an impact on Indigenous people every day often in drastic
ways.

These 18th century colonial attitudes set in motion events
and policies and established systems and institutions that
continue to have an impact on Indigenous people today,
despite Indigenous people's determined efforts to resist
and overcome their adversity.

Their behaviour is admirable - in accepting their invitations
to meet with the Royals compared to the behaviour of the
state premiers.

There's more at the following:

http://bbc.com/news/articles/cg563r671zpo

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Our old colonial constitution is the legal framework for how Australia is governed. There is nothing in it about a head of state. It does not exist.

We could continue inviting the British Royal Family on the occasional tourist trip to Australia and wave flags at them if that’s how we want to spend our tax money, but we don’t really need their services as head of state.

The Prime Minister could do that for representation on the world scene if required.

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Dear Banjo,

At present King Charles is our Head of State and as
such he should be met with respect and civility
by all our federal and state representatives.
What the future brings regarding King Charles
we shall have to wait and see.

I understand what you're saying. However, what I am
questioning is the state premiers refusing to meet with
the King during his visit here. I find their behaviour
inappropriate.

The premiers have deliberately decided to be rude to the King & Queen.
They have only demonstrated what poor quality people we have voted into government.
It appears that Albo demonstrates better manners.

.

The phrase "head of state" is not used in the constitution of:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Belize
Canada
Grenada
Jamaica
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The Bahamas
United Kingdom
.

The phrase "head of state", referring to the King, is used in the constitution of:

New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Tuvalu
.

As of June 2022, 36 of the 56 member states of the (British) Commonwealth of Nations have become independent republics. Brunei and Eswatini both have their own monarch, Lesotho and Malaysia are constitutional monarchies with their own king, and Tonga is a semi-constitutional monarchy, with its own king.

In Malaysia, the head of state is an elected monarch, chosen from among the nine state sultans every five years. The head of government is the prime minister.

.

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Dear Foxy,

.

Yes, I think we should always be polite, whatever the circumstances.
.

http://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/89/0f/fc890f26af0ec465d91c2582545c15be.jpg
.

http://www.tiktok.com/@flutteringpositivity/video/7390935753695481119?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

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The insulting behaviour of the ignorant state premiers goes against the sentiments of most Australians. A poll last weekend showed that the monarchy had actually increased in popularity since the death of the Queen two years ago. Those wanting a republic are fewer in number than those who voted yes to the notorious Voice.

Australians, irrespective of political leanings, seem to be more in tune with the King and Queen of Australia than we are with our bloody awful politicians.

Speaking of bloody awful politicians, an even worse one might be joining them after the coming election in the ACT.

James Cruz ACT Green candidate for 19 Oct election has brought attention to himself. Wanting to become a politician himself, he has had this to say:

“ f..king kill politicians” or “send them to The Hague and hang them in the street”.

On Israel:

“F..k Israel” and “their genocidal regime”; and”:

“I don’t give a s..t how many of their occupying forces die when they couldn’t care less about indiscriminately slaughtering civilians, and actively cheer as they die.”

I wonder where he stands on "hate speech". Oh,that's right. Hate speech comes from others, not the Greens.

I appreciate reading all of your views.

As always, it's good to see the logic behind each post.

I'm looking forward to the visit by the Royals.

I just hope that there won't be any political protests.

Dear Banjo,

Thanks for the information and the two links.

Talking about spankings and punches in the face?

I'm reminded of the Jim Henson quote:

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and it may be
necessary from time to time to give a misinformed
beholder a black eye".

Dear Banjo,

You however are not misinformed - and deserve a big hug.

The Royals have had a very difficult time since both
King Charles and his daughter-in-law both received
cancer diagnosis and underwent cancer treatment.

Whether you like the Royals or not - we've got to
admit it could not have been easy for them
and their families.

It's now just days away since King Charles and Queen Camilla
will be touching down in Australia for the King's first tour
since his coronation.

Reports have circled that the King is "barely holding on".
Let's hope that this visit proves to be a boost for him.
It may just be what the King needs. He's paused his
cancer treatment during his 11 day tour of Australia.

All we can do is wish him well and try to make his visit
a positive one for him and for us.