King Charles III’s visit to Australia took a dramatic turn when Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted a parliamentary reception, accusing British colonizers of genocide and demanding reparations for Indigenous peoples, AP News reports.
Thorpe demanded the return of stolen Indigenous remains and the establishment of a treaty, emphasizing that no treaty was ever made between British colonizers and Australia’s Indigenous peoples. Thorne declared “This is not your land. You are not my king,” as she was escorted out.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who advocates for an Australian republic, acknowledged the complex relationship with the monarchy in his welcoming speech. Meanwhile, opposition leader Peter Dutton, a supporter of the monarchy, noted that many supporters of a republic attended the reception for the royal couple, although all six state governments declined invitations, signaling their support for an Australian head of state.
This marks Charles’s first visit to Australia as king and the first by a reigning British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 2011. Australia held a referendum in 1999 supporting the monarchy, and another referendum is unlikely during Albanese’s current term but could happen if re-elected.
