Lyla Lindsey
Australia has a history of mixed sentiment towards the British monarchy and the idea of becoming a republic. During a visit to Australia, Prince Charles and Queen Camilla were met with crowds of well-wishers, but also protesters calling for a republic. On one occasion in Parliament, an Australian senator shouted, You are not my King, this is not your land. This incident sparked debate about monarchism and republicanism in Australia, with some sources claiming that Princess Diana's popularity eclipsed that of Prince Charles during their tour of Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Australia |
| Incident | Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe shouted "You are not my King, this is not your land" at King Charles during his visit to the Australian Parliament in Canberra |
| Date | 21 October 2022 |
| Time | Minutes after King Charles' speech to the Australian Parliament |
| Context | King Charles had just praised the First Nations people and paid respects to "the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet" |
| Response | King Charles was reported to be unruffled by the protest. Buckingham Palace spokespeople had no comment. A palace source pointed to the thousands of people who greeted the King and Queen Consort during their visit |
| Previous Visits | Prince Charles and Princess Diana's tour of Australia in 1983; Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Alice Springs, Australia with their son, Prince William |
| Public Perception | Princess Diana's popularity eclipsed that of Prince Charles during their tour of Australia. The monarchy's popularity in Australia has waxed and waned over the decades |
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What You'll Learn
- Princess Diana's popularity eclipsed Prince Charles' during their tour of Australia
- Australian senator Lidia Thorpe shouted You are not my king at King Charles in Parliament
- Prince Charles was attacked by David Kang in 1994 during an Australia Day speech
- The popularity of the monarchy in Australia has waxed and waned over the decades
- The Crown's depiction of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's tour of Australia
Princess Diana's popularity eclipsed Prince Charles' during their tour of Australia
Princess Diana and Prince Charles' 1983 tour of Australia was deemed "fateful" and "traumatic". The trip was their first royal tour together, and it came at a time when the monarchy was in a perilous position, with Australia's movement to leave the British Commonwealth gaining traction.
The tour was a gruelling one, with the couple covering 30,000 miles and making up to eight appearances in one day. While Prince Charles was used to this type of work, it was 21-year-old Diana's first overseas royal tour. The Queen was reportedly "terribly worried" before the trip due to Diana's youth and shyness, and the British tabloids had already started to paint her as unpredictable.
Despite these concerns, Princess Diana's popularity in Australia massively eclipsed that of her husband. Diana fever took over, with crowds chanting her name and reaching out to touch her. The Newcastle Evening Chronicle reported that the "people of this most sophisticated of Australian cities went wild for the delicate 21-year-old English rose and mobbed her from one side of town to the other". Princess Diana solidified her reputation as the "people's princess".
Prince Charles, on the other hand, grew increasingly frustrated as the trip progressed. He was unhappy with the scant coverage of himself in the press compared to the extensive coverage of his wife. This created a rift between the royal couple.
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Australian senator Lidia Thorpe shouted You are not my king at King Charles in Parliament
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Australia in October 2024, marking the King's first visit to the country as a monarch and his first since his cancer diagnosis. The five-day trip was shorter than previous royal visits due to the King's health.
During the visit, the King addressed Australian MPs and senators in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra. As he finished his speech, independent senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted the ceremony, shouting anti-colonial slogans for about a minute before being escorted away by security. An Indigenous Australian, Thorpe is known for her fierce opposition to the monarchy and outspoken advocacy for Indigenous rights.
Thorpe's protest focused on the historical treatment of Indigenous Australians by the British. She accused the King of genocide and land theft, shouting, "You are not my king. You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us—our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people." Wearing a traditional possum skin cloak, she also called on the King to instruct Parliament to discuss a peace treaty with Australia's first inhabitants.
Thorpe's actions sparked mixed reactions. While some Australians condemned the outburst as "disrespectful" and "unfortunate political exhibitionism", others, including businessman Dick Smith, viewed it as an illustration of the country's democracy. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also defended the King, praising his work during the Australia tour. Buckingham Palace, however, made no official comment on the protest.
This incident was not the first time a member of the royal family had faced opposition during a visit to Australia. In 1994, Prince Charles was shot at by David Kang, who was protesting the plight of Cambodian refugees in the country. Additionally, during a previous tour of Australia with Princess Diana, the Prince faced a challenge from her popularity, which eclipsed his own.
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Prince Charles was attacked by David Kang in 1994 during an Australia Day speech
On 26 January 1994, Prince Charles was attacked by 23-year-old David Kang during an Australia Day speech at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour in Sydney. Kang fired two blank shots from a starting pistol at the Prince of Wales, who was about to present prizes to schoolchildren before a crowd of 20,000.
Kang jumped a small fence at the front of the stage and ran towards the Prince, firing the first shot as he approached the lectern. He fired the second shot as he crashed into the lectern and was wrestled to the ground by police. At least 15 people, including Australian of the Year Ian Kiernan, jumped on Kang, and the Prince's bodyguard shielded and removed him from the stage. The Prince sustained no injuries and later continued with his speech.
David Kang was the second person to attack a royal in Sydney, after Irishman Henry James O'Farrell in 1868. Kang was arrested and taken to the Sydney Police Centre on Goulburn Street, facing six charges, including two under the Federal Crimes (Internationally Protected Persons) Act 1976, and charges of illegally using a firearm, possessing a firearm, affray, and assault. He was remanded in custody until 4 February 1994 and could have received a 20-year sentence if convicted on all counts.
In court, Kang testified that he was suffering from depression and was protesting the treatment of Cambodian refugees in Australia, a cause he had previously written to the Prince about. He maintained that he did not intend to hurt anyone during his protest, and he was found guilty of threatening unlawful violence, receiving 500 hours of community service. The incident sparked some debate about monarchism and republicanism in Australia.
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The popularity of the monarchy in Australia has waxed and waned over the decades
Australia has a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch serving as the country's sovereign and head of state. The popularity of the monarchy in Australia has fluctuated over the years, influenced by various events and the public perception of individual royal family members.
In the past, Australians have shown great enthusiasm for royal visits. When Queen Elizabeth II first visited Australia in 1954, she was greeted by massive crowds, with over half of Sydney's population turning out to see her. The Queen's subsequent tours, such as her fourth visit in 1973 when she opened the Sydney Opera House, continued to attract large numbers of well-wishers.
However, certain events have contributed to a decline in support for the monarchy. The dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by the Queen's representative, Sir John Kerr, in 1975 fuelled republican sentiments. Additionally, the divorce of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, along with the revelation of his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, also impacted the reputation of the royal family in Australia. Princess Diana's popularity in Australia during her visit in 1988 and her sudden death in 1997 further highlighted the Australian public's affection for her, while their perception of the royal family as unfeeling during that time damaged their reputation.
The marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles was another event that contributed to a decline in support for the monarchy among Australians. Despite these fluctuations, Australia has not made the move to become a republic. A referendum in 1999, which required a double majority of both a national majority of votes and a majority in at least four of the six states to change the Constitution, failed to pass.
While the popularity of individual royal family members may have varied, the overall sentiment towards the monarchy in Australia has waxed and waned over the decades. The country's connection with Queen Elizabeth II remained strong throughout her reign, and the current monarch, King Charles III, has historical ties with the country as well.
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The Crown's depiction of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's tour of Australia
The tour was politically sensitive, with a wave of Republicanism sweeping Australia at the time. Just 12 days before their departure, Prince Charles was asked if he would make a good king of Australia, to which he replied, "I don't think we will be talking about kings of Australia forevermore." This set the tone for a tour aimed at strengthening the monarchy's position in a pivotal moment.
The Crown portrays Princess Diana's struggle with the Australian heat and jet lag, particularly during their visit to Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock). In the show, Diana, dressed in an impractical outfit, pauses during the climb and exclaims, "Charles, I can't. The heat. I feel dizzy." This scene depicts an early weakness in their relationship, with Charles expressing frustration and snarling to Camilla Parker-Bowles, "She's pathetic." However, reports at the time indicated that Diana's hesitation was due to her outdoor outfit, which included a dainty white dress and flats—not the most suitable choice for hiking.
The episode also captures the growing popularity of Princess Diana, which began to eclipse that of her husband. This dynamic is reflected in the public's adoration of Diana and their delight in hearing cheerful tales about her young son, Prince William, who joined them on the tour, breaking traditional protocol. The couple's dynamic dancing at the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel and Charles's goal-scoring polo match in Sydney are also featured in the show.
Overall, The Crown's depiction of the tour sheds light on the couple's early marital problems and the impact of Diana's rising stardom on their relationship, providing insight into the complexities of their eventual separation.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but there have been instances of Australians expressing opposition to the monarchy and the royal family. During a visit to Australia in 1994, an individual fired two blank shots at Prince Charles during an Australia Day speech. More recently, in 2022, an Australian senator shouted "You are not my king, this is not your land" to King Charles during his visit to the country.
No, Buckingham Palace spokespeople had no comment on the protest. A palace source, however, acknowledged the thousands of people who welcomed the couple during their visit.
Yes, they made a dramatic tour of Australia, during which Princess Diana's popularity eclipsed that of Prince Charles.
Yes, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Australia and Samoa in 2024. Their visit was described as "pared-down, carefully planned, and jam-packed."
No, Australian sentiment towards the monarchy and the idea of becoming a republic have fluctuated over the years.
