King Charles III Faces Protest from Indigenous Senator During Visit \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ During King Charles III’s visit to Australia’s parliament, Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted a parliamentary reception to accuse the British royal of benefiting from colonial theft of Indigenous land and called for reparations. Thorpe was escorted out after shouting that the land and bones of Indigenous Australians had been stolen. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton both addressed the constitutional debate surrounding the monarchy, while Charles paid tribute to Australia’s First Nations people.
Indigenous Senator Confronts King Charles III: Quick Looks
- Thorpe’s Protest: Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted King Charles’ visit, accusing the British monarchy of stealing Indigenous land and calling for a treaty.
- Constitutional Debate: Prime Minister Albanese referenced the ongoing debate over Australia’s relationship with the Crown, while opposition leader Dutton defended the monarchy.
- King Charles Responds: The king acknowledged Australia’s Indigenous people and their contributions, thanking local elders for their ceremonial welcome.
- Australia’s Republic Debate: The visit reignites discussions about Australia’s future as a republic, though no referendum is planned during Albanese’s current term.
Deep Look:
On Monday, as King Charles III visited Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra, the event took a dramatic turn when Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe staged a vocal protest. Thorpe, known for her advocacy on behalf of Indigenous Australians, confronted the British monarch, accusing the Crown of benefiting from colonial violence and theft. Shouting from across the hall, Thorpe declared, “This is not your land. You are not my king,” and called for the return of stolen land and a treaty to address historical injustices against Australia’s Indigenous people.
Thorpe’s protest came as King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a parliamentary reception hosted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton. The senator’s outburst centered on the Crown’s historical role in the colonization of Australia, during which Indigenous lands were seized without treaties or compensation. “You committed genocide against our people,” she yelled, referring to the violence and dispossession Indigenous communities suffered under British rule.
As Thorpe continued, she demanded, “Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.” Security officials quickly intervened, escorting Thorpe out of the reception before she could approach King Charles, who was engaged in quiet conversation with Albanese.
Thorpe’s high-profile protest is consistent with her history of activism. A senator since 2022, Thorpe previously made headlines during her swearing-in ceremony when she referred to the late Queen Elizabeth II as “the colonizing Her Majesty.” She has also engaged in direct-action protests, including lying down in front of a police float at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Thorpe has been a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights, and her latest demonstration underscores the unresolved tensions between Australia’s First Nations peoples and the British Crown.
While Thorpe’s protest captured attention, Prime Minister Albanese and opposition leader Dutton addressed Australia’s constitutional relationship with the monarchy in their official speeches. Albanese, who supports Australia becoming a republic, made a veiled reference to the ongoing debate. He praised King Charles for showing “great respect for Australians, even during times when we have debated the future of our own constitutional arrangements.” His remark alluded to the movement for Australia to cut ties with the British monarchy and establish an Australian head of state. “Nothing stands still,” Albanese added, hinting at future changes to Australia’s constitutional framework.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, a staunch monarchist, took a lighter tone in his response. “People have had haircuts, people have shined shoes, suits have been pressed and that’s just the republicans,” he quipped, noting the presence of both monarchists and republicans at the event. Dutton emphasized that even supporters of an Australian republic were honored to attend the reception for King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Despite the diplomatic pleasantries, Australia’s six state governments declined invitations to the royal reception, citing other engagements. Monarchists interpreted this as a snub, noting the absence of key political figures as a sign of growing support for a republic. This absence underscores the simmering debate about Australia’s constitutional ties to the British monarchy, a discussion that has gained renewed attention since Charles ascended to the throne.
In his remarks, King Charles expressed deep appreciation for Australia’s Indigenous communities. “Let me also say how deeply I appreciated this morning’s moving Welcome to Country ceremony, which offers me the opportunity to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet, the Ngunnawal people, and all First Nations peoples who have loved and cared for this continent for 65,000 years,” Charles said. He acknowledged the influence that Indigenous wisdom and culture had on him throughout his life, stating, “I can only say how much my own experience has been shaped and strengthened by such traditional wisdom.”
The issue of Australia’s relationship with the British monarchy was last put to a vote in 1999 when a national referendum to become a republic was rejected. However, many analysts believe the outcome was influenced by disagreements over how the president would be selected rather than broad support for retaining the monarchy. Prime Minister Albanese has previously expressed interest in holding another referendum but has ruled out doing so during his current three-year term, which will end in 2024. Should Albanese’s Labor Party be re-elected, a second republic referendum may become a real possibility.
Charles’ visit to Australia, his first as king, also included laying wreaths at the Australian War Memorial and greeting thousands of well-wishers. His schedule, however, has been scaled down due to his ongoing battle with cancer. This trip marks his 17th visit to Australia and the first by a reigning monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2011 visit. For many Australians, the event has renewed discussions about the country’s future relationship with the British monarchy.
The Australian Republic Movement (ARM), which advocates for severing constitutional ties with Britain, wrote to King Charles earlier this year requesting a meeting during his visit to discuss their cause. Buckingham Palace responded politely, stating that such meetings would be determined by the Australian government. A meeting between Charles and the ARM is not on the official itinerary, but the palace reaffirmed that the decision about Australia’s future as a republic is “a matter for the Australian public to decide.”
Amid the ceremonial events and protests, King Charles and Queen Camilla have continued their tour of Australia, greeting thousands of supporters along the way. Despite the republic debate, Charles’ visit has drawn significant public interest, with an estimated 4,000 people turning out to see the royal couple at the Australian War Memorial. Charles is set to travel to Samoa next, where he will open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The visit has highlighted both Australia’s enduring connection to the British monarchy and the unresolved tensions between the Crown and Indigenous Australians. Senator Lidia Thorpe’s protest served as a reminder that the debate over Australia’s colonial history and future as a republic is far from settled. Whether this renewed focus on the issue leads to another referendum remains to be seen, but Thorpe’s voice continues to echo the sentiments of those seeking justice and reconciliation for Australia’s First Nations peoples.
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