Britain’s King Charles was hugged by an Indigenous elder during a welcome ceremony on Tuesday at the birthplace of Australia’s urban Aboriginal civil rights movement in Sydney.
This happened a day after an Indigenous senator in Canberra shouted at him. At the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern, Charles was warmly embraced by elder Michael Welsh, and another woman introduced herself as part of the Stolen Generation, a group of Aboriginal children removed from their families many years ago.
The day before, independent senator Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous activist, yelled at Charles in Parliament, saying she did not accept his authority over Australia and called for a treaty with Indigenous people.
Thorpe’s actions received mixed reactions, with some praising her bravery and others disagreeing with her approach to reconciliation.
This moment has brought renewed attention to Australia’s colonial history and its ongoing relationship with Indigenous communities, showing the deep emotions surrounding these issues.
Charles, who acknowledged the “challenging journey towards reconciliation” in a speech earlier, visited a social housing project later in the day with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The king and Queen Camilla are in Sydney and Canberra for six days before attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
Reuters reported that many people came out to see the royal couple, with some sharing their admiration for Charles, saying he had been doing a lot of good over the years.
Others, like those supporting Thorpe, hoped he would engage more with Indigenous communities during his visit .
Credit : Reuters