King Charles is visiting Australia soon, but there’s a big argument about how he’s being welcomed.
The premiers of Australia’s six states—New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania—are not going to attend his welcome reception in Canberra.
Monarchists in Australia, like Bev McArthur from the Australian Monarchist League, are upset and say it’s “insulting.” They believe the premiers should put aside their political opinions and take the time to greet the King.
According to McArthur, it’s disrespectful that the premiers are making excuses, like having other commitments, instead of attending.
The state premiers will still send their governors to represent them, and Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, will formally welcome the King. However, this situation has reignited the debate about whether Australia should become a republic.
Some groups, like the Australian Republic Movement, want Australia to have its own head of state instead of the British monarch. They’ve even referred to the King’s visit as the monarchy’s “farewell tour.”
BBC reports that King Charles has said it’s up to the Australian people to decide if they want to become a republic.
The King’s visit to Australia is his biggest since his cancer diagnosis, but his treatment will be paused during the trip. After Australia, he’ll head to Samoa for a Commonwealth meeting.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg563r671zpo