King Charles and Queen Camilla sign the Australian Parliament’s guest book before the monarch delivered a speech to Australian lawmakers. Photo: Chris Jackson-Pool / Editorial Shutterstock
During the official visit of King Charles III of Great Britain to Australia, Aboriginal senator Lydia Thorpe sharply accused him of “genocide” of indigenous peoples. The incident took place on Monday in the Parliament of Canberra, shortly after the monarch expressed respect for traditional landowners in his speech, Reuters reports.
This is the King’s 16th official visit to Australia and his first major international trip since being diagnosed with cancer. After Charles’ speech, Senator and activist Thorpe, known for her anti-colonial views, loudly exclaimed: “You have committed genocide against our people! Give back our land, what you have stolen from us – our bones, our skulls, our children, our people. You have destroyed our land. We want a treaty!”
Thorpe, who had previously protested against Australia’s colonial heritage, tried to approach the king but was stopped. King Charles remained calm, speaking briefly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and then continued with the ceremony. Thorpe was escorted out of the parliament hall.
The senator states that the imprisonment and violence caused by colonisation can only end with the signing of a national agreement between the government and Indigenous peoples that will address First Nations issues.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott of the Liberal Party called Thorpe’s actions “an unfortunate political show-off”.
A spokesperson for the royal palace said that the King and Queen expressed their gratitude to the thousands of people who came out to meet them, adding: “We only regret that we did not have the opportunity to speak to everyone. The warm welcome has been incredible.”
