Public to rub shoulders with royals at Opera House, BBQ
Neve Brissenden |
Members of the public will get multiple chances to glimpse Australia’s new monarch during the King and Queen’s first tour since taking the throne.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will visit iconic Sydney and Canberra landmarks while also making time for smaller community events when they land on Australian soil.
Their six-day trip begins in the Harbour City on Friday, October 18 before the monarchs head to Canberra and visit the Australian War Memorial on Monday.
There they will lay a wreath and meet members of the public at midday before moving to Parliament House, according to their public itinerary.
The royals will then be greeted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at a ceremonial welcome, before meeting fans in the forecourt at 2pm.
Sydneysiders will be able to see the pair at the Opera House forecourt and the Man O’War Steps at 4pm on Tuesday.
The King and Queen will also attend a community barbecue in Parramatta, where Premier Chris Minns will host a “regional showcase” supported by the NSW Agricultural Society.
The western Sydney event is an opportunity to promote the state’s rich culinary and cultural diversity, while the monarchs would meet many outstanding citizens, Mr Minns said.
The pair will also meet 2024 Australians of the Year Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer, commended for their research into skin cancers.
As part of the trip, the Queen will visit a Sydney library and meet students participating in writing workshops, authors and children taking part in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
In Canberra, the royals will also visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens to meet staff and volunteers, and take part in a tree planting.
King Charles will also visit the CSIRO in a focus on the agency’s efforts to tackle bushfires, while Queen Camilla will meet with representatives at domestic violence charity GIVIT.
The pair will leave the country on October 23 to visit Samoa.
It will be the first trip to Australia by a reigning monarch since 2011, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth.
King Charles has travelled to Australia 15 times before taking the throne.
AAP