Related Articles
King Charles and Queen Camilla received the warmest of welcomes on their first full day of engagements in Australia – from the sun that finally came out, to the crowds on the streets.
Handed armfuls of flowers, toy koalas and even some kangaroo jerky, the couple were repeatedly thanked for making the long journey over, particularly in light of His Majesty’s on-going cancer treatment.
Arriving St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney in the morning the royal duo, who enjoyed a down day yesterday after their gruelling flight, were met with loud cheers from the hundreds of well-wishers, drowning out a handful of protestors with a ‘decolonise’ banner calling for indigenous rights and waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags.
A handful of locals shouted ‘get lost’ and ‘get a life’ in frustration, while one man told them: ‘Be thankful you live in a free society where you can argue across the street.’
Fans waiting inside the church grounds – including dozens of Sunday school children – were thrilled to shake hands with the King and Queen, while others described the ongoing republican debate as a ‘bore’.
Afterwards one child delightedly shouted ‘I touched the King!’. ‘It was so good, he was so kind,’ said another little girl.
Camilla, wearing a pale green Anna Valentine dress and straw hat, was gifted a posy before they were received by the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Reverend Kanishka Raffel and the Bishop of North Sydney, Right Reverend Chris Edwards.
Inside, the Archbishop highlighted St Thomas’ royal history before the Reverend Michael Mantle, Rector of the Parish of North Sydney started by welcoming the royal guests, saying: ‘It is an enormous honour for us to welcome you to our church this morning.’
The King and Queen greeted Australians in Sydney on their first day of engagements
King Charles shook hands and spoke with adoring fans under spring sunshine on Sunday
Queen Camilla was handed gifts as the pair made their way to St Thomas’s Anglican Church
The theme of the service was ‘The Good News About Jesus’ and featured hymns Rejoice the Lord is King, Tell Out, My Soul and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
Throughout the service, a lone flute could be heard from outside playing ‘God Save the King’.
Speaking afterwards professional flutist Minah Kim said she only learnt the piece this morning while standing on the lawn outside St Thomas’.
At the conclusion of the hour-long service, the King and Queen were wished safe travels for the rest of their trip before they made their way to the front where they signed Australia’s first Bible and a book of common prayer.
Every member of the Royal Family has signed the Bible, which belonged to Rev Richard Johnson, the first Christian Minister in Australia, on previous royal visits.
The late Queen Elizabeth signed it in 1954 during the first visit of a reigning monarch to these shores, with the Archbishop saying the Bible ‘represents a significant history of this church and nation’.
The King, who looked remarkably well, alluded to his inevitable jet-lag as he signed, joking: ‘What day is it again?’ and chuckling.
Australians lined the streets of north Sydney to welcome the Royals, bearing flags and tiaras
The pair attended a service at St Thomas’ Anglican Church and signed Australia’s oldest Bible
A lone flute could be heard playing God Save the King during the hour-long Church service
Stepping outside to loud cheers from the hundreds gathered on the lawn opposite the church, the King waved before walking over to speak to members of the public.
Some wellwishers said they had begun queuing at 5am to get a prime spot to see the couple, with others in the crowd flying in from other parts of Australia especially.
Charles said to one person: ‘It’s a beautiful day’ as several others shouted: ‘We love you.
Another said to the Queen: ‘Hello, I hope your jet leg is getting better’ before the pair spoke about the perils of long-haul travel.
‘We have it the same when we come to the UK,’ Helen Hetrelezis told Camilla.
She had arrived at the church at 7:45 am with her brothers to try and catch a glimpse of Their Majesties.
King Charles later addressed the Bicentenary event of the NSW Legislative Council in Sydney
The King then greeted more Australians as he made his way from NSW Parliament House
‘We spoke about her visit, I asked the queen about her stay, and she said she was enjoying Sydney very much,’ she said.
They spent 15 minutes meeting the hundreds of members of the public gathered to welcome Their Majesties, and even asked their security if they could walk over to the crowds gathered opposite the church before they left.
Benjamin was delighted to meet the King, saying it was ‘a once in a lifetime opportunity, I feel grateful for having to meet him.’
As they moved along the crowds, spontaneous rounds of three cheers erupted from the crowds and people continued to whoop and cheer.
Abigail Smith, 10, in her Scouts uniform, gave the King a special present.
She said: ‘I drew a picture of a kangaroo and gave it to him.
‘He said ‘you are very kind’.
‘I did it because the kangaroo is an Australian animal.
‘I think he liked it.’
Joe Ackland, 48, of Melbourne, added: ‘It was amazing. I asked him if he would be going to go surfing or swimming on Manley Beach and he said ‘if I was a younger man!’ ‘
One schoolgirl said the King complimented her drawing of a kangaroo which she gifted him
Dozens of well-wishers handed gifts to Their Majesties, including Tunnock’s Tea Cakes, Kangaroo jerky and bouquets of flowers.
The Queen has requested all of the flowers be taken to Admiralty House, where they are staying while in Sydney.
Another lady said excitedly: ‘I shook his hand.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled that he is here in our neck of the woods.
‘He looks in great health.’
Valerie Malinowski, who is 75, joked that she had had ‘a crush’ on Charles since they were both 15, but had never met him before.
‘We want to make him feel welcome,’ she said. ‘There’s a lot of negativity sometimes, but he is very very welcome and very loved.’
Also in the crowd were Sinclair and Wendy Hill, old friends of the King who have hosted him at their home in Australia.
Queen Camilla had the numerous bouquets of flowers gifted to her sent to their accomodation
Mr Hill, who is described as Australia’s greatest ever polo player, was asked by Prince Philip to teach the young Charles, and has kept up a warm friendship ever since.
Mrs Hill, whom the King greeted with a kiss on each cheek, said afterwards: ‘He is a lovely man and the fact that he has not been well and still came… The effort he puts in to talk to all these people. I thought he looked terrific.’
Speaking afterwards the Archbishop said: ‘It’s been a great pleasure and privilege to have their majesties with us here at St Thomas’, North Sydney.
‘This church has a family connection with His Majesty because his great grandfather as a teenage boy laid the cornerstone.’
He added: ‘It was lovely for this local church to be able to welcome the sovereign King Charles and Queen Camilla to join us in worship today we are absolutely thrilled.
‘There has been a great feel.
‘People are very happy to see them and they received a very generous, warm welcome.
‘And Their Majesties were also very generous in greeting lots of people soon after their jet lag.’
The church presented the royal visitors with gifts including a rugby ball, cricket ball and toy koala for them to take home for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Later, The King undertook his first major ceremonial duty – and an impromptu royal walkabout – in Australia today as he visited the New South Wales Legislative Council to mark its bicentenary.
The passing of time was clearly on the King’s mind as he remarked on the ‘slightly worrying’ fact that he first came to the country nearly sixty years ago.
Source link
