I was actually surprised that King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Australian tour was so brief? I thought they were supposed to be in Oz for several more days. They arrived late Friday, had a rest day on Saturday, only did two events in Sydney on Sunday (and Charles skipped out of a high-level lunch after ten minutes), then they went to Canberra, where they were protested by Lidia Thorpe in the Parliamentary chamber. Then on Tuesday, they were back in Sydney for a day of events. And that was it. The big Australian tour: barely two and a half days of events and appearances. I guess the palace really did lighten Charles’s schedule due to health concerns.
So, now that the Oz leg is over, Charles and Camilla are already in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Charles did the formal greeting with Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and a police inspection, all at the airport upon his arrival with Camilla. I would assume he needed to rest after that.
Now that the Oz leg is over, will there be a wider analysis of how Charles and Camilla performed, and whether this is yet another colonialist flop tour? The British press has done Charles and the crown no favors here, as they bash Senator Lidia Thorpe and boot-lick the crown. From the Times of London’s analysis:
However, there was a third element that appears to have blindsided the Palace: the fight for indigenous rights, even though it is something that the King has spoken about for years. At the start of his speech at Parliament House in Canberra, he acknowledged his respect for “all First Nations peoples who have loved and cared for this continent for 65,000 years”.
Those close to the Palace will hope that the public will see the outburst by the senator Lidia Thorpe for what it is, a stunt designed to elicit maximum coverage.
It was intended to shock, which is the effect it appeared to have on everyone in the room besides the King and Queen, who took it in their stride. Those close to the King have sagely noted, not for the first time, that the loudest voice in the room seldom belongs to the wisest mind.
This was the palace pushback to one of the largest papers in Britain: that an Aboriginal woman – an elected official who requested a private meeting with Charles to address her concerns only to be turned down – is not bright, that she’s a drama queen, a stunt queen, that an old man who inherited a vast fortune knows more about Aboriginal rights. Also: usually, the Sussexes are the only ones blind-siding the palace, it’s fun that now Australian politicians are shocking Charles’s socks off!
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at Faleolo International Airport in Samoa to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, on day four of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: Faleolo, Samoa When: 23 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III receives a guard of honour from Samoan police officers upon arrival at Faleolo International Airport in Samoa, on day four of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Faleolo, Samoa When: 23 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla are greeted by Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa as they arrive at Faleolo International Airport in Samoa to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, on day four of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla are greeted by Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa Where: Samoa When: 23 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla are greeted as they arrive at Faleolo International Airport in Samoa to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, on day four of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla Where: Samoa When: 23 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III during an audience with Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa at Faleolo International Airport in Samoa, on day four of the royal visit to Australia and Samoa. Featuring: King Charles III during an audience with Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa Where: Samoa When: 23 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The UK’s media coverage of the BRF make Britons look worse than Trump made Americans look. Our media is BS too but it was still clear to the world that a lot of us hated Trump. UK media doesn’t allow for decenting voices in regards to the BRF so it makes everyone in the UK look dumb. I know there is decent bc I see it on site regularly, but that’s now what the world sees. They are publishing these racist ass pieces and it makes it look like all Britons feel that way.
“Stunt?!” Even though the royals have spoken about indigenous rights, they were blindsighted…what? Excuse me?! Gosh, here was a much needed history lesson in real time as to what indigenous rights encompass. KC should not have been blindsighted–he should have known ahead of time what was going on. And the fact that he neither wanted to hear these voices to begin with nor engage with Lidia Thorpe afterwards speaks volumes.
I mean, how would Charles have prepared if he wasn’t “blindsided” by this very calm and predictable show of dissent? Was he upset he didn’t know to bring his royal guards to throw her in the dungeon and make room in his tour schedule for a public flogging? What a fragile, worthless asshat.
Charles is probably having a temper tantrum all the way back home
He’s been protested regularly since QE2 passed away. Remember the man with a blank piece of paper (!!!) who was arrested for protesting? The yellow Republic “Not My King” sign through the carriage window? Surveys keep emphasizing his lack of popularity–you’d think based on that alone he’d be expecting this. And that doesn’t take into consideration how various Commonwealth countries are openly questioning his value and his family’s oppression and exploitation of their citizens! He supposedly likes and is knowledgeable about history, as well.
If he was truly blind-sided, he’s a moron/has severe memory issues and his aides are know-nothings.
This was completely predictable by any competent advance team or … you know, a functional adult who has been alive or paying attention for 50 or 20 or even 5 years.
This! Leaders know what they’re walking into and are prepared, ready for it. Leaders don’t put their head in the sand. Or, ignore, contoversial opininions.
Chuckles should know about blindsiding folks — Diana and Harry, even the Lazy Keens. All he cares about is his needs being met.
This is the same playbook the horrible Murdoch media and other conservative rags run on AOC and other bright and effective female politicians of color. Lidia Thorpe is in excellent company and I look forward to hearing more about her awesomeness in representing her culture and constituents!
Agree. The media can’t stop trying to make the old white guys into victims and all women, especially women of color, into harpies. And they quite successfully get many women to buy into that garbage. Poor, poor rich white men who oppress, everyone is against them!
Reading this my first thought is that those who speak truth to power will always be attacked by those with vested interests in that power and the status quo. Even more so when they are women and women of colour. But, she has been heard and I applaud her ongoing efforts to get accountability and retribution for everything that has been done.
The tone of that article makes me rage-y.
They can try and downplay it all they like, whether they admit it or not Indigenous rights are a HUGE talking point here and Senator Thorpe took her chance to bring it right to the person whose institution is responsible for a great deal of pain.
The arrogance is astounding. From our PM too.
I hope this reignites the issue and we can finally get a real treaty with our First Nations.
#EndTheMonarchy
Their response was ridiculous & insulting. But Charles talks about indigenous rights all the time! 🤨 So the f*ck what! Talk is cheap, Chuckie, how about some action? How about you put some meaning behind those words?
People hating you and the effed up empire you represent isn’t a “stunt” , it’s reality. How typical that they get one glimpse of the truth and retreat back into a fantasy narrative in which this person is an anomaly.
Camilla s wearing that trouser outfit again.
I find it better than the housecoats. I remain disgusted by chuckles’s lack of tailoring. His suit coat is way too long and nothing every fits. He is a sloppy man.
I’m starting to like her best in pant outfits. Houedresses in public not a good look for her.
I don’t know who the Samoan woman is, but I like her outfit better. Camilla looks a bit prissy in her outfit & stiff hair.
Do y’all know Camz took her shoes off at one stage as her feet were hurting. Poor baby, she needs another spa visit.
Seems brief but frankly they overstayed.
We’ve always had to put up with a few occasional fawning articles in one of our major supposedly reputable newspapers but things went into overdrive while Chuck was here.
Funny, one article was on how ‘unruffled’ he was about Senator Thorpe.
I completely agree with what she said to Chuck. Sadly she has been involved in quite a few scuffles on different topics and there was no way they would have allowed her a private audience with Chuck.
Or maybe Charles is the one stunting all over Australia looking for maximum coverage. That sick-looking man should have stayed home and rested himself, but no, he needed to feel like the king of the realm so he stunted all over Australia with his sycophantic rota press ready to defend his honor, making sure to describe him as wise as opposed to a fool of a man taking a vanity trip.
If the Palace didn’t exist in a bubble they wouldn’t have been blindsided. The Palace’s attitude to Lidia Thorpe’s protest tells you all you need to know about their treatment of Harry and especially Meghan.
I believe senator Lydia. requested private meetings several times but he refused. She took the bold step to call him out; as usual Charles was tone deaf, Camilla sitting there laughing like a moron. Poor Lydia manhandled out like some common criminals. It’s like the are keeping Charles away from any truths.
I am just so sick of the Murdoch/tabloid press/bots demeaning the wrong people, especially the predictable smears against women. The coverage of this entire trip has been cringe.
Maybe if Chuckles would have met privately he wouldn’t be blindsided. It’s his own fault. People are sick of him and they are more than willing to protest and throw eggs. If he would read the room that he isn’t liked and can’t ride his mothers coat tails anymore then he would do something to change peoples minds but he won’t do that because he is king and all should bow down. Times have changed Chuckles.
Maybe or hopefully this will encourage more protests in the UK. More not my king posters.
Didn’t we read the other day about what a great ambassador Charles is? The UK is so fortunate to have him and Global Statesman William representing them.
This was the Senator’s purpose. While he had some global attention , she wanted to shine a spotlight of what the true issues were facing her community
Yes, she’s working for her constituents, not him.
If he had accepted the meeting with her, he might better have understood her reaction and not resorted to calling this a “stunt.”
Look, at the end of the day, the royals can talk about First Nations rights etc all they want. People still see them with stolen jewels, stolen land, stolen artifacts. and I dont see the royals ever even attempting to right those wrongs so protests like this will continue.
The language of the BM and the royal family is getting worse by the day. Who on earth thinks insulting somebody is a good strategy?
Baloney, he was surprised.
Protesters are nothing new to Charles. He has been met with shouts and signs before.
I do love that an actual elected official Senator protested publicly.
Good for her!
Since the British media and the Royal Family BOT/Troll brigade started attacking the Sussexes, I’ve created a list of their most used buzzwords; one of which appears in almost every hit piece. “Blindsided” is in the top ten.
What is every royal visit if not a stunt? Nothing tangible comes out of these tours. This is Charles, playing sovereign, for the sake of his own sense of importance.
“the King has spoken about [indigenous rights] for years.”
And that’s all he’s done. Tossed out some word salads thinking that would placate those who suffered hundreds of years of vicious, rampant colonialism, enslaving and destroying whole cultures, pillaging and plundering anything they could get their hands on. And Chuck spoke about it — hallelujah, give him another f*cking medal.
My God this man loves to play the victim every single day of his life.
Lidia Thorpe is well known for being performative and quite nasty. I support indigenous rights but have grown tired of her screaming obscenities to anybody when she doesn’t get her away.
Watching one morning show interview one morning and as they were setting up the interview (it was an outside deal) she saw a colleague that she didn’t like walking past so she started screaming at him and calling out vile things.
Whilst you can’t fight for your people by being a shrinking violet, Lidia is just always a cringey vile person. Instead of being strong, articulate and a role model she instead chooses to grandstand, insult anybody she wants to (not just Charles) and scream.
Like Charles or loath him, she is an embarrassment.