From 18 to 23 October, King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first official visit to Australia took place, with engagements in both Canberra and Sydney.
Friday 18 October
Their Majesties’ official arrival in Sydney marked the beginning of their Royal Visit in Australia. They were formally welcomed by the Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency the Hon Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and several key representatives as the Sydney Opera House sails illuminated with images of The King’s previous visits to Australia.
The King and Queen arrived at Admiralty House where they shared tea with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Ms Jodie Haydon.
Sunday 20 October
Their Majesties met with members of the public following their attendance at a morning church service at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, North Sydney. His Majesty also met with the Governor‑General and the Governor of New South Wales, and visited the Parliament of New South Wales.
Monday 21 October
The start of Their Majesties’ visit to Canberra was marked by a Welcome to Country on arrival at Canberra airport, incorporating a traditional smoking ceremony by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams, followed by a Royal Salute from Australia’s Federation Guard.
The King and Queen then visited the Australian War Memorial to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australian Defence Force veterans. After laying a wreath and floral tribute at the foot of the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier in the memorial’s Hall of Memory, His Majesty placed a poppy against the name of Private William Punch and The Queen placed a poppy against the name of Private William James Johnson. Their Majesties then moved to the Commemorative Courtyard to sign the visitors book, before meeting members of the public as they made their way to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial ‘For Our Country’, which commemorates the military service and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have fought to protect Australia.
At Parliament House, Their Majesties received a Ceremonial Welcome including the firing of an artillery salute of 21 guns and a Royal Salute by the Royal Guard of Honour. A parliamentary reception was held in the Great Hall where His Majesty provided remarks before Their Majesties met with members of the public on the Parliament House forecourt.
At Government House, The King met separately with Prime Minister Albanese and the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, before signing 2 Royal Warrants granting a new Great Seal of Australia, replacing the previous version created in 1901 which was authorised by The late Queen in 1973. Queen Camilla joined a discussion on family and domestic violence in Australia with key experts and women with lived experience to understand the measures taken to end violence against women in Australia. Their Majesties then continued the tradition of marking Royal Visits to Australia by taking part in a tree planting ceremony in the grounds of Government House.
The King then visited the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to learn more about efforts to tackle bushfires and met Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives to hear about their work in supporting the local community and strengthening culture.
As the Patron of GIVIT, a charity organisation that facilitates the donation of essential items and services to people experiencing hardship, The Queen met staff and volunteers and received a series of presentations on current GIVIT appeals that provide support to Australians impacted by family and domestic violence and natural disasters, as well as the support it provides to First Nations people.
Their Majesties then made their way to the Australian National Botanic Gardens where they met staff, volunteers and local school children and learned about Australian native plants. They then took a tour of the Rainforest Gully, before planting a tree to mark their visit to the gardens.
Tuesday 22 October
On the final day of the tour, The King visited the not-for-profit social enterprise National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) where he met with a range of Indigenous community representatives and elders. The Queen, as Patron of UKHarvest, met with staff and volunteers at Refettorio OzHarvest Sydney, a social impact collaboration between leading food rescue organisations OzHarvest (founded in Australia) and Food for Soul (founded in Italy).
The King’s next stop was a visit to the Cowper Street Development, a New South Wales Government sustainable affordable housing project funded by The King’s Trust Australia, where he met with apprentices who have completed a course with The King’s Trust Australia and contributed to the project.
The Queen attended Green Square Library to meet with past participants of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition and esteemed Australian authors to highlight the importance of writing and literacy in developing talented young Australians.
The King and Queen then met community leaders, volunteers and charity representatives at a community barbecue in Western Sydney. They met regional farmers and producers who showcased their unique organic and sustainable produce, and spoke with Surf Life Saving volunteers who were providing guests with different multicultural interpretations of the iconic sausage sandwich.
His Majesty then attended the Melanoma Institute Australia, where he engaged researchers, clinical staff and current patients who have benefited from this centre’s world-leading research and treatment. He also met with Australian of the Year recipients Professor Georgina Long AO and Professor Richard Scolyer AO to learn about their groundbreaking melanoma research.
At their final engagement on a stunning day on the harbour, The King and Queen met with thousands of members of the public on the Opera House forecourt, before embarking the Admiral Hudson vessel to conduct a review of the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet, including His Majesty’s Australian Ships Arunta, Gascoyne, Hobart, Warramunga and Yarra. The review was supported with representation from the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force in the form of 2 separate fly-pasts.
Wednesday 23 October
Their Majesties left Australia for Samoa to join leaders of the 56 Commonwealth nations for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
