Royal news – live: King Charles and Queen Camilla ‘snub’ by Australian leaders ahead of tour sparks backlash
Charles and Camilla to begin royal tour of Australia later this week
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King Charles and Queen Camilla are facing an embarrassing snub by leading Australian politicians ahead of their tour of the country.
As the couple prepare to kick off their nine day visit Down Under on Friday, every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend their royal reception in Canberra on October 21, reports suggest.
The King is set to deliver a speech at the event to recognise Australians for their achievements in the arts, culture, sports and health.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan is the latest representative to snub the invitation, whilst other politicians have given excuses such as “schedule clashes” and “election campaign duties”.
The first royal visit to Australia in more than a decade has sparked debate about the role of the monarchy in the Commonwealth country, with some republicans selling ‘farewell tour’ merchandise ahead of their arrival.
Australian pro-royalists have called the backlash a “slap in the face” to the royal monarchy, with the Australian Monarchists League telling local media: “All premiers and ministers have sworn allegiance to our monarch, Charles III, and it is a monumental insult that they now spit in his hand extended in friendship.”
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King to host Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace for incoming state visit
What are royal gift lists?
Unlike MPs, members of the royal family are not required to declare gifts, donations and hospitality on a public register of interests.
Nevertheless, they began publishing an annual list of official gifts received by the royal household following scrutiny of jewellery given to Queen Camilla by a Saudi royal in 2007.
However, it has emerged King Charles and his family have not shared such a list since 2019.
It included a 24 carat gold-plated horse comb from President Borut Pahor of the Republic of Slovenia and three gifts the late Queen Elizabeth II received from Donald Trump during his presidential visit.
Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, has insisted: “It is vital that the public knows about any possible conflicts of interest or attempts to curry favour with royals, as they have direct access to the highest levels of government.”
Under rules reviewed in 2003, gifts received during official duties such as state banquets or royal tours are classed as an official gifts. Those given by someone a royal knows in a personal capacity are considered private.
Buckingham Palace has said the list will be published in due course.
King to host Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace - recap
The Emir of Qatar is to pay a state visit to the UK hosted by the King, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Charles and the Queen will welcome Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, to London on December 3.
They can expect to be feted with a traditional ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade and a grand state banquet at Buckingham Palace during the two-day incoming state visit.
Charles has visited Qatar eight times as the Prince of Wales and met the Emir at the Cop28 summit in Dubai in December. The Qatari leader and Sheikha Jawaher also attended the King’s coronation in Westminster Abbey, and the late Queen’s funeral.
The Qatari royal family is one of the richest in the world, with a reported fortune running into the billions.
Sheikh Tamim, 44, was educated in Britain, attending public schools Sherborne and Harrow, before graduating from the Sandhurst military academy. He set up Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in 2005, which owns the French football team Paris Saint-Germain.
Qatar – one of the richest Gulf states – is a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas war and the ruling Emir is likely to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for talks at Downing Street during his stay.
Dine like a King in Charles’ favourite room at Scottish mansion
Want to dine like a King? Diners are going to be given the chance to experience an 18th century feast in the King’s favourite room at Dumfries House.
Charles takes most of his evening meals in the Pink Dining Room while staying at the Scottish stately home in Ayrshire.
Now his charity, The King’s Foundation, is offering a new private dining experience, allowing members of the public the opportunity to enjoy a three-course meal, authentic to the 1700s and served by a traditional butler, in the royal chamber.
Guests will eat at the King’s table – but not in the presence of the monarch – beneath the 35kg Murano glass floral chandelier, which was painstakingly reassembled after being found in the basement in more than 100 pieces nearly 20 years ago.
Menus will be based on 18th century dishes, such as poached salmon, fish soup, and manchet bread for starters, followed by roasted venison and beef, parmentier potatoes and a juniper sauce, and lemon and pistachio syllabub, bread and butter pudding, and apple and almond trifle for dessert.
Watch: Behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace as 780-strong team tackle renovation
Sir Trevor McDonald says Prince Phillip’s driving was ‘slightly mad’
Sir Trevor McDonald has recalled how Prince Phillip’s driving as “slightly mad” when he was given a tour around Sandringham years ago.
The veteran broadcaster described his car journey with the then Duke of Edinburgh whilst filming the 2008 documentary The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Phillip.
“I am not allowed to say this publicly, but I thought his driving was slightly mad,” he told Cheltenham Literary Festival.
“I remember he was extraordinarily generous in giving me his time like this. But he put me in this super duper thing we are driving around, it was around Sandringham so there was nothing in his way and he would stop to wave to people who worked there and so on.
“But then we drove into a puddle of mud and he went ‘how did this bloody thing get here, why can’t I get this out’, and I thought I mustn’t say ‘because you just put it in there’.”
As the King gears up to begin his nine-day tour of Australia this week, his arrival is expected to be met with a wave of both support and opposition.
Every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend his royal reception in Canberra during the trip, and anti-royalist groups have launched a campaign dubbing the trip a royal “farewell tour”.
The republican movement calls for an end to the monarchy’s role in modern Australia - but what is the royal family’s connection to the country?
Australia is a constitutional monarchy, with the King acting as its head of state. However, the monarch does not have a role in the day-to-day running of Australia and appoints the governor-general, who is their representative, on the advice of the prime minister.
The Australian Constitution gives certain powers to the governor general to act on behalf of the King, such as giving Royal Assent to laws passed in parliament.
Prince George’s culinary ambitions revealed
Prince George has declared he’d like to run a pizza parlour before becoming King, it has been claimed.
The young royal - who is third in line to the throne - reportedly shared his culinary ambitions whilst on a trip to a cafe in Norfolk.
The owner of Wiveton Hall, a 17th-century Jacobean mansion, told the Mail Online that the prince expressed his enthusiasm when he was shown the wood-fired pizza oven on the estate.
He reportedlysaid: “That’s what I want to do when I grow up!”
Campaigners demand ‘full disclosure’ of gifts to King Charles and royals after four-year silence - ICYMI
Over the weekend, campaigners called for “full disclosure” of gifts received by the royal family after it emerged King Charles has failed to publish an annual list for four years.
Unlike MPs, members of the royal family are not required to declare gifts, donations and hospitality on a public register of interests.
Nevertheless, they began publishing an annual list of official gifts received by the royal household following scrutiny of jewellery given to Queen Camilla by a Saudi royal in 2007.
However, it has emerged King Charles and his family have not shared such a list since 2020.
Recent delays in sharing details of presents received by royals have been attributed to a challenging few years for the family, including the pandemic, the change of reign and high-profile state occasions such as the coronation, The Independent understands.
Buckingham Palace has said the list will be published in due course.
Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has hit out at the delays, insisting: “If we demand high standards from politicians, we must demand those same standards from the royals.”
Australian anti-monarchists sell ‘farewell tour’ merch ahead of visit
Anti-royalist activists are selling “farewell tour” merchandise ahead of King Charles’ visit to Australia this week.
Charles and Camilla are set to kick off the first royal visit to the country in over a decade on Friday - but their anticipated arrival has sparked debate about the monarchy’s role in modern Australia.
The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) has branded the visit as the royal’s “farewell tour” as they campaign to separate the Commonwealth country from the monarchy.
Retro style satirical posters, T-shirts and beer coasters have been created with Charles, Camilla and Prince William on them, encouraging Australians to “wave goodbye to royal reign”. A T-shirt, featuring the royal trio in aviator sunglasses, is retailing for 34 AUD on the campaign group’s website, finished with the description: “Alright legends the stage is set... Let’s wave goodbye to royal reign! Grab this killer t-shirt to support the campaign and help take the republic movement to the main stage.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla ‘snubbed’ by Australian leaders ahead of tour
King Charles and Queen Camilla are facing a humiliating snub by leading Australian politicians, as they gear up to begin their tour of the country this week.
As the couple prepare to kick off their nine day visit down under on Friday, every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend their royal reception in Canberra on October 21.
Charles is set to deliver a speech at the event to recognise Australians for their achievements in the arts, culture, sports and health.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan is the latest representative to snub the invitation, whilst other politicians have given excuses such as “schedule clashes” and “election campaign duties”.
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