King Charles and Queen Camilla were warmly welcomed by enthusiastic crowds in Sydney after attending a church service on Sunday, marking the first event of their Australia tour.
The royal couple arrived at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, where they were greeted by the Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, and local children waving Australian flags. Camilla, dressed in a pale green Anna Valentine outfit with a straw hat, was presented with a bouquet by the minister’s wife, Ellie Mantle, who inquired about their recovery from jet lag. "Sort of," Camilla replied with a smile.
During the service, King Charles and Queen Camilla signed two bibles, one of which belonged to Australia’s first minister and chaplain of the First Fleet, the ships that brought British convicts to Australia in 1788.
Following the church service, the royal couple greeted fans outside, shaking hands and chatting with families who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the royals. Some in the crowd sang "God Save the King" as Charles and Camilla mingled with the public, making it their first major public appearance in Sydney since arriving on Friday night.
King Charles also visited the New South Wales parliament to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Australia's oldest legislature. He presented lawmakers with an hourglass to time their speeches, underscoring the importance of robust parliaments to democracy.
Reflecting on his visit, Charles expressed his deep connection to the country, saying, "What a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long."
This marks Charles' first overseas visit as monarch and his first major foreign trip since being diagnosed with cancer. After completing their six-day tour of Sydney and Canberra, Charles will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
In a significant announcement, the king has made a personal donation to support a skills program aimed at addressing climate change and strengthening higher education in small island states, including the Pacific Islands. The program, created in collaboration with the Association of Commonwealth Universities, will offer fellowships to mid-career professionals and civil servants, focusing on retaining talent in small island nations and building resilience against climate change impacts like rising sea levels.
King Charles emphasized his long-standing belief in education's transformative power, saying, "Throughout my life, I have believed in the power of education to improve lives and unite communities across the Commonwealth and beyond." Photo by Mark Tantrum, Wikimedia commons.