King Charles handed 'slap in the face' as Australian politicians refuse to meet him on royal tour

Not one State Premier will greet Charles and Camilla at a reception in Canberra on October 21, despite all being invited.

A major snub has been dealt to the King, with several top Australian politicians dismissing the chance to meet him in Canberra during his upcoming tour.

The Royal visit, starting on Friday and spanning nine days, is set to celebrate community ties and promote causes close to the Royal hearts, such as environmental efforts and support for domestic violence charities.

A reception planned for October 21st in Canberra will go on without the presence of a single State Premier, despite invitations. The King will address attendees, which include political figures and notable Australians who have excelled in areas like arts, sports, and health.

However, Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan has today confirmed she will not be attending, joining the list of those declining the offer to greet the royals. Bev McArthur, a spokesperson for the pro-royal Australian Monarchists League, branded the decision a "slap in the face" to the monarchy.

She has chastised the officials in the Herald Sun, saying: "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," and added, "This is a historic opportunity to unite Australia, to focus on charitable work and to give back to communities. Yet our immature politicians are clearly choosing to play politics."

As the tally of questionable absences grows, Queensland's premier Steven Miles has claimed he is busy with his election campaign. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Western Australia's Premier Roger Cook reportedly cited "other commitments" as the reason for his absence, reports the Mirror.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns have also excused themselves, citing a regional cabinet meeting and other engagements with the King during his visit, respectively. Tasmania's Premier Jeremy Rockliff will be on a US trade mission when the event takes place.

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Victoria's Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has also opted out, leaving the task to Ms Allan's parliamentary secretary, Nick Staikos. This series of rejections occurs as new polls in Australia indicate that support for an Australian republic has dipped below levels seen during Queen Elizabeth II's reign under King Charles.

The Sunday Mail reports that 26 percent of respondents view the King more favourably since his ascension, while 21 percent have warmed to Queen Camilla. However, according to NewsCorps Pulse of Australia poll, only one in three Australians (33 percent) now back the idea of becoming a republic, a notable decrease from the 39.4 percent who voted in favour in the 1999 referendum.

Royal insiders have described the recent move as "deeply unprofessional", yet they remain confident that it won’t impact the upcoming Royal tour. A source shared: "The King and Queen are incredibly excited to visit Australia and Samoa and are very much looking forward to getting out and meeting as many people as possible during their visit."

It has been highlighted that despite his intensive cancer treatment, the King has put in a tremendous effort to prepare himself for the journey.

At 75 years of age, Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer back in February, has been receiving weekly treatments in London. However, Royal physicians have given him the green light to briefly halt his treatment while he travels.

This will mark Charles' seventeenth trip to Australia and his inaugural visit to one of the 14 British realms where he is sovereign since ascending the throne in September 2022. Meanwhile, Victorian opposition Liberal Party member Brad Rowswell disclosed that in May, he penned a letter to Ms Allan urging her not to understate the significance of the King and Queen's visit, emphasizing: "Sometimes, leadership requires putting personal prejudice aside in the interests of the greater good."

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Additionally, it appears the King has signaled to republican advocates that he wouldn't stand in the way should Australia vote to remove him as their head of state at some point.

The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) had sent a request to Buckingham Palace for a rendezvous before the King’s visit. In response, the King indicated that the choice is a "matter for the Australian public".

Meanwhile, Mr Rowswell pointed an accusing finger at the State leader for overseeing a debacle when Victoria backed out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games last year. Victoria now faces a hefty invoice as another Commonwealth city is called upon to rescue the games teetering on the edge.

The Herald Sun highlighted his words: "Sometimes, leadership requires putting personal prejudice aside in the interests of the greater good."

He further criticized, "Premier Allan represents a state that wholeheartedly ­embraces and supports King Charles as our head of state. Sending a junior Labor MP to represent the Premier on this occasion doesn't pass the Pimm's test."

His disapproval didn't end there: "The decent and respectful thing to do would be to jump on a plane and give King Charles a warm Victorian welcome, or is she just too embarrassed to do so after her Commonwealth Games debacle? " Buckingham Palace has yet to respond to requests for a statement.

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