Britain’s King Charles was embraced by an Indigenous elder after a welcome smoking ceremony on Tuesday in the birthplace of Australia’s urban Aboriginal civil rights movement in Sydney.
King Charles received this warm welcome a day after being heckled by an Indigenous senator in Canberra.
Charles met Indigenous elders at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in inner-city Redfern, where he was embraced by elder Michael Welsh.
A woman who introduced herself as a member of the Stolen Generation – a reference to Aboriginal children systematically removed from their families decades earlier, said, “Welcome to this country.”
Charles was heckled at Parliament House in Canberra by independent senator and Indigenous activist Lidia Thorpe who shouted that she did not accept his sovereignty over Australia.
Lidia also demanded a treaty for Indigenous people.
Although the reactions to Thorpe’s demand have been mixed, her outburst has put a fresh spotlight on Australia’s colonial history and its relationship with Indigenous peoples.
Police arrested an Indigenous activist who refused to comply with an order to move on at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday afternoon, where the monarch arrived later in the day.
In a statement, police said he was acting in an “abusive and threatening manner”.
While the atmosphere at Redfern on Tuesday was respectful, some people who came to see the king expressed sympathy for Thorpe’s actions.
“We’ve got stories to tell and I think you witnessed that story yesterday,” Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson Allan Murray said.
In a radio interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday, Thorpe said she “wanted the world to know the plight of our people”.
Former Olympic athlete Nova Peris, who was the first Indigenous woman elected to federal parliament, wrote in a social media post she was “deeply disappointed” by Thorpe’s actions.
Emotions around Indigenous rights and Australia’s colonial history are raw after a national referendum on whether to change Australia’s constitution to recognise Aboriginal people was rejected last year.
Charles referred to Australia’s “long and sometimes difficult journey towards reconciliation” in a speech on Monday before he was heckled by Thorpe.
The king later visited a social housing project designed with the support of his King’s Trust Australia charity in the inner suburb of Glebe.
He also toured the construction site with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who grew up on a public housing estate.
Charles and Queen Camilla are visiting Sydney and Canberra over six days before heading to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
Charles also met renowned melanoma researcher and brain cancer patient Richard Scolyer on Tuesday.
A large crowd welcomed the royal couple at the Sydney Opera House forecourt, including Marion Hesket, 75, who had been in the same spot to see Charles and Diana in 1983.
“I wouldn’t miss this chance to see him again.”
“I think he and Camilla make a wonderful couple. He was my prince when I was a little girl,” said 83 year-old Lucille Taylor.
Charles walked slowly through the crowd to stop to talk to well wishers, with Camilla racing ahead.
The royal couple then stopped to watch a dance performance by school children.
Australian Jim Frecklington, who worked for Queen Elizabeth for five decades and is designing the first new royal carriage in 200 years, was among those who shook hands with Charles.
He had been at the opening of the Sydney Opera House with Queen Elizabeth in 1973.
“The royal tour has gone exceptionally well,” he said.
“Australians have very much warmed to King Charles and also to Queen Camilla.”
The royal couple later inspected the navy fleet on Sydney Harbour.
