King Charles and Queen Camilla Arrive in Australia for Historic First Tour to Commonwealth Realm

Mar. 15, 2025

King CharlesandQueen Camillaare saying “G’day” to Australia.

They King, 75, and Queen, 77, have arrived in the country for a historic first tour to one of the foreign realms that have Charles as monarch and head of state. Their plane touched down in rainy Sydney, at around 8:30 p.m, local time on Oct. 18.

Charles was listed in the official court circular as having left London on Oct. 17. Camilla left separately, as she broke the 10,000 mile journey out from the U.K with a private vacation, PEOPLE understands.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are greeted on their arrival at Sydney airport on Oct. 18, 2024.SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty

SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty

After their airport arrival, the couple then headed to Admiralty House in Sydney for a short meeting with Albanese and his partner.

The couple will spend several days in Australia and then head off to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), as Charles is head of the Commonwealth in his role as monarch.

Queen Camilla with her posy shortly after arriving in Sydney, Australia on Oct. 18, 2024.Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

In Australia, royal watchers will be looking for evidence of a reaction to him being the country’s head of state — a position he inherited after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 8, 2022.

A republican movement hasreportedly asked to meetthe King during the visit. Charles has reaffirmed the longstanding position of the monarchy, reinforcing that he is relaxed about any change in status and constitution. It is up to the people of any of the states that have him as King to make that decision,his aides have said.

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in Sydney, Australia on Oct. 18.Chris Jackson/Getty

It comes amid a poll that shows support for a republic has waned. ASydney Sunday Telegraphpoll, quoted inThe Timeson Oct. 13, found that those favoring a republic was now at 33%, down from the 39.4% figure at the last referendum on the issue in 1999.

King Charles and Queen Camilla step off their plane at Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 18, 2024.Chris Jackson/Getty

As many as 26% also said they had a more favorable view of Charles since he acceded to the throne in September 2022, and 45% said the country should remain a constitutional monarchy.

Shortly before they arrived, the King and Queen released a short film on social media, complete with a personal message from Charles and Camilla saying they were “really looking forward to returning to this beautiful country to celebrate the extraordinarily rich cultures and communities that make it so special.”

There will also be a stop at the Australian War Memorial and a visit to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial, “For Our Country.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) welcomes Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla to Australia on Oct. 18, 2024.SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty

One of the key themes of Charles’ public life has been that of sustainability, and he will visit CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, to talk to firefighters about combating the bush fires which devastate millions of hectares of Australian land each year.

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Charles will become only the second British monarch (and the first British King) to ever visit Australia. In 1954, just two years into her history-making reign, Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth became the first British monarch to step on Australian soil.

source: people.com