Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper was waiting on the red carpet to greet King Charles as he arrived at the Parliament of NSW in Sydney on Sunday.
Piper, who is also the NSW Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, was joined by NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Legislative Council president Ben Franklin MLC and two senior parliamentary officials.
The King was there to recognise the bicentenary of the NSW Legislative Council and attend the launch of the exhibition, Legacy & Evolution - 200 Years of the NSW Legislative Council.
Interestingly, it's the second significant Legislative Council anniversary the King has attended. In 1974, he represented his mother, Queen Elizabeth, at the Council's 150th anniversary.
The significance was not lost on King Charles, who joked about how he "first came to Australia nearly 60 years ago", which was "slightly worrying".
Addressing the gathering, His Majesty congratulated the Council on its bicentenary and its contributions to the state's progress.
He presented Mr Franklin with a gift of an hourglass, engraved with the Royal Coat of Arms and an inscription memorialising his visit. Hourglasses are used in the Council chamber during parliamentary proceedings to time business, such as divisions.
Sunday's visit was the latest in a 70-year history of royal visits to the Parliament of NSW, which has an ongoing connection to the crown via the state's system of constitutional monarchy.
"I had the opportunity to speak with him briefly as he came though to a luncheon held to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Legislative Council," Mr Piper said.
"The novel twist is that the King, as Prince Charles, was here 50 years ago for the 150th anniversary, which is a nice little circle that has now closed. This will probably be the last visit of this King to Australia's first parliament.
"I think it's noteworthy that it is Australia's first parliament; we're dominated by what happens in Canberra but Canberra wouldn't exist if it wasn't for what started here 200 years ago."
Mr Piper said King Charles was "relaxed and easygoing" during his 25-minute visit.
"I found him to be very natural in his manner, very gracious," he said.
"It must take a toll. Everybody wants to meet the King, you know? But he spent quite a few minutes, when he departed, shaking hands with people waiting to see him on Macquarie Street."
As for the King's gift to the Council, an hourglass, Mr Piper laughed.
"It's particularly good at slowing time ... which is my little joke about the Council," he quipped.
Mr Piper believes Australia should - and will - become a republic in time.
"We've adopted the largest part of the British system, the Westminster system of government, and I think that clearly seems to work for Australia, as untidy as it seems," he said.
"We're still a very stable and prosperous country, therefore there are some good things there.
"But do we need to be beholden to a monarch of another nation? It seems to me to be anachronistic. But that doesn't mean I don't have respect for the monarchy as they are.
"I do respect the royal family as far as their system goes; it seems to work for England and for Great Britain, and it's sold lots of magazines and it drives its own local economy.
"I don't think it has the relevance to us today, but I still think we can be very respectful."
Today the King and Queen Camilla travel to Canberra where they will visit the Australian War Memorial to lay a wreath before visiting Parliament House.
