KING Charles and Queen Camilla were greeted with protests while attending a church service in Sydney as part of their tour of Australia.
The royals touched down in Sydney on Friday night, where they welcomed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and several officials. The King however has been snubbed by senior politicians in Australia who "have better things to do".
The royals attended a service at St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney, one of Australia's oldest churches, as their first engagement of the six-day trip. They were met by placard-holding protestors.
Pro-Palestine and indigenous rights activists held banners reading “decolonise” and “empire built on genocide”.
Chants of “Aboriginal land, always was, always will be” were coming from protestors. Other chants include “go home” and “you are guilty”.
Australia was colonised by British settlers in 1788, after they took land from First Nations people. It is expected that more anti-royal protests will be held during the six-day visit.
Plans for a referendum on Australia becoming a republic were put on hold following Australians voting overwhelmingly against plans to give greater political rights to indigenous people last year.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have events in Sydney and Canberra from October 18 to October 23.
It is his 17th visit to Australia since his first trip in 1966 at the age of 17.
