The King was berated by an Australian senator who told him “You are not my King” and demanded a treaty between Australia’s First Nations and its government.
Senator Lidia Thorpe waited until the end of a landmark speech Charles gave at Australia’s Parliament House, in the nation’s capital of Canberra, to verbally attack him and claim “genocide” had been committed against the Commonwealth country’s indigenous people.
Charles and Camilla have faced low-key protests during their tour of Australia, which began on Monday, from supporters of First Nations resistance to colonisation, who have been displaying a banner with the word “decolonise” at a number of events.
As Ms Thorpe was gently ushered from the hall she shouted: “You are not our King you are not Sovereign… you have committed genocide against our people.
Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupts the Ceremonial Welcome to Australia for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Parliament House (Victoria Jones/PA)
“Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us… Our babies, Our people. You destroyed our land.”
She continued: “Give us a treaty – we want a treaty with this country… This is not your land, this is not your land, you are not my King you are not our King.”
The outburst from an elected representative will likely be seen as an embarrassment for Charles making his first visit to Australia as King.