How the royal visit divided Australians

Sunday, 27 October 2024 06:08

Among the thunderous and warm welcomes for the King and Queen in Australia was a small army of anti-monarchy protesters.

There was a thunderous and warm welcome for King Charles III and Queen Camilla as the couple visited Sydney and Canberra for their royal tour of Australia.

Drowned out by the cheers and chants of "God save the King", though, was a small army of anti-monarchy protesters who followed the royals around the country.

Their open resistance against the King and Queen was loudly echoed by Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe who sprayed Charles with a speech about genocide in Parliament House.

Abolish the Monarchy protesters at Parliament house in Canberra.

Thorpe's controversial protest made international headlines and the royal tour suddenly had a mark against its name.

Members of the Australian Monarchist League (AML), however, aren't worried.

"I'm sure people will rightly remember the good parts rather than the distractions," Damian de Pyle, a veteran and Sydney spokesperson for the group, told 9news.com.au.

"I think this whole trip has been a resounding success. I hope this doesn't overshadow the visit of the King and Queen."

de Pyle said anti-monarchy voices tend to swell during big profile events like the royal tour.

He believes the cries of "Down with the Crown" are a reflection of a small minority.

"I think a lot of people actually realise that, hey, we actually have a pretty good system as it is," he said.

"I love the King and Queen for a similar sort of reason to everyone else. I think that they're a point of unity in our country.

"[And] if we're just going by the polls, it seems like most people would still vote for a monarchy."

Damien de Pyle, Australian monarchist league

Perth man Patrick Kenny has been a member of the AML since he was 17.

He thinks the republic movement in Australia may die out with the next generation.

"It's really embarrassing for the Republicans," he told 9news.com.au of the protests in Sydney and Canberra.

"I think it's going to fizzle out. I think people understand now that we've got to latch onto things that make us stable in this unstable world."

A sore point for the anti-monarchy movement is how much taxpayer money Australia forks out to host the royals when they visit.

Kenny said the amount – around 3.8 cents per person for a royal tour according to the Australian Republic Movement – is miniscule compared to the economic and social impact of having the King and Queen here.

"The costs are minimal when it comes to the cost of a constitutional monarchy, while a republic [would] cost absolutely bucket loads," he said.

"Just think of the businesses in Sydney and Canberra with everyone out and about, it's always an economic positive when they come."

Patrick Kenny, Australian Monarchist League

The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) described this week's royal visit as the "Farewell Oz Tour" and its supporters were out in full force.

"Why does Australia still have a king? It doesn't make sense," the ARM states.

"The monarchy of a foreign nation cannot represent fairness, integrity and democracy for today's Australia, and nor can a head of state anointed by birthright."

According to statistics released by YouGov in 2023, 32 per cent of Australians want the country to become a republic.

A marginally bigger percentage, 35 per cent, wants Australia to remain under a constitutional monarchy.

However, it seems Australians expect that the country's time as a constitutional monarchy is destined to end.

Half (51 per cent) believe Australia won't be a constitutional monarchy in 100 years, compared to 19 per cent who expect it will.