British King Charles III declared he would not intervene if the people of Australia one day voted to remove him from office.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Like his mother before him, it has always been the case that his majesty the king feels that it is a matter for the Australian people.”
Preparing for his historic visit to Australia, Charles told the country’s anti-monarchists that he would not stand in the way if the people of Australia one day voted to remove him. In a letter to the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) at Buckingham Palace requesting a meeting with the monarch, his assistant private secretary Nathan Ross emphasised His Majesty’s ‘deep love and affection’ for Australia. He added:
Please be assured that your views on this matter have been noted very carefully. His Majesty, as a constitutional monarch, acts on the advice of his ministers and whether Australia becomes a republic is, therefore, a matter for the Australian public to decide.
The ARM, says it is “the peak body advocating on behalf of the Australian people for an Australian republic with an Australian as our head of state.” It praised the royal family’s “important contribution,” saying many Australians will continue to “respect the British monarchy” and wish the two countries to remain “the closest of friends and allies.” But in their letter they insist it is time for their country to take an “equal position with other countries” internationally, and say support for the move is growing.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said that “Australia should have an Australian as our head of state,” but recently indicated that a second referendum was not a priority.
The King is set to arrive later on Friday next week accompanied by Queen Camilla for a six-day official visit, not only will it be his first visit as monarch but also the first time a British king has visited the country. Still, the only reigning monarch in recent history to visit the country was the late Queen Elizabeth, who remains enduringly popular there. Her death in 2022 caused some to speculate that there could be a surge of support for the anti-monarchy movement.
Australia held a referendum in 1999 on the issue of becoming a republic, in which 54.9 per cent voted against. According to a poll by The Australian, national interest in the republic has risen by just 4 per cent over the decade, which the newspaper described as “barely a tsunami of support.”
