### King Charles III Heckled by Indigenous Senator During Australian Parliament Speech

During his visit to Australia, King Charles III encountered vocal opposition from an Indigenous senator as he delivered a speech at Parliament House. Lidia Thorpe, an independent senator from Victoria, disrupted the event, shouting, "You're not my king" and accusing the British monarchy of historical atrocities against Indigenous Australians.

This marks King Charles' first visit to Australia in 13 years and his initial overseas journey as monarch following a recent cancer diagnosis. His visit coincides with ongoing debates in Australia about whether to sever ties with the British monarchy. Accompanied by Queen Camilla, the king addressed lawmakers and dignitaries in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra.

As King Charles concluded his speech, Thorpe, dressed in traditional clothing, made her protest known. "You are not our king. You are not our sovereign. You committed genocide against our people," she shouted. Security officers escorted her out as she continued her impassioned plea. Thorpe later spoke to reporters outside Parliament House, emphasizing the need for a peacemaking treaty and stating, "We don't need a king from another country to dictate to us what we do here."

In an interview with Sky News, Thorpe reiterated that she waited until the end of the king's speech before interrupting. She stressed the importance of addressing Australia's historical massacres, stating, "There's thousands of massacre sites in this country from invasion and someone needs to answer for that."

Australia, which was under British colonial rule for over a century, has grappled with its colonial past and the impacts on its Aboriginal population. Efforts toward reconciliation have faced significant challenges, as evidenced by last year's referendum where all six states voted against constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people and the establishment of a body to advise Parliament on Indigenous matters.

Despite becoming fully independent in 1986, Australia remains a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as the symbolic head of state. In a 1999 referendum, Australians voted against transitioning to a republic. The topic resurfaced after Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, but public opinion remains divided. A YouGov poll last year showed that about one-third of Australians favored becoming a republic, while 35% preferred to stay a constitutional monarchy, with the remainder undecided.

Anthony Albanese, Australia's Prime Minister and a lifelong republican, acknowledged the ongoing debate in his remarks preceding the king's speech. Although his government has indicated that holding another referendum on the issue is not a priority, Albanese hinted at future discussions on Australia’s constitutional arrangements.

King Charles started his speech by appreciating a traditional Aboriginal welcoming ceremony held earlier outside Parliament House. He acknowledged Australia's First Nations people, noting their generosity in sharing their stories and cultures, and expressed his respect and appreciation for their traditional wisdom.

The royal visit began last Friday, and before his address on Monday, the king was met with both supporters and protesters during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. As part of his itinerary, King Charles will travel to Samoa on Wednesday to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.