Pomp and pyrotechnics: Australians set the royal tour on fire

From pyrotechnics to spectacle and the admiration of prominent Australians and regular players alike, King Charles and Queen Camilla got the best of the nation’s capital.

The royals began the day by laying wreaths at the Australian War Memorial and ended it with tree planting at the Botanic Gardens.

The King and Queen were greeted at the memorial by Governor General Sam Mostyn and Chairman Kim Beazley before laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier during the performance of the Last Post.

Hundreds of well-wishers greeted them outside and upon their arrival at Parliament House, where they watched as they signed the official visitors’ books.

Indigenous senator Lydia Thorpe caused a stir during a reception in the building’s Great Hall by protesting against the monarchy by loudly interrupting the proceedings before being ushered outside.

But the uproar did little to dampen the proceedings, in which the king paid respects to Canberra’s traditional owners and spoke of witnessing Australia’s “sometimes difficult path to reconciliation”.

“Throughout my life, Australia’s Indigenous people have been a great honor to me in sharing their history and culture so generously,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton gave speeches about Australia’s strong relationship with the Commonwealth.

Mr Albanese spoke of a Commonwealth family that values ​​each other’s differences and an Australia enriched by people of all cultures, while Mr Dutton praised the monarchy as the bedrock of stability and democracy.

It was anything but a brief post-proceeding by the King and Queen, with Their Majesties talking to schoolchildren and admiring fans for more than 30 minutes.

Commemorative crowns, bouquets, Australian flags and paraphernalia were plentiful, but best dressed on the day went to alpaca Hefner, who also got the chance to greet the king before appearing to sneeze on the monarch.

Their Majesties separated briefly, with the Queen attending a discussion on family and domestic violence and the King meeting Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton at Government House.

King Charles was shown the Great Seal of Australia, which is used for important documents signed by the Governor-General in the Executive Council.

Recognizing its importance, he joked that it should not be abandoned.

After a brief political storm in Parliament, the King went to witness quite a storm as top CSIRO scientists demonstrated how quickly bushfires can spread across the Australian landscape and what is being done to combat the fires.

The seven-minute Pyrotron demonstration simulated a bushfire in a 29-metre wind tunnel before the climate-conscious king spoke to researchers about the challenges Australia faces due to its climate.

Outside, an ACT Rural Fire Service engine has burst into flames during a “burn drill”, demonstrating how firefighters stuck inside in a firestorm can survive the worst of the inferno.

Despite the truck mist dampening the king’s suit, his interest remained as he discussed what Australia was doing and how it could be applied to other countries.

Queen Camilla was joined by domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, award-winning author Jess Hill and a host of advocates, experts and survivors for a roundtable discussion.

The issue is of great importance to the Queen, who has been raising awareness of organizations that support victims of sexual abuse for more than a decade.

The King and Queen were greeted by local schoolchildren who invited them to plant local seeds.

The couple planted gum at the Botanic Gardens to mark their visit, their last official event in Canberra during the visit.

The royals will return to Sydney on Tuesday before heading to Samoa to open the annual meeting of Commonwealth heads of government.

– with pool journalists