King Charles has sparked fresh health concerns after he spent less than 10 minutes at a lunch in his honour.
In a now-called ironic gesture, the head of state presented an hourglass speech timer to the parliament to “bear witness” to the passage of time before leaving.
The King said: “With the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long.”
He added: “So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for making me feel so very welcome. Thank you.”
The King left within 10 minutes before the first course was served straight after his short address to the parliament.
Despite Charles leaving, the rest of the attendees enjoyed chargrilled asparagus with olive dust, marinated octopus with squid ink wafer, barramundi, and duck confit.
The King and Queen began the third day of their six-day tour of Australia on Sunday by visiting St Thomas’ Anglian Church in North Sydney.
Protestors outside the church held banners critical of the British monarch that said, “Empire built on genocide” and “Decolonise”, whilst supporters handed bunches of flowers to the Queen.
The King and Queen began the third day of their six-day tour of Australia on Sunday by visiting St Thomas’ Anglian Church in North Sydney.
PA
Apart from their welcome greetings on Friday night, this was the King and Queen’s first royal public appearance after the pair took a rest day on Saturday.
The schedule was designed not to overtire the King as he has paused his cancer treatment for the first major overseas tour since he announced his diagnosis.
The King will continue his treatment for his cancer when he returns to the UK on October 26.
This is Charles’s 17th visit to Australia but his first since his coronation in May last year.
Some protestors outside the church held banners critical of the British monarch while supporters handed bunches of flowers to the Queen.
PA
On his shortened tour, he will visit Sydney and Canberra, and it is said that royal navy doctors will never be more than a few paces away from the King.
The doctors carry medical equipment, including a mobile defibrillator and emergency medicine, in case of emergency.
The palace said: “In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers, and with due regard for the pressures of time and logistics, it has been agreed to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only.”
The royal tour returned to Admiralty House, the grand official residence of the governor-general perched on Sydney Harbour, to meet the NSW governor, Margaret Beazley, and the governor-general, Sam Mostyn.
