Charles and Camilla ‘will be snubbed by politicians’ during royal tour of Australia

The King and Queen are due to set off on their royal tour of Australia this week – but won’t be greeted by senior Australian politicians during their visit.

Charles and Camilla will arrive in the Commonwealth nation later this week and will kick things off with a formal greeting from Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese before attending a reception in Canberra.

But the premiers from Australia’s six states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania – said they won’t be attending the ceremony, blaming prior commitments.

The trip will be the King’s most significant overseas visit since his cancer diagnosis, and his first to Australia since ascending the throne.

Royal doctors gave the 75-year-old monarch permission to briefly halt his weekly cancer treatments to embark on the trip, which will also include a state visit to Samoa in the South Pacific.

But the snubbing by state premiers has been heavily criticised by some sections of the Australian media, and re-opened debates about the country’s relationship with the British monarchy.

There have been calls by campaigners for years for Australia to become a republic,with the Australian Republic Movement exchanging letters with Buckingham Palace ahead of the couple’s visit.

Victoria’s state premier Jacinta Allan was the latest leader to confirm she will not be attending, but told reporters in a press conference she was ‘very pleased that King Charles is visiting Australia’.

When asked about her views on Australia becoming a republic, she said it was ‘something I would support but it is not something that is a top priority for me right now’.

Her comments follow a similar move made by South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas, who blamed a regional cabinet meeting for his absence, and Queensland’s Steven Miles, who will reportedly be concentrating on his election campaign.

A recent poll in the Australian Daily Telegraph suggests around 33% of the public would like to see Australia become a republic, while 45% believe they should remain a monarchy.

The Australian Republic Movement has been vocal in their opposition to the King’s visit, even going so far as sell merchandise referring to it as a ‘farewell tour’.

‘It’s time for Australia to elect a local to serve as our head of state. Someone who can work for Australia full time,’ spokesman Isaac Jeffrey told the BBC.

In an exchange of letters with the Republican Movement, the King said the issue of whether Australia becomes a republic is a ‘matter for the Australian public to decide’.

The King and Queen will be away for 11 days, with the tour lasting nine days with two days of travel on either side.

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