Indigenous leader seeks royal apology during King’s Australian visit
- Aunty Serena Williams performed a traditional Welcome to Country ceremony for King Charles III in Canberra, aiming to seek an apology for past colonial injustices.
- While the King acknowledged the ceremony, he did not offer the expected apology, instead lauding the spirit of reconciliation in Australia.
- Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted the King's address, emphasizing Indigenous perspectives on sovereignty and the need for acknowledgment of historical wrongs.
In Canberra, Australia, Indigenous leader Aunty Serena Williams from the Ngunnawal people welcomed King Charles III with a traditional 'Welcome to Country' ceremony and a smoking ritual. Despite her hopes for an apology regarding colonial injustices, the King expressed his appreciation for the ceremony but did not issue the anticipated apology. Instead, he acknowledged the ongoing journey towards reconciliation among the Australian people. His speech noted the courage and hope observed during his visits to Australia, although he faced opposition as Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted, expressing her discontent with the King's presence, which she deemed inappropriate. Thorpe, the first Aboriginal woman from Victoria to become a senator, left a significant mark on the event by rejecting allegiance to the late Queen when taking her oath, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding Australia's colonial history. The event underscored the complexities of the Indigenous relationship with the monarchy and the broader call for recognition and reparations for colonial wrongs that many leaders continue to advocate.