October 12th 2024.
King Charles has stated that he will not intervene if the people of Australia choose to become a republic. In anticipation of his upcoming royal tour, the Australian Republic Movement reached out to Buckingham Palace with a request for a meeting with the King. In response, Secretary Dr Nathan Ross conveyed the King's stance, stating that he would not oppose the decision made by the Australian public to remove him as their head of state. As a constitutional monarch, King Charles follows the advice of his Ministers and ultimately, the choice to become a republic lies in the hands of the Australian people.
The letter from the Australian Republic Movement was received just a few days before the King's visit to Australia with Queen Camilla. Esther Anatolitis, Chair of the Australian Republic Movement, praised the King's response and described him as a progressive and contemporary leader. However, Anatolitis also highlighted the need to have a national conversation about why Australia still has a King, especially in light of the royal visit. She believes that it no longer makes sense for the position of head of state to be inherited by birthright.
In 1999, a referendum was held in which Australians voted against becoming a republic by a narrow margin of 55 per cent to 45 per cent. According to research conducted by the Australian Republic Movement, 92 per cent of Australians are open to the idea of a future as a republic. Anatolitis emphasized that while they welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla to their country and wish them well, it is time to move on from the monarchy and look towards a future as an independent Australian republic.
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