Albo’s surprise gift for King Charles
Anthony Albanese has revealed some of his plans for King Charles III’s coronation, including the present he will give the new British monarch.
The Prime Minister will gift the monarch a donation to an Australian environmental charity on behalf of the King, adding Buckingham Palace had approved the idea.
Mr Albanese will travel with Governor-General David Hurley, state governors and a hand-picked contingent of Australians to watch Charles officially be crowned king at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6.
Mr Albanese detailed some of his plans on Queensland FM radio after arriving in Brisbane on Thursday, the day before a national cabinet meeting with the state and territory premiers.
“I signed off on a gift to the King this week which is a donation to – I don’t think I can say in advance – a charity in his name,” Mr Albanese told Hit Central Coast.
“It’s an environmental charity based here in Australia, so it’s a nice thing that will be the King’s gift. (It’s been) approved by the palace.”
A self-confessed South Sydney Rabbitohs tragic, Mr Albanese was asked during an earlier interview on Triple M Brisbane if he would wear his Bunnies jersey to the coronation.
“I’ll be the ‘Random Souths Guy’ at the coronation,” Mr Albanese joked after the hosts told him there was “always” someone wearing a Rabbitohs jersey at “every event in Australia”.
Mr Albanese said he might start wearing his jersey around more – although “maybe not to the coronation”.
Asked if he’d consider the more subtle nod of donning Rabbitohs socks under his suit instead, Mr Albanese said: “The socks, it is on. I reckon the Bunnies socks, I will get away with that in photos.”
Mr Albanese’s lighthearted interviews come amid a deeper conversation about Australia’s future ties to the British Crown following the death of its longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
A long-time republican, Mr Albanese has nevertheless said he was pleased to be attending the coronation after meeting King Charles last year at his mother’s funeral.
Australians are expected to vote in a referendum for the nation to become a republic if the Albanese government wins a second term, although this could depend on the outcome of the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum later this year.
Leaders of the republic movement have thrown their support behind the Voice and said King Charles’ coronation would only increase support for Australia to separate from the monarchy in the near future.
The Australian Republic Movement released polling on Wednesday showing support for the monarchy had taken a dive since Charles took over, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they wanted an Australian chosen by Australians to be our head of state.
The nationally representative survey by market researcher Pure Profile conducted between April 6 and April 12 found a majority of all age groups supported having an Australian in the role.
