SYDNEY — On Tuesday (Oct 22), UK’s King Charles was warmly embraced by an Indigenous elder following a traditional welcome smoking ceremony in Sydney’s Redfern, a key site in Australia’s urban Aboriginal civil rights movement. This came a day after Charles faced heckling from an Indigenous senator in Canberra.

At the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, Charles met with local Indigenous elders, including Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo, a chef specializing in native foods, who served kangaroo pies. Elder Michael Welsh embraced the king, while a woman from the Stolen Generation — referring to Aboriginal children taken from their families in the past — welcomed him, saying, "Welcome to this country."

A day prior, independent senator and Indigenous activist Lidia Thorpe disrupted an event at Parliament House in Canberra, rejecting Charles’ sovereignty over Australia and calling for an Indigenous treaty before being escorted away by security.

In a radio interview, Thorpe stated she wanted to raise global awareness about the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians. Some in Redfern, like Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson Allan Murray, sympathized with Thorpe, remarking, "We’ve got stories to tell, and I think you saw that story yesterday."

However, former Olympic athlete and first Indigenous woman in Australia’s federal parliament, Nova Peris, expressed disappointment in Thorpe’s actions, which she said did not align with the broader approach to reconciliation by Aboriginal Australians.

The controversy comes after a national referendum last year to amend Australia's constitution to recognize Indigenous people was rejected, leaving emotions about Indigenous rights and colonial history raw.

On Tuesday, King Charles visited a social housing project in the inner Sydney suburb of Glebe, developed with help from his King’s Trust Australia charity, where he was accompanied by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who grew up in public housing. Speaking about the protest, local Indigenous man Claude Tighe supported Thorpe’s actions, stating, "She spoke for Aboriginal people."

Charles and Queen Camilla are in Sydney and Canberra for a six-day visit, after which they will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa. The public will have the chance to meet the royal couple at the Opera House later in the day.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters