King Charles sticks to weekly ritual despite being in Australia

King Charles maintained his cherished weekly ritual, even while busy with royal duties in Australia. 

Despite a packed schedule during his tour, His Majesty made time to honor this important tradition, showcasing his commitment to personal routines that bring him comfort. 

King Charles III did not linger long at the luncheon held in his honor, the second scheduled event of his short Australian visit. His gift to the gathering served as a reminder of the fleeting passage of time.

The menu was fit for a king and very Sydney: chargrilled asparagus and olive dust; marinated octopus and squid ink wafer; barramundi and duck confit. However, the sovereign was gone before the first course. 

He addressed the gathering at NSW’s Parliament House, offering an hourglass as a present, telling lawmakers that the “sands of time” would encourage “brevity.” 

He left within 10 minutes of his arrival in the hall and was not seen again in public until Monday. Earlier, King Charles and Queen Camilla began their day at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney.

It was technically the third day of their six-day tour of Australia, but apart from some handshakes upon landing on Friday night, it was the public’s first chance to see the couple after a rest day on Saturday. 

The schedule has been designed not to overly tire the king, who is being treated for cancer.

Inside the church, the Bishop of North Sydney, Christopher Edwards, asked for world peace, while protesters outside held aloft banners that read “Empire built on genocide” and “Decolonise.”