THIS is the shocking moment King Charles was heckled by an Australian senator before security was forced to step in.

The disruption came amid Charles’, 75, landmark speech in Australia’s parliament overnight UK time.

Charles was heckled just after he delivered a speech


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Charles was heckled just after he delivered a speechCredit: AFP

Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe heckled Charles at a reception in Canberra
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Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe heckled Charles at a reception in CanberraCredit: Reuters

Thorpe shouted at Charles: 'You destroyed our land'


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Thorpe shouted at Charles: ‘You destroyed our land’Credit: Reuters

Charles brushed off the heckling
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Charles brushed off the hecklingCredit: Getty
Charles was given a 20-second standing ovation for his address and was taking his seat when Senator Lidia Thorpe emerged in the chamber.

She called out “You are not our King” and “You destroyed our land”.

As security stood in the way to prevent her from getting near the King who was sitting beside Camilla just 30 feet away, she called out to him: “This is not your land, you are not our King.”

The monarch brushed off the awkward encounter and continued to smile as Thorpe was embarrassingly walked out by security.

Senator Thorpe, 51, is an Aboriginal Australian independent politician and has been a senator for Victoria since 2000.

She was once banned for life from a Melbourne strip club for shouting profanities at a group of men.

Thorpe was filmed outside Maxine’s Gentleman’s Club, telling one he is a “marked” man.

The senator said in a statement that the men singled her out and provoked her, taking issue with her stance on Indigenous affairs.

She was on Monday ushered out of the room after around 30 seconds by security.

Aunty Violet Sheridan, a Senior Ngunnawal Elder, spoke of her fury at the outburst, describing it as “disrespectful and rude”.

She explained that she had been asked by the Australian Prime Minister and Cabinet Office to give the official ‘Welcome to Country’ at Parliament for the King and Queen and had been “honoured to do so”.

Aunty Violet, who is a well-respected voice on Indigenous matters, had been pictured kissing the King on both cheeks in a friendly welcome.

She was sitting on the stage with the King and Queen when Thorpe staged her intervention.

She said: “It was fabulous right up until that incident. I thought she was disrespectful and out of line. She does not speak for me or my family.

“I was on the stage sitting just beyond the Prime Minister and it absolutely frightened the life out of me. I didn’t expect it and I am sure no one else was expecting it.

“We are all so disappointed by it. To have that in the Great Hall? Disgusting. I am so upset about her. He has waited so long to be King, he has rehearsed for it all his life. He is our King, our sovereign and he has got cancer.

“I said to my husband ‘I feel so sad for him’. I was sitting tight by him. I am a very spiritual person and I feel really comfortable about him. I just felt it.

“He is a good man. He thanked me for my welcome. This is sad. He has got cancer and that idiot, I am sorry to say that word, went and did that. I felt so sad that he has travelled all this way.

“I don’t want my grandchildren when Prince George becomes King and comes here and that happens to him. I hope we fix this up before our next generation comes through.

“Hopefully people see it for what it is. A one-off idiot.”

Senator Thorpe ‘banned’ from strip club

The senator who yelled at the King was once banned for life from a Melbourne strip club for shouting profanities at a group of men.

Thorpe was filmed outside Maxine’s Gentleman’s Club, telling one he is a “marked” man.

The senator said in a statement that the men singled her out and provoked her, taking issue with her stance on Indigenous affairs.

Maxine’s general manager, David Ross, wrote to Thorpe’s office to issue a life ban from the premises.

He said the senator had spent a few hours in the venue with a small group of friends, who were there for a 50th birthday party.

Staff at the club claimed Thorpe approached a number of men and told them they had “stolen her land”.

Rosa said: “We can’t have that sort of thing here, because we do pride ourselves on being harmonious melting pot of the local community.”

In a letter sent to Thorpe’s office on Monday, Ross said that after reviewing security footage and speaking to staff, the senator was “no longer welcome” at the club.

Asked whether she was a monarchist, Aunty Violet said: “I am sort of in-between on the monarch.

“But we had a vote on it and chose to keep it. He is our King. He said even recently it is up to the Australian public – if they want to say yes then he will happily be our King, if they say no he still step aside.

“He has broad shoulders. It is up to the Australian people.

“This is not really about him being King. It is a matter of respect for an honoured guest.

To show such utter disrespect to King Charles, who has travelled to Australia, despite ongoing cancer treatment, is disgusting

Ralph BabetUnited Australia Party Senator

“And what that woman did was disrespectful. That is not the way to solve our differences. This has just given her the oxygen of publicity.

“This is about respect. Myself and my family, we have respect for our King and our Queen. She is not doing this in our name.”

Former Tasmania Senator and monarchist Eric Abetz said Ms Thorpe’s conduct was “disgraceful” and “disrespectful”.

He said: “If anyone did that to an individual elder she would rightly have words to say as do I.

“Very poor form Senator. Bad behaviour speaks for itself.

“In a free society, people are free to behave badly as long as it’s not illegal.

“The Senator would love to make herself a martyr on the back of her bad behaviour and I personally would deny her that pleasure.”

Thorpe has been branded 'disgusting'
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Thorpe has been branded ‘disgusting’Credit: AFP

Her behaviour has been condemned by Australian leaders
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Her behaviour has been condemned by Australian leadersCredit: Getty

Charles delivered a speech at Australia's parliament
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Charles delivered a speech at Australia’s parliament
United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet demanded Thorpe apologise for harassing the King, who travelled to Australia amid a pause in treatment for an unspecified cancer.

He said: “To show such utter disrespect to King Charles, who has travelled to Australia, despite ongoing cancer treatment, is disgusting.

“Senator Thorpe has disgraced not only herself and the Australian Parliament, but every Australian man, woman and child.

“Senator Thorpe demanded an apology from King Charles, I’d say it’s King Charles and the Australian people that should be demanding an apology from Senator Thorpe.”

Her behaviour today also caught the attention of Nationals leader David Littleproud.

He said: “Lidia Thorpe’s business model of making a scene to get attention is predictable but it’s sadly now just becoming embarrassing for her.”

Liberal MP Jonno Duniam said: “Lidia Thorpe is supposed to represent all of the people of Victoria, not a small portion of the community,” he said.

“ I don’t give the Greens credit often, and they disagree with the Crown, they don’t agree with the institution of the monarchy but they didn’t charge the taxpayer to come to Canberra and make a scene.

“Whereas Lidia Thorpe did. She stood there, turned her back during the national anthem, shook her head all the way through the speeches and then made a scene which will achieve nothing for anyone.

“Lidia should reflect on her behaviour…she needs to take stock of what she’s doing and ask herself why she’s doing it.”

It comes after the royal couple began their trip attending a service at St Thomas’ Church, in North Sydney.

Charles waved at the crowd and Camilla beamed in a pale green dress and straw hat.

A small crowd of cheering locals who heard about the visit were kept back across the road by police – with a handful of protesters.

But they were greeted by flag-waving children who screamed in delight after meeting the royal couple.

Charles flew 10,500 miles Down Under becoming the first monarch to visit since 2011.

The trip includes a party at Sydney Opera House and he will deliver a speech at Parliament House in Canberra.

He will hold a poignant face-to-face with two pioneering cancer doctors during his trip.

Despite his cancer treatment, he will still pack in 36 engagements on eight days with Queen Camilla.

The trip also includes a State Visit to Samoa in the South Pacific – where he will make an address at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Charles shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
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Charles shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony AlbaneseCredit: Getty

King Charles greets students after a reception at Parliament House
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King Charles greets students after a reception at Parliament HouseCredit: Getty

The King beamed ahead of his speech on Monday
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The King beamed ahead of his speech on MondayCredit: Getty