Ghosts of the past for Charles and Camilla as they sign Bible on tour,
King Charles and Queen Camilla experienced a ghostly reminder of the past as they signed Australia’s first Bible on the second day of their tour.
The royal couple are on a six-day tour of Australia, their first since the King ascended to the throne, and as part of their duties, were asked to sign the country’s first Bible and book of common prayer.
Every member of the Royal Family has signed the Bible, which belonged to Rev Richard Johnson, the first Christian Minister in Australia, on previous royal visits.
The late Queen Elizabeth signed it in 1954 during the first visit of a reigning monarch to these shores, with the Archbishop saying the Bible ‘represents a significant history of this church and nation’.
With his own fountain pen, the King signed the Bible on a page beneath the signature of the late Princess of Wales from their 1983 visit.
The King alluded to his inevitable jet-lag as he signed, joking: ‘What day is it again?’ and chuckling.
The church presented the royal visitors with gifts including a rugby ball, cricket ball and toy koala for them to take home for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Later The King undertook his first major ceremonial duty – and an impromptu royal walkabout – as he visited the New South Wales Legislative Council to mark its bicentenary.
Stepping outside to loud cheers from the hundreds gathered on the lawn opposite the church, the King waved before walking over to speak to members of the public.
Some well-wishers said they had begun queuing at 5am to get a prime spot to see the couple, with others in the crowd flying in from other parts of Australia especially.
Charles said to one person: ‘It’s a beautiful day’ as several others shouted: ‘We love you.’
Speaking afterwards the Archbishop said: ‘It’s been a great pleasure and privilege to have their majesties with us here at St Thomas’, North Sydney.
‘This church has a family connection with His Majesty because his great grandfather as a teenage boy laid the cornerstone.’
He added: ‘It was lovely for this local church to be able to welcome the sovereign King Charles and Queen Camilla to join us in worship today we are absolutely thrilled.
‘There has been a great feel.
‘People are very happy to see them and they received a very generous, warm welcome.
‘And Their Majesties were also very generous in greeting lots of people soon after their jet lag.’
When the then Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, touched down in Australia in 1983, they faced a barrage of anti-royal sentiment.
The Daily Mail reported at the time how Australian prime minister Bob Hawke didn’t even bow to the couple, though his wife Hazel did.
Anti-royal Hawke at first dismissed their visit as not the ‘most important thing’ he would be doing in his first several months as the country’s new leader, historian Robert Lacey told in his book Battle Of Brothers.
However, by the end of the trip they had won the hearts of many Australians.
King Charles and Queen Camilla received the warmest of welcomes on their first full day of engagements in Australia today.
Arriving at St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney in the morning, the royal duo were met with loud cheers from the hundreds of well-wishers who waved Australian flags, brought bouquets of flowers and toy koalas.
