Cancer-Hit King Charles at Center of Fresh Health Fears After He Lasts Just 10 Minutes at Tribute Lunch — As Indigenous Australian Senator Who Heckled Monarch Posts Beheading Cartoon
Oct. 21 2024, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
King Charles has sparked fresh concerns for his health during his visit to Australia.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the cancer-stricken monarch left a lunch held in his honor after just 10 minutes.
Amid fears Charles' cancer battle has impacted his ability to serve as king, indigenous Australian senator Lidia Thorpe shared a political cartoon depicting the monarch being beheaded after she heckled him following his address to parliament.
The Australian tour marked the first time Charles traveled overseas since he announced his cancer diagnosis in February.
After taking a rest day on Saturday, Charles attended a lunch in his honor, where he gifted parliament an hourglass to "bear witness" to the passage of time.
He said: "With the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long.
"So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for making me feel so very welcome. Thank you."
After a mere 10 minutes – and his brief statement – Charles left the lunch before the first course was even served.
While some speculated the quick turnaround was contributed to his ongoing cancer battle – as his schedule for the trip has been designed to not overtire him – others pointed to critics protesting his and Queen Camilla's visit to the country.
The Independent senator stood and yelled from the back of the room: "You are not our king! You are not sovereign!"
She continued to shout, "Give us our land back, give us what you stole" and called for a treaty between the country and Australia's First Nation as security guards escorted her away.
Following her outburst, Thorpe shared series of posts applauding her protest to her Instagram Stories.
Included in the round up was a political cartoon by creator Matt Chun, which featured a beheaded Charles and the text "You are not our king".
Users rallied around Thorpe in Chun's comment section, with one writing: "She's so powerful. We need more Lydia's in this world."
Another commented: "This gets better every time I watch it. This leadership and integrity."
But Thorpe was not the only person denouncing the monarch's visit.
On Sunday, Charles and Camilla were greeted with protestors outside St Thomas' Anglian Church in North Sydney.
They shouted and held banners reading "Empire built on genocide" and "Decolonize".
Charles is set to return to the U.K. on October 25, upon which he will resume his cancer treatment schedule.
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