King Charles and Queen Camilla 'snubbed' by prominent Australians during royal visit

Just days out from King Charles' historic visit to Australia, the state premiers have been accused of snubbing the monarch with a major no-show during his stay.

King Charles will be officially welcomed to Australia by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at an official reception in Canberra next Monday but no state leaders will be there after all declining an invitation.

The refusal comes just days after new polling showed support for Australia transitioning to a republic was at an all-time low.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive on Friday and have engagements in Sydney and Canberra, before they depart for Samoa on Wednesday.

While in Canberra, the King and Queen are due to attend a welcome reception, hosted by the Prime Minister.

Prominent Australians, recognised for outstanding achievements in their chosen fields, will be there alongside political and community leaders.

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But the six state premiers – of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania – have said they're unable to attend. They will all have representatives at the event, however, including their governors.

NSW Premier Chris Minns will spend several days with the King and Queen while they are in Sydney.

The King and Queen will meet members of the public on Tuesday at the Sydney Opera House, following a community barbeque in Parramatta that is invitation-only.

Victoria's premier Jacinta Allan has other government business to attend to, but recently said she was "very pleased that King Charles is visiting Australia".

Queensland premier Steven Miles said he was too busy working on his election campaign.

Roger Cook, Western Australia's premier, reportedly said he had "other commitments".

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South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has a regional cabinet meeting, while Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff will be on a US trade mission.

Bev McArthur, a pro-monarchist campaigner, told the BBC the excuses given by the state premiers were "petty and inhospitable".

Writing on social media, she said the King was being "snubbed" during his visit to Australia.

McArthur said it was an "insult" that state premiers were not going to the reception next Monday.

"The failure of state premiers to attend the reception in Canberra is completely indefensible," she told ABC radio.

"Welcoming the King and Queen to Australia is the least they can do as the most senior elected representatives of their states."

In a letter to the Australian Republic Movement ahead of his visit last week, the King said that whether Australia becomes a republic is a "matter for the Australian public to decide".

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Charles will become the first British King to visit Australia when he arrives later this week and His Majesty's first visit to a Commonwealth realm.

It will be Charles' 17th time in Australia, surpassing the amount of visits made by his late mother Queen Elizabeth II who first arrived in 1954 and returned a further 15 times.

It will also be a major test of Charles' stamina, being the most significant visit abroad since the 75-year-old was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in February.

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