Australian PM says King Charles III will ‘focus on Commonwealth’

The Australian state of Victoria withdrawing from hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2026 has “indirect” links to the country’s relationship with the monarchy, according to an expert.

It was announced last month that Victoria would no longer play host to the Games, with the state’s Premier Daniel Andrews citing financial concerns after claims it would cost as much as £3.6billion (Australian $7billion).

Associate Professor Cindy McCreery, History Professor at the University of Sydney, explained that Victoria and its capital Melbourne had greatly struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the city experiencing multiple lockdowns which incurred a lot of expense.

She told Express.co.uk that while their “financial argument is a genuine one”, it is also an “indirect way of saying that monarchy is not a priority and [it] may be indirectly linked with the idea of the Commonwealth Games being somehow linked to Australia’s historical relationship with Britain”.

Australia has recently expressed growing interest in becoming a republic, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promising a referendum on the monarchty if he is elected for another term, and King Charles failing to capture the public’s attention in the same way his late mother did.

Get the latest royal news straight to your phone by joining our Whatsapp community!

READ MORE: Kate, Princess of Wales enjoys private solo outings, expert claims

Mr Andrews is also a Labor politican, as is Mr Albanese, with the Australian Labor Party adopting a republican stance in government.

Following the decision not to host the Games in Victoria, it remains to be seen who will host them, which may mean the sporting event is postponed to 2027.

The entire future of the event could be in jeopardy if no viable host is found, as Birmingham may have to host it back-to-back after the Games were held there last year.

Don’t miss…
William ‘lunged and grabbed Harry’s shirt’ in forgotten confrontation[REVEAL]
Royal Family LIVE: Sarah Ferguson reveals classic game beloved by the Firm[UPDATES]
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Netflix movie poised to be a ‘huge hit’ for platform[SPOTLIGHT]

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

But Rishi Sunak is keen that a solution can still be found to hold the event in Australia, as his spokesperson said: “We hope that the Victoria state government, the Games federation and Commonwealth Games Australia will now work together to find a viable solution to hosting the event in 2026.”

Previous host cities Kuala Lumpur and Edmonton have both refused to host for financial reasons and Cardiff withdrew its bid for the 2026 Games in July 2016 after the Brexit vote.

It was reported this week that the King is making his first Commonwealth trip to Kenya later this year, but it is not known when he will next visit Australia.

The visit will likely be a poignant one for the King as Kenya is where the late Queen was when she found out about her own father’s death in 1952.

He will be accompanied by Queen Camilla on the trip, which will take place not long after the first anniversary of the Queen’s death.

Charles is also due to visit France, with his trip having to be rescheduled following its postponement in March after riots erupted all over the country.

Source: Read Full Article