Anthony Albanese Meets King Charles at Balmoral Castle
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with King Charles III at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Saturday, September 27, 2025. This private audience took place during Albanese's visit to the UK, before his planned appearance at the Labour party's annual conference in Liverpool.
The Meeting and Presentation
Albanese and his partner, Jodie Haydon, presented the King with a framed photograph from his and Queen Camilla's visit to Australia in October 2024. The photograph captured the royals signing the visitor's book at Parliament House in Canberra. The frame itself was crafted from authentic Australian timber.
Previous Engagements with the Monarch
This wasn't the first time Albanese had met with King Charles. He previously attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London in September 2022 and the King's coronation in May 2023. Before the Balmoral meeting, Albanese held meetings with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch.
Albanese's Stance on the Monarchy
While Albanese is a long-time supporter of an Australian republic, he has remained respectful of the monarchy. He has avoided being drawn into discussions about when Australia might consider cutting ties with the monarchy, stating, "That’s a matter for the Australian people, but I respect his majesty.” He also reaffirmed his decision to swear allegiance to King Charles III at the coronation, despite calls from the republican movement for him to remain silent, stating that "Australians made a choice in 1999" regarding the constitutional monarchy.
Criticism from the Opposition
Australian opposition leader, Sussan Ley, criticised Albanese's extended trip to the US and UK. She accused the Prime Minister of "swanning around" at taxpayers' expense and questioned his participation in domestic political events, like speaking at the British Labour conference in Liverpool, deeming it “partisanship." She also raised concerns about the cost of the trip and whether Albanese would contribute personally.
Albanese at the UK Labour Party Conference
Albanese is scheduled to address the UK Labour party conference, becoming the first Australian Prime Minister to do so. He also met with former Labour prime minister Tony Blair. During his visit he was also noted to have met with UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and avoided a meeting with Reform leader Nigel Farage.
