Just what will a republic get us for a head of state? A nominee of Howard or Beazley, or perhaps Kerry Packer or Rupert Murdoch. A sporting non-entity to promote our national policy of "bread and circuses." Charles at least refused the easy sucess that his position would have given him in the city, and defied and infuriated Margaret Thatcher (remember her?) when the British Labour Party was hopelessly split and ineffectual.

Oh, the challenges he took on - clearance diver, pilot etc. Well you can't pass a candidate for those things on the basis of his name. He might kill himself and a lot of other folk as well!

Better Charlie than some rooster from the Roosters or the son of a former ALP hack or a suburban solicitor. Heads of state are expensive so let's keep Charlie and let the Brits pay for him.

Less than half of the British public believes the Prince of Wales should ascend to the throne , an opinion poll for The Independent reveals today.

The lukewarm support for the Prince to succeed his mother after she dies emerged as ministers privately expressed their fears that Prince Charles will be too eager to interfere in the business of Government if he becomes King.

The heir to the throne has become notorious in Whitehall for his habit of sending long, handwritten letters on his pet subjects such as planning, farming, GM foods and human rights.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/next-in-line--but-public-just-cant-warm-to-idea-of-charles-in-charge-7808594.html

see toon at top and all toons and stories on this site about the queen...

Along with the knowledge that the British abhor adultery, but go along with fornication, serial adulterers Charles and Camilla were both permitted to marry, with Camilla allowed the full status of Your Royal Highness ― but she was denied the official title of Princess of Wales, which she legally is, and was saddled with one of her second husband’s secondary titles, the Duchess of Cornwall, which she will retain until Charles becomes king, when she will be known as Queen Camilla.

The monarchists in general, and Cory Bernardi’s great and good friends Professor David Flint and Alan Jones’s in particular, go along with the canard that our Queen to be will be called something stupid like “Princess Consort”.

All this is fascinating stuff but should not be relevant to contemporary Australia.

This couple have no Australian roots – indeed the forthcoming visit will be Camilla’s first − and until our Constitution is dragged screaming into reality, it is people like Queen Elizabeth and her son and daughter-in-law who are preventing every Australian from aspiring to, or holding, our nation’s top job.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/australian-identity/republic/charles-and-camillas-forthcoming-tour/

see toon at top...

An international visitor to Australia would be excused for thinking this country is still a British colony under the control of the royal family. Evidence of the British royals can be found in every state and territory ― indeed two of our six states are directly named for a British royal. Streets, buildings, statues and other memorials named George, Edward and, of course, Victoria are literally everywhere. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who recently enjoyed her diamond jubilee, has hardly been forgotten. Hospitals, parks, suburbs and roads across the country all bear her name and, of course, her image is on the reverse of every Australian coin. Many schools and Defence Force buildings also have a portrait in honour of the monarch. The British royals are nothing if not revered.

In contrast, Australians take a humbler approach to our native heroes. With a cultural distrust of politicians, we are more inclined to endure our leaders than celebrate them.Henry Parkes, who more than anyone deserves to be called the father of our country, is one of the scarce few who have risen above our perpetual tall poppy syndrome to achieve near-universal applause. It is true that Parkes, like the Queen, has many memorials ― but what message does it send when a road named in his honour is renamed for the Queen?

I started the Save Parkes Place petition on 23 October 2012 when I read in the Canberra Times that Charles and Camilla planned to visit the capital to ‘officially rename Parkes Place as Queen Elizabeth Terrace’. There were a few comments expressing disapproval but overall it seemed that people were quite happy with this arrangement. I was furious. Could you imagine a Gandhi memorial being renamed in India? Could you imagine a Washington memorial being renamed in the United States or a Mandela memorial in South Africa? Whether a person approves of the monarchy or not is irrelevant. If a generic Main Street or South Street was dedicated to the Queen few eyebrows would have been raised but to take away a street named after the father of federation is scandalous.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/australian-identity/republic/save-parkes-place-―-because-symbols-matter/

See toon at top...

The outback Queensland town of Longreach has rolled out the red carpet for this afternoon's visit by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

In near 40-degree heat, Prince Charles and Camilla touched down on time at Longreach, the first stop on their six-day Australian tour.

The Duchess of Cornwall looked relaxed carrying a parasol for sun protection as she and the prince were greeted by Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley, Premier Campbell Newman and other dignitaries.

Prince Charles has named a new plane for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. It has been called RFDS Friends in the UK in honour of a group that raises funds for the service.

Despite the heat, the couple joked with onlookers and spent time talking with the crowd as they walked down a road lined with several hundred people at the Stockman's Hall of Fame.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-05/royal-couple-arrive-in-outback-queensland/4353536?WT.svl=news0

Viva la republica! Send the royals back to where they came from...

A new profile on Prince Charles says he is in no rush to become king because he fears it would be a form of prison.

Time magazine spoke to 50 of the prince's friends and associates for a feature story about the heir to the British throne.

He was described by one of his officials as being unenthusiastic about taking over from his mother, now 87, and that he takes on extra royal duties "joylessly".

It is said Charles worries about how becoming king would impact on his current charity work.

He will be taking on more official duties as the Queen does less, including representing her at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka next month.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/prince-charles-in-no-rush-to-be-king/5046998

see toon at top...