King Charles and Queen Camilla have wrapped their tour of Australia and Samoa with a touching message thanking “both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories”.
The royal couple took to social media to mark the end of their tour, sharing their gratitude alongside a picture of them smiling together on the beaches of Samoa.
“As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come,” the couple wrote.
“Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close connections that unite us across the globe and through our Commonwealth family have been renewed, and will remain as profound as they are enduring.”
It was a jam-packed visit for the Monarchs which included a visit to Parliament House and the War Memorial in Canberra.
A reception for the couple made global headlines when Senator Lidia Thorpe interrupted the proceedings to declare “you are not my king” before being escorted out of the building.
In Sydney, visits to the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, a food bank, a social housing project, a literacy initiative, a community barbecue, a meeting with two leading cancer researchers and a naval review dominated their itinerary.
However, the royals saved the best for last with a visit to the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday, October 22, where thousands of people queued for almost a kilometre to get a glimpse of the royals during the biggest public event of their trip.
King Charles shook the hands of many of those in attendance as a group sang God Save The King, while Queen Camilla was spotted having a quick chat with several children.
The pair signed the guest book at the Sydney Opera House before making their way to the harbour to review the naval fleet.
Charles and Queen Camilla then jetted off from Sydney Airport on Wednesday, October 23, marking the end of their whirlwind tour of Australia.
Alongside NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Governor-General Sam Mostyn and NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, a small crowd gathered to see the royal couple off as Charles and Camilla waved from the steps of a Royal Australian Air Force jet before departing.
The couple then made their way to Samoa for a biannual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.