RECENT rumours doing the rounds on King Island during the holiday season have been confirmed – King Charles III and Queen Camilla have been invited to visit the island.
“Before Christmas, I spoke to both the Governor-General’s Office and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to nominate us for King Charles III to visit as part of the Australian royal tour anticipated late this year,” King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie said.
“Assuming the royal tour goes ahead I think our chances are good,” Mr Blackie said.
A “King on King” has a ring to it. “King Island crown jewel of Tasmania”. So many paparazzi-tabloid headlines are possible. There’s history too.
While King Island is named after NSW Colonial Governor King, not a monarch, previous royals have almost made it to the island.
King Edward VIII, while Prince of Wales, representing George V, was invited by King Island Council to the island when he visited Tasmania in 1920.
The King (or his royal secretary) sent a telegram from his ship, HMS Renown, acknowledged the invitation and his personal delight in receiving King Island Dairy cheese, which he said was shared on board, however, he sailed on by.
The island has previously hosted Governors General, Governors, Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers but never a royal personage. If he does visit, King Charles will have to be content with an interim protrait of his royal self at the Council Chambers.
The council has an temporary royal portrait – for official occasions – but the official portrait is on backorder.
If he shouts the bar at the King Island Hotel in Currie he will be able to use the new coinage featuring his dial, released in December. But the island does not have an island dance (unless we can claim the Tassie two-step as ours).
However, we can offer everything from camping to high-end Australian six-star accommodation.
The King reportedly loved his outback adventures at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop as a lad, so maybe a cray on the fire on the beach would bring back some fond youthful memories that he could share with Queen Camilla.
We have plenty of swans and peacocks that could be rounded up to recreate dishes of the old days. Yep, King Island is ready to host the royal couple.