The Sovereign
THE KING OPENING THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT IN 2023
His Majesty the King became King of Australia immediately upon the death of his Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8th 2022. He was crowned along with Camilla the Queen Consort on 6 May 2023. As King he is Sovereign of Australia and all government, justice and national defence is carried out in his name. An oath of allegiance to the King is a fundamental criterion of membership in the Australian body politic. He stands above all political matters. Although the King is usually resident in the UK, his presence wherever it may be, ensures that the machinations of overbearing politicians are ultimately kept in check as he remains the ultimate check on procedural correctness.
Governor-General
The Sovereign is represented throughout Australia by the Governor-General (see separate section) who is appointed by the King on the advice of his Australian Prime Minister and in each state he is represented by a Governor who is again appointed by him on the advice of his State Premier. All Governors and Governors-General are Australian citizens. Whilst in office the Governor-General is in effect the head of state and performs all national regal functions in the absence of the monarch. The King is kept abreast of affairs by her Governor-General. Only the King can remove a Governor or Governor-General from his post.
Royal Assent
The Governor-General may reserve a parliamentary bill "for the King's pleasure"; that is withhold his consent to the bill and present it to the sovereign for his personal decision. Under the constitution, the Sovereign also has the power to disallow a bill within one year of the Governor-General having granted Royal Assent.This power, however, has never been used nor would be as the King always accepts the advice of his ministers but it might be suggested that Royal Prerogatives exist as warnings to those who might prefer to ignore or deviously subvert the checks and balances our system of governance has in place to protect us.
The King as a Person
THE KING AMONGST THE CROWDS IN SYDNEY - OCTOBER 2024
Although he is often physically distant, close contact with Australia and Australians is maintained either through vice-regal briefings and government communiques or from individual Australians writing to him or those who are fortunate enough to meet him in person. His visits to Australia over the years, as Prince of Wales, have given him a comprehensive understanding of the country.
The King is a practising Christian and, since the Church of England is Britain's established religion, by law he is required to be the Supreme Governor of that Church. However, Australia has no established religion and the monarch plays no formal part in the Anglican Church of Australia.