[ad_1]
SYDNEY, Australia – The Australians welcomed Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, to Sydney on Tuesday and demanded a glimpse of the newly married couple who, one day earlier, announced that they were waiting for the latest addition of the Royal family.
The couple, young, diverse and cool, is the new face of royalty. But Australians have long had complicated relations with the monarchy and the couple's wedding tour is widely regarded as a charm offensive aimed at sometimes skeptical subjects.
But what is the political as well as emotional relationship between Australia and the royal family?
We will explain.
What does the monarchy have to do with Australia?
Around the world, Queen Elizabeth II is known as the Queen of England. But in 16 other countries belonging to the Commonwealth, the same woman is also the official head of state. This means that she also meets Queen of Australia, Queen of Canada, Queen of Barbados.
Until 1986, Australian law could actually be passed by the British Parliament thousands of kilometers away. Two laws passed simultaneously in Australia and Great Britain put an end to Britain's direct involvement in Australian governance.
However, the queen – and her descendants – continue to play an important role in the country. As head of state (but not the government), the Queen's image still appears on banknotes and postage stamps, and her representative, the Governor General, acts as a stamp: it approves the new legislation passed by the Australian Federal Parliament, approves the prime ministers and the appointment of judges, ambassadors and other officials.
Is everyone happy with the royal visit?
The short answer: no.
There was a historical confrontation between two passionate groups: the monarchists and the republicans.
The monarchists say: If it does not break, why repair it? The monarch offers stability and the governor general plays an important role in ensuring that legislators – including the prime minister – respect the constitution. The system, they say, works.
The Republicans, who plead for complete independence, say that the monarchy is a tired and outdated institution. Since Australia has no legislative connection with Britain, it makes sense that its head of state be Australian. The hereditary nature of the monarchy contrasts with what many Australians regard as a national value par excellence: egalitarianism.
And another big problem: Australian taxpayers pay the cost of travel for members of the royal family. A five-day visit of the queen in 2006 cost A $ 1.8 million, or about $ 1.3 million.
[Registervouspourle[Signupforthe[Inscrivez-vouspourle[SignupfortheLetter from Australia to receive weekly news from the international context and local recommendations in your inbox.]
But what do Australians really think?
After the death of Princess Diana in 1997, the monarchy has returned to calm.
According to a 2016 report, the approval rate of the royal family has increased, especially among young people. The marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May was seen as a more modern and inclusive announcement of royalty.
Nevertheless, many Australians are ready to break with the Windsors. A A poll just before the couple's wedding revealed that 48% of Australians wanted to become a republic. The others were divided between supporting the monarchy and being undecided.
Could Australia soon become a republic?
The experts said Australia's relations with the monarchy probably would not change as long as the queen, now 92 years old and the longest surviving monarch in Britain, is alive.
But without a united Republican movement, it may be difficult to garner national support. A referendum to become a republic in 1999 failed, after 55% of citizens voted against.
Source link
