Two Di fans heckle Charles
2005-03-04 13:45
Sydney, Australia - Two protesters opposed to British Prince Charles's upcoming marriage cried out "shame" and held up a placard showing pictures of late Princess Diana on Friday as he mingled with hundreds of well-wishers in Sydney.
Charles appeared to notice the demonstration against his scheduled wedding in April to Camilla Parker Bowles, but ignored it.
A member of the prince's security detail and Governor Marie Bashir, the British queen's representative in New South Wales state, tried to block the placard from view as the prince shook hands and chatted with members of the crowd.
Bashir described the demonstrators' action as "cruel" and "very unrestrained".
Later in the day, Charles got a more affectionate reception from 39-year-old teacher Kate Skillman, who coaxed a kiss from the prince.
While he was visiting a new housing project, Skillman approached Charles, asked for a kiss and planted one on his cheek, to cheers from onlookers.
"I've loved him for 30 years, since I was nine," Skillman told reporters.
Heart aflutter
"Charles is the most adorable royal of them all, he certainly gets my heart aflutter," she added.
Charles was in Sydney during a five-day whirlwind tour of Australia that has been overshadowed by scrutiny of his plan to marry Parker Bowles.
Charles arrived in the national capital, Canberra, later on Friday and was warmly greeted by Prime Minister John Howard, who opposes calls for Australia to become a republic, and Governor General Michael Jeffery, who as the British monarch's national representative is Australia's highest-ranking official.
A military band and honour guard were also on hand to greet Charles at the air force base where he landed. He is to leave Canberra for New Zealand on Saturday afternoon and then visit Fiji before returning to Britain.
The royal tour - Charles's first to Australia in more than a decade - has sparked renewed debate here over whether the former British penal colony should withdraw from the Commonwealth and become a republic.
Australians are now nominally subjects of the British crown and Queen Elizabeth II is Australia's head of state.
A recent newspaper poll showed that Australians were more inclined to support the country becoming a republic when reminded that Prince Charles would become the next head of state with Parker Bowles, his long-time mistress, as his wife.
The poll also showed that 59% of Australians want Charles to renounce his claim to the throne in favour of his oldest son, Prince William.
But David Flint, the leader of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, said Charles was entitled to marry Parker Bowles.
"Everyone's entitled to a little happiness in their lives," he said. "They're obviously very close to one another. I think it's appropriate that they marry."
- AP