The Queen was like Taylor Swift in Australia – there’s no way Aussies want to be a republic, her ex-press secretary says
QUEEN Elizabeth has been compared to pop royalty Taylor Swift during the monarch’s time in Australia.
The late Queen was such a big hit Down Under that there’s no way Aussies want to be a republic, the late head of state’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson has said.
Ms Anderson was talking to The Sun Online for the latest episode of our Royal Exclusive series.
As her role as the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth visited Australia in October 2011, taking in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
Ms Anderson said: “I remember the crowds, the big Aussie barbeque in Perth, which was the last big event.
“It felt like the Queen was Taylor Swift.
“Honestly, the crowds were enormous – cheering. It was electric.
“The media always like to say ‘how long are you going to have a monarchy?’ in Australia but coming back, there’s no way they’re going to become a republic.
“The crowds, the genuine people, just the adoration.”
She added: “It was a real boost for the Queen and Prince Philip because you never know how many people are going to be interested but clearly they were.”
Talk about the possibility of Australia becoming a republic has intensified lately ahead of King Charles‘ upcoming tour of the country.
But all six of its state premiers snubbed an invite to join him at a reception.
One has taken a further swipe by accusing the King of turning down a Lamington – Australia’s favourite cake.
Steven Miles said he and Charles visited a children’s hospital in 2018 but the royal spurned the sponge dipped in chocolate and coconut, made by the kids.
The Queensland premier claimed: “I’ve got a bit to do here in Queensland so I won’t be able to make the party with the King.
“But I did host him last time he was here in Queensland so I’m sure he won’t take it personally.
“I took him to the children’s hospital and we had a really great day there.
“The highlight was the children had made Lamingtons and he looked at me and I said ‘we’ve got to eat it’.
“And he said ‘I will not’, so I ate the Lamington. He declined the Lamington but I ate it for him.”
But a recent poll revealed Aussies are less in favour of ditching the King for a Republic than during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Charles and Queen Camilla will conduct a nine-day tour and have an action-packed itinerary ahead of them.
Despite his cancer treatment he will still pack in 36 engagements.
While the visit is historic – Charles’ first as reigning monarch – it could be “extremely exhausting” for Camilla who “doesn’t like flying”, according to an expert.
The royal couple will land in Australia on Friday then head to Samoa on October 23, before departing for the UK on October 26.
Editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine Ingrid Seward told Fabulous: “Queen Camilla is 76.
“She gets very tired because she’s not born to this royal life.
“I know she’s been in it a long time, but she’s not born to it, and I think people sometimes forget that Camilla’s never actually had a job.
“I think she finds these trips extremely exhausting. She doesn’t like flying.
“She’s not a great traveller, and she’s not good in the heat, because you know her, you know, like a lot of women of her age, you know. her feet swell up, and she feels uncomfortable.
“So it’s not the most pleasurable thing to do for her to whisk across to Australia although it might be really exciting for somebody younger.”
The King and Queen will start their trip in Sydney on October 18 before heading to capital Canberra three days later for a banquet with senior politicians.
It’ll be Charles’ 17th visit to Australia but his first trip to a Commonwealth nation since becoming King.
It’s also his first visit to Australia since 2018 when he opened the Commonwealth Games on the Queensland Gold Coast.