Motions — His Majesty King Charles III—Coronation

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It’s an honour to stand for the ACT Party to speak to the coronation of our new King, Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor of the United Kingdom.

He was born in Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948, during the reign of his grandfather George VI, and was aged 74 when crowned King of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth Realms over the weekend. He was three years old when he stood beside his grandmother and his aunt Margaret for his mother’s coronation in 1953.

Our King was home-schooled in Buckingham Palace until just before his eighth birthday, when he was sent to school in West London, the first heir apparent to go to school instead of continuing home-schooling in the palace. He was also sent to school in Scotland—where he described it as being at “Colditz in kilts”—as well as six months studying at Timbertop in Australia. He graduated from school in Berkshire as head boy, and instead of going straight into the armed forces, he went to Trinity College in Cambridge, where he studied archaeology and anthropology, followed by history.

He extended himself further and went to the University College of Wales to study Welsh history and language for a term, the first heir apparent to earn a university degree. He said his schooling taught him a lot about himself, his own abilities and disabilities; it taught him to accept challenges and to take the initiative.

Our King served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, learning to fly the Chipmunk, and was presented his Royal Air Force wings in 1971. Later, he qualified as a helicopter pilot and joined the naval air squadron. He served with the navy on the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk as well as the frigates HMS Minerva and HMS Jupiter, finishing his service in the navy as commander of HMS Bronington, the coastal minehunter.

As King, he succeeds Queen Elizabeth II as the patron of the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom, and his son Prince William will become the president in his role as Prince of Wales—a tradition that has spanned back to the 1800s.

We’ve had a couple of King Charleses in the past. The rule of King Charles I led to a revolution and the temporary abolition of the monarchy. He was convicted of high treason and beheaded in 1625. King Charles II, son of King Charles I, took the throne in 1660 for 25 years when the monarchy was restored. This King Charles had to rule during the 1665 Great Plague and the 1666 Great Fire of London. The King Charles spaniel is named after him. Then there was the unrecognised King Charles III when, in 1745 and 1746, Charles Edward Stuart led the unsuccessful Jacobite rising, declaring himself King Charles III, but it was never acknowledged officially. He became known instead as Stuart the Pretender or Bonnie Prince Charlie.

I’d like to finish up talking of some of the little-known facts about our official King Charles III. He likes eggs and chose a quiche as a signature dish. He’s a fan of Emmerdale Farm. He’s taken up many causes over the years, and one that he took up was for better equipment for British forces in Iraq. Another was to expand, not restrict, the availability of herbal medicines. He has a tree frog named after him, Prince Charles Magnificent Tree Frog, and The Guardian once reported that he converted his vintage Aston Martin to run on surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese process—biofuel. But it was thought that this could do more harm than good if it was adopted on a wider scale.

King Charles III has spent 71 years preparing for his coronation day. His life experiences have taught him humility, understanding, and tolerance, all while his entire life has been on show to the world. Here to serve instead of being served. ACT welcomes King Charles III to the throne. Long live the King.

On behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, I would like to extend Charles, Camilla, and their respective families all the very best.