King Charles III presented with rare Aussie military honours on tour of Australia

King Charles III has been recognised with prestigious honorary rankings in Australia’s military on the first day of his inaugural visit to Australia as a reigning monarch.

Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Sam Mostyn, appointed the King to the Honorary Ranks of Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Australian Navy, Field Marshal of the Australian Army, and Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force.

King Charles has enjoyed a longstanding connection with the Australian Defence Force after he first held the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps in 1977.

“Australians share His Majesty’s pride in the ADF, its sailors, soldiers and aviators and the loved ones who support them,” Ms Mostyn said.

Chief of the Defence Force Admiral, David Johnston, said the appointments reflected Australia’s cherished relationship with the crown.

“The Sovereign serves as an example of service, and His Majesty’s appointments are symbolic of the Royal Family’s longstanding dedication and relationship with the nation,” he said.

“Since Australian Federation in 1901, Australia’s military forces have been custodians of great traditions connected to the Commonwealth, and 123 years later the Australian Defence Force is proud to continue this legacy.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the Australian War Memorial and Australian Parliament House when they head to Canberra on Monday.

When they return to Sydney, they are expected to participate in a Fleet Review of five naval ships on Sydney Harbour before they return to the United Kingdom.

The King’s Flag for Australia will be flown throughout the King’s whirlwind visit in recognition of his role as King of Australia.

The flag reflects the shield of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and is used in the same way as the Royal Standard in the United Kingdom.

It will be flown on or outside buildings and on planes, cars, and ships to signify King Charles’ presence.

When King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in Sydney on Friday night, they were welcomed by Ms Mostyn, alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, and NSW Premier Chris Minns.

It is the King’s 17th visit to Australia since his first trip in 1966 at the age of 17 and his first since he was crowned in 2022.

He is the first reigning monarch to visit Australia in more than 13 years.

The now 75-year-old monarch is battling cancer and the Australian tour will be his first overseas engagement since the shock diagnosis in April.

This has led to a shorter visit and a scaled back schedule, with no commitments set down for Saturday.