King Charles received a warm welcome as he met a survivor of Australia’s “stolen generation” in Sydney today.
The monarch, 75, met uncle James Michael ‘Widdy’ Welsh, a member of the indigenous community.
He was among seven siblings taken from his mother in Coonamble, New South Wales, when he was just eight years old.
Widdy was then placed in the Kinchela children’s home and given number 36. He was photographed hugging the smiling King at the National Center for Indigenous Excellence.
He told Charles that he was not much of a hand giver, to which the king replied: “Hugs are good.”
The monarch, 75, met uncle James Michael ‘Widdy’ Welsh, a member of the indigenous community.
The 72-year-old said the royal “made me feel comfortable” as they embraced each other in a sweet exchange.
“I told him I was there from the Kinchela Boys organization and the so-called ‘stolen generation’ and he extended his hand to shake my hand,” he said.
“I told him, ‘I’m not big on shaking hands, but more on hugging or hugging.’
“He said ‘hugs are good.’ So I went to get the hug and he hugged me back.
‘That’s my way of creating a feeling between people.
‘Shaking hands is not a good way to understand people. A hug is a way to connect with someone’s aura.
“He made me feel comfortable, it was really good. It was a welcoming hug. I welcomed him there and let him know.
“I am a survivor of Kinchela Boys School, I was separated from my parents.”
The 72-year-old said the royal “made me feel comfortable” as they embraced each other in a sweet exchange.
He told Charles that he didn’t like shaking hands much, to which the king replied: “Hugs are good.”
Widdy said he had a “good feeling” about King Charles and said he felt he “really cared.”
Widdy, who has worn a hat since he was a teenager, said he appreciated Charles’ hug.
Tens of thousands of children were removed from Indigenous families over decades to be raised in institutions or fostered by white families.
Widdy, who has worn a hat since he was a teenager, said: “It was nice he was there and he appreciated the hug when he hugged me back.”
“I had a really good feeling about him. I get the feeling he’s someone who really cares.
‘I wouldn’t mind sitting down and telling a story with him to be honest and tell him everything that has happened and how to help the children have a better future.
‘There is too much anger around. “It was a really good hug.”
It comes after Senator Lidia Thorpe, 51, shouted that the monarch had “committed genocide against our people” and added “fuck the colony” yesterday.
Dressed in a native fur coat, the Victorian independent senator walked down the aisle of the Great Hall shouting: “You committed genocide against our people.” Give us back our land.
‘Give us what you stole from us. Our bones, Our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.’
As security guards began to lead Thorpe away, she became more animated and continued shouting: ‘This is not your land. This is not your land. You are not my King. You are not my King.’
The protest came after the King, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton gave speeches in Parliament.
Senator Lidia Thorpe, 51, launched a foul-mouthed tirade against the King during her visit to Parliament.
Senator Thorpe shouted “fuck the colony” and “you’re not my king” in a rant that led to her being expelled from Parliament.
Fiery Indigenous politician Lidia Thorpe interrupted King Charles’ speech in Parliament with a foul-mouthed rant, after he finished his speech praising Australia.
Before his outburst, he had turned his back to her while the Australian anthem was playing.
Earlier in the day, Senator Thorpe appeared on the verge of arrest while protesting the King and Queen Camilla’s visit to Canberra.
A clash with police occurred at an Indigenous protest outside the Australian War Memorial.
A group of about two dozen Indigenous protesters positioned themselves in front of the Memorial, chanting “always was, always will be Aboriginal land.”
The group was quite far from where the King and Queen appeared.
Senator Thorpe was seen arguing with a police officer who grabbed his shirt. Then she took off her shirt and stormed away from the police officer.
“Everything we suffered in this country is because of that colonial invasion,” Senator Thorpe said after the fight.
