As King Charles arrives in Australia, some Sydney residents ‘forgot they were even coming’

The sails of the iconic Sydney Opera House were illuminated on Friday night with a photographic tribute to welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as they arrived in Australia on the first visit by a reigning British monarch in 13 years.

The royal couple touched down in Australia on Friday, embarking on the king’s most strenuous foreign trip since his life-changing cancer diagnosis eight months ago.

After a gruelling 20-plus hour journey, the 75-year-old monarch and his wife Queen Camilla landed in a rain-sodden Sydney, and were greeted by local dignitaries and posy-bearing children.

The king is on a nine-day tour of his far-flung Australian and Samoan realms that will showcase a busy public barbecue, famed landmarks and pressing climate dangers.

He is the first reigning monarch to set foot Down Under since 2011, when thronging crowds flocked to catch a white-gloved wave from his mother Queen Elizabeth II.