Wearing a natty pair of sunglasses on a sunny spring day in Canberra, King Charles III was greeted by a large crowd of well-wishers at the Australian War Memorial on Monday, chair Kim Beazley saying the monarch no doubt got a boost from the size and bonhomie of the occasion.
The crowd of more than 4000 yelled "Charlie" and "God bless you, Charles" after the 75-year-old monarch and Queen Camilla paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier and then greeted members of the public on a walk to the For Our Country Memorial.
The memorial recognises the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Before the royal couple arrived, protesters carrying a "Decolonise" banner and shouting "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land" were moved on by police. One man was arrested for failing to follow a police direction.
Later in the Great Hall at Parliament House, Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe disrupted a reception for the royal couple by telling the monarch he was not her king.
"You are not our king. You are not sovereign. You are not our king. You are not sovereign," she called.
"You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. 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 treaty."
Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who attended the Parliament House event, expressed his dismay at the protest.
"It's unfortunate political exhibitionism, that's all I'd say," he said after the event.
Another of the guests, Victoria Cross recipient Keith Payne, was highly critical of Thorpe for disrupting the reception.
"I was absolutely amazed that she got through the door," he said.
"That was uncalled for and un-Australian."
At the Australian War Memorial, the crowd had waited patiently in the sun for the royal couple to arrive after landing at Fairbairn on Monday, the first time an Australian king had touched down on Australian soil.
The royal couple stayed longer than expected at the war memorial, greeting the crowd, who had signs including "G'day King", wore tiaras or crowns and waved both the Australian flag and the Union Jack.
Australian War Memorial council chair and former deputy prime minister Kim Beazley who, at 75, is the same age as the King said he had been worried about how the monarch would hold up on the demanding visit. Buckingham Palace announced in February that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
"That had me worried enormously right through the course of the morning because I don't know if this is what you'd want to do when he had his health condition," Mr Beazley said.
"But he bore up, I think, remarkably well. I think he'll have a long sleep tonight."
Mr Beazley said King Charles III would have felt buoyed by the support from the crowd.
"I think he was absolutely delighted," Mr Beazley said.
"The way people talked to him was friendly, open, sometimes unintentionally funny, sometimes intentionally funny and he interacts with what it is they have to say and that would have been terrific for him."
"He loved it. You could see that he was not surprised, but he had pleasant feelings about the size of the crowd here. Which I must say was much bigger than I expected," Mr Beazley said.
"And he was anxious to get to them."
Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson said the visit had been memorable for more than one reason.
"We were honoured with an extended visit to the Australian War Memorial and the gardens of the Australian War Memorial which gave us all time to pause and reflect on the nature of service and the magnificent rendition of the last post in the hall of memory," Mr Anderson said.
"But equally as powerful was the amount of time he spent with ordinary Canberrans who have to show their appreciation to Their Majesties for coming this way, but also for the health challenges he's battling.
"To spend that much time meeting Canberrans - it was an honour for them and it was an honour for us."
Clare Culhane, of Gordon, and daughter Audrey, 13, lined up from 7.30am to see the royal couple at around 12.20pm at the War Memorial. Audrey got to shake Queen Camilla's hand.
"It was such a thrill. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Mrs Culhane said.
Friends Julie Southam of Flynn and Venessa Carroll of Bathurst bonded with other royal fans in the crowd, Seija Vuolo, of Dunlop, and Moses Acol, of Moncrieff.
"The Queen is so beautiful and gently gave us a handshake," Mrs Vuolo said.
Ms Carroll gave a stuffed kangaroo to the Queen, as well a note of thanks. She had written to the King and Queen asking them to acknowledge the 60th wedding anniversary of her parents. When they did send a letter, she wanted to show her thanks.
"We're very grateful. It was a great visit," her friend Ms Southam said.
Queen Camilla was wearing a white silk crepe court dress by Anna Valentine and a diamond and pearl brooch worn previously by Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother. She was keen to chat with the crowd.
Reid couple Christopher and Shannon Evans gave the Queen a packet of Tim Tams.
"I suggested I thought it was an excellent gift to have when you're here in Australia and she agreed," he said.
It had been a beautiful day out.
"I'm a very keen monarchist and I think it's a very exciting thing to come and see the King and Queen," Mr Evans said.
People travelled long distances to see the couple. Lisa Campbell took two days to drive from Adelaide to see them in Canberra.
"We absolutely love the royal family," Lisa said.
Her friend Michael Tully, from Kiama, is originally from Kiama.
"We love what they represent, the history and the culture of Britain," he said.
Aunty Lorraine Hatton, the first Indigenous female member of the council of the Australian War Memorial, declined to comment on protests around the royal visit. But did say she thought the King and Queen's visit had been a success.
"They thought it was wonderful," she said, of the crowd's warm reactions.
"Even when I looked out to the crowd and saw everyone smiling and everyone happy. It's like, 'How can you not smile? How can you not be happy?'."
