King Charles and Queen Camilla have made their first public appearance in Australia, greeting devoted well-wishers as they attended a church service.
The royal couple was received by crowds that wrapped around St Thomas' Anglican Church in North Sydney.
As the King and Queen made their way to the front entrance, children waving Australian flags cheered and shook hands with the royals.
The Queen, wearing a pale green Anna Valentine dress and straw hat, was given flowers by the church minister's wife, Ellie Mantle, as she entered the church.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are greeted by Sunday school children at St Thomas's Anglican Church. – Reuters
Once inside, the royal couple were bathed in sunlight that poured through the door and stained-glass windows.
Despite the guests of honour, the service was largely restricted to the local congregation.
Only a few dignitaries were allowed to attend, including Governor-General Sam Mostyn and the Governor of NSW Margaret Beazley.
Bishop Christopher Edwards delivered a prayer, asking for the protection of the King and Queen, along with a hope the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa would be prosperous.
He also asked for world peace and an end to wars during a service which featured hymns, prayers and several readings from the Old and New Testaments.
King Charles and Queen Camilla attend a church service in North Sydney. – Reuters
The church's minister Michael Mantle thanked the King and Queen for their attendance and said it was an honour to host them.
The service was filled with history.
Upon arrival, King Charles passed by the corner stone of the church that was unveiled in 1881 by his great-grandfather King George V.
King Charles and Queen Camilla also signed two bibles in black pen including one that belonged to Australia's first minister, Richard Johnson, who was also the Chaplin on the First Fleet.
King Charles and Queen Camilla look at the Book of Common Prayer during a visit to St Thomas's Anglican Church. – Reuters
As they left the church, the royals were greeted by hundreds of cheering people, all hoping to catch a glimpse or snap a photo.
In an unplanned moment, the King and Queen went to greet the crowds on the other side of the church, with police scrambling to ensure they were protected. The royal couple shook hands and chatted with a large crowd of cheering fans, some singing "God Save the King".
Among them were Helen Hetrelezis and her brothers, who arrived at the church at 7.45am – almost three hours before the church service.
Their efforts paid off and Ms Hetrelezis was granted a few moments with Queen Camilla after church.
"We spoke about her visit. I asked the Queen about her stay, she said she was enjoying Sydney very much," Ms Hetrelezis said.
King Charles and Queen Camilla greet waiting crowds at St Thomas's Anglican Church. – Reuters
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel said it was a "delight" to have the royal couple attend the local service.
"It has been a great pleasure and privilege," he said.
New South Wales state lawmaker Kellie Sloane, whose electorate covers some of Sydney's most famous beaches, wrote on social media platform X after chatting with the king that he "sends his best to the 'amazing' surf clubs at Bondi Beach".
Camilla was given a flower bouquet by the minister's wife, Ellie Mantle, who asked if they had recovered from jet lag after the long flight to Australia on Friday. "Sort of," Camilla replied.
It was the public's first opportunity to meet Charles and Camilla since they arrived in Australia's biggest city on Friday night, and several hundred well-wishers outnumbered a dozen protesters.
Travelling across Sydney Harbour, Charles visited the NSW parliament, marking the 200th anniversary of Australia's oldest legislature.
Hundreds of people lined Sydney's Macquarie Street to watch the King's arrival.
Addressing a crowd inside that included Premier Chris Minns and Chief Justice Andrew Bell, the King drew a laugh when he noted that he first came to Australia nearly 60 years ago, which was "slightly worrying".
The king, in a light grey suit, presented the MPs with an hourglass to time their speeches, and highlighted the fundamental role of strong parliaments to democracies that serve today's diverse societies.
"Democracy has, I believe, an extraordinary capacity for innovation, compromise and adaptability as well as stability," he said.
Charles is making his inaugural visit to an overseas realm as sovereign and his first major foreign trip since being diagnosed with cancer.
It is his 16th official visit to Australia, where he attended school for six months as a teenager in 1966, and spoke at the 150th anniversary of the NSW parliament in 1974.
“What a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long,” he said.
King Charles turns an hourglass he presented as a gift to the NSW Parliament, as President of the NSW Legislative Council, Ben Franklin watches. – Reuters
The royals arrived in Sydney on Friday night and will travel to Canberra on Monday to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the national parliament and visit the Australian War Memorial.
Albanese met the couple on Friday at Admiralty House, the historic government harbourside residence where they are staying, for what he said was an informal drink and chat.
The king will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa after the six-day Australia tour.
Images of the King's previous visits to Australia were projected onto the Sydney Opera House as a royal welcome. – Reuters
Charles had made a significant personal donation to create a skills programme to tackle climate change and boost higher education in small island states, including the Pacific Islands, the Association of Commonwealth Universities said on Sunday.
Mid-career professionals and civil servants will benefit from the fellowships, in a programme that aims to retain talent in small island states and bolster resilience to the impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels.