Royal news live: King Charles given military honours on first day of landmark Australia visit

King Charles is set to be met with anti-monarchy protests when he arrives in Australia with Queen Camilla on Friday.

Alongside protests from people within Australia, Graham Smith, the chief executive officer of the UK-based anti-monarchy group Republic, said he was travelling down under “to challenge the royal PR machine”.

Mr Smith said: “I’m in Australia to talk about why the UK should ditch the monarchy and to challenge the royal PR machine.

“I’m not here to tell Australia to become a republic, but to talk to Australians and the British press about the growing republican movement in the UK and the huge failings of the British monarchy.

“The message is simple: Charles does not speak for us, he does not represent us, he should go home.”

Visitors to Dumfries House in Scotland can now dine in the very same spot as King Charles, where they will be able to experience an 18th-century feast in his favourite room.

Charles takes most of his evening meals in the Pink Dining Room while staying at the Scottish stately home in Ayrshire.

Now his charity, The King’s Foundation, is offering a new private dining experience, allowing members of the public the opportunity to enjoy a three-course meal, authentic to the 1700s and served by a traditional butler, in the royal chamber.

Guests will eat at the King’s table – but not in the presence of the monarch – beneath the 35kg Murano glass floral chandelier, which was painstakingly reassembled after being found in the basement in more than 100 pieces nearly 20 years ago.

Menus will be based on 18th-century dishes, such as poached salmon, fish soup, and manchet bread for starters, followed by roasted venison and beef, parmentier potatoes and a juniper sauce, and lemon and pistachio syllabub, bread and butter pudding, and apple and almond trifle for dessert.

King Charles was visibly delighted when he was gifted a knitted cake stand to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his charity’s textiles programme.

Charles, 75, accepted the gift in Ayrshire, Scotland where the King’s Foundation set up Future Textiles in 2014.

The programme, which exists in several forms, has now expanded across the UK and was established to address the skills gap in the UK’s textile industry.

Jacqueline Farrell, education director at The King’s Foundation, said: “Initially, Future Textiles benefitted secondary school-age pupils by introducing them to the beauty of making and ensuring they understood the technical sewing and craft processes that are so vital to responsible fashion design and manufacturing.

“Due to the incredible support of the industry and our partners, the programme grew rapidly and now offers a huge range of courses ranging from day workshops and weekly community groups, to full-time courses which provide students with the skills needed to start their own businesses and gain employment in the industry.”