Charles has closer ties to PNG than other royals

KING’S BIRTHDAY

By HENZY YAKHAM
PAPUA New Guinea joined the Commonwealth of Nations to observe the official birthday of the monarch, His Royal Highness King Charles III over the past long weekend.
The holiday falls on different dates throughout the United Kingdom and in the Commonwealth nations.
Note that the holiday does not fall on the actual day King Charles was born, which is Nov 4 1948. The official date for the King’s birthday was set to June, which is summer in United Kingdom, to allow many to observe the day.
In Papua New Guinea, Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae conveyed well wishes of good health and recovery to the King following his recent cancer diagnosis.
Sir Bob conveyed his congratulatory message to King Charles on behalf of the Government and people of PNG.
He said commemorating the King’s birthday reminded the country of the “long and enduring relation” PNG has had with the monarch and our place in the Commonwealth of nations.
“A long and enduring relation,” it certainly has been because King Charles III is not a stranger or new comer to Papua New Guinea. He has been here since his high school years back in the mid-1960s.
The King has more personal contacts and interactions with Papua New Guineans at personal level than any other member of the royal family. As well, King Charles may have more knowledge of PNG than any other developing nation of the Commonwealth.
In May 1966, then Prince Charles had a brief stay at Martyrs Memorial High School in Northern under a student exchange programme with Geelong Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia.
Whilst at Martyrs, among others Prince Charles: visited the garden house for Milne Bay students called Boianai; Geelong Grammar boys joined Martrys boys for a bath at the Endehi River; joined in the garden house activities; and Tufi (Seafoam) students were the host to Prince Charles.
A highlight of the short stay was the prince teaching the local boys the Scottish dance wearing banana leaves to improvise for the Scottish kilts (skirt).
Nine years later, Prince Charles returned to officiate at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby when Papua New Guinea gained independence on Sept 16, 1975.
That must have been a moment of the the most historical importance among all his visits to this part of the Commonwealth world.
And, it does not end there because Prime Minister James Marape has invited His Royal Highness to be the chief guest when PNG celebrates its 50th independence anniversary next year (2025).
King Charles has responded favourably the invitation and what will be there from the monarch for his subjects remains to be seen.
No doubt, much has changed and it will by 59 years in 2025 since the Prince Charles first visited the then Territory of Papua in 1966.
The Prince of Wales was affectionately referred to as “Nambawan pikinini bilong misis kwin” (first born of the Queen), a title he himself used on a number of public events in PNG.
The visits to PNG by His Royal Highness include:
1966 – School boy Charles, Prince of Wales spent almost one month at Martys High School, Northern Province under a student exchange programme with Geelong Gramma School, Melbourne, Australia.
1975 – Represented the late Queen Elizabeth 11 in independence celebrations on September 18 1975 in Port Moresby, PNG.
1984 – Officiated in the August 1984 opening of the current Parliament House building on Independence Hill, Port Moresby.
In that tour on PNG, he visited Manus Island and in a lavish ceremony was crowned the “10th Lapan (chief) of Manus”.
A feast organised for that occasion was attended by all the local chief.
His Highness draped with dogs’ teeth neckless accepted the Lapan title by saying “Wuroh, wuroh, wuroh, ol manmeri bilong Manus, mi hamamas tru. Mi nambawan pikinini bilong Misis Kwin na wanpela ten lapan bilong Manus. Mi bringim bikpela tok hamamas bilong Mejesti Kwin bilong Papua New Guinea na olgeta haus lain bilong mi long dispela taim bilong Diamon Jubili bilong misis kwin. Mi Tok Pisin orait? (Thankyou all men and women of Manus. I am truly filled with happiness. (I am the first-born child of Her Majesty the Queen and am the 10th Lapan of Manu. I bring you greetings from Her Majesty the Queen of Papua New Guinea and from all my family members during this celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen. Was my Tok Pisin correct?)
2022 – The Prince of Wales visited PNG again on the occasion of the Queens Diamond Jubilee.
In that trip, he and the Duchess met church, charity, and community volunteers, cultural groups and members of the PNG Defence Force in and around Port Moresby.

PNG’s HOS
On Sept 12 2022, in a ceremony at PNG’s Parliament House, King Charles III was formally proclaimed the Head of State of PNG.
The proclamation followed the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 2022 at the age of 96.
Sir Bob officiated at the historical event, witnessed by Prime Minister James Marape and State ministers and members of the judicial and legal services among others.
Sir Bob officially proclaimed the accession of Prince Charles as King Charles III, the Head of State for Papua New Guinea.
The ceremony involving police and military personnel culminated with a 21-gun salute for King Charles III.

PNG’s 50th anniversary invite
Prime Minister James Marape has invited King Charles to PNG’s 50th independence anniversary next year.
Marape met King Charles during the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 at Buckingham Palace.
“I would like to, on behalf of your people in PNG, place a call to you, if you can be our chief guest on that occasion. I know you are a very busy man but if Your Majesty can be gracious enough to be with us in Papua New Guinea,” Marape asked the King.
In reply, King Charles said: “That’s so kind of you, I shall see what I can do. I should have to brush up my pidgin to make sure. But many, many thanks and my kindest thoughts and wishes to you. I absolutely love Papua New Guinea, which I hold very much in my heart.”

Constitutional changes
PNG’s Parliament is to make changes in the national constitution so that His Majesty King Charles III is the Head of State.
This follows the death of Queen Elizabeth II and subsequent accession of King Charles III to the throne.
Marape has said that relevant constitutional changes were necessary to ensure that all PNG constitutional references to the Queen were removed respectfully and replace wth King instead.
He noted that when parliamentarians and other constitutional office holders take oath, they swear an oath and loyalty to the King and not Queen as has been in the past.
“Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy, as we symbolically pronounce our responsibility to the King since 1975 or before our independence when our forefathers and mothers make our loyalty to the Queen,” Marape explained.
King Charles III is the head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms including Papua New Guinea.
PNG lawmakers are to consider the constitutional changes despite the norm that there is no legal requirement for members of parliament to re-swear their oaths.
They have already sworn an oath to Queen Elizabeth III and “her heirs and successors according to law” so that will continue to apply to the queen’s her and successor, King Charles III.
But the PNG Parliament could choose to have its MPs take new oaths as a matter of symbolism.
As well, the constitutional amendments will consider issues of passports, official seals and currency which make mention of the queen whether it will remain valid.
The system of change from one monarch to the next is legally seamless, leaving it a matter for the people how they decide to mark the change in a ceremonial and symbolic manner – a point to check for PNG.

• Henzy Yakham is a freelance writer.