Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles & Queen Camilla will conduct a review of the Royal Australian Navy fleet on Sydney Harbour in mid to late October in what is the King’s 1st visit to Sydney as reigning Monarch.
It will be the 1st fleet review since 2013’s iconic International Fleet Review, conducted by Prince Harry. The upcoming fleet review will be the 1st ever conducted by the reigning Monarch or Queen consort on Sydney Harbour. However, it is highly expected there will be no major pyrotechnic display, which is usually traditional for these events, particularly since the mid-1980’s, or any other major naval events for this occasion.
Whilst this fleet review event will be slimmed-down edition with just the main fleet review itself, its historical significance is to be a significant drawcard particularly with the pomp & ceremony associated with fleet reviews & royalty.
Their Majesties are visiting Sydney as part of a trip to the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in Samoa on the 21st-25th October. They will also visit Canberra, the capital city of Australia, during this trip, which begins on Friday the 18th of October and concludes on Saturday the 26th of October. They will be formally welcomed to Australia in Canberra.
It is unknown which date the fleet review will take place yet, but it is expected to be either Saturday the 19th or 26th of October as previous major fleet reviews usually take place on a Saturday.
1.5 million people attended the International Fleet Review in 2013. However, most of the crowd was mainly there for the Spectacular in the evening as fireworks on Sydney Harbour are more popular than fleet reviews since the turn of the millennium so a smaller crowd – half or less – is expected than in 2013. Nevertheless, whilst queues of people are not expected to turn up overnight, vantage points for this historic fleet review will quickly go from early morning on the day due to the edition’s historical significance.
Fleet reviews begin in the mid-morning and depending on the number of ships could take from 40 minutes to 3.5 hours in duration. Afterwards, the King & Queen will head to western Sydney for a community barbeque to meet the region’s diverse community and to sample New South Wakes produce. At some point, Queen Camilla will also visit a Sydney library hosting a Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition workshop. The fleet review is therefore the only public event during Their Majesties’ visit in Sydney.
The short but historic itinerary for Sydney indicates it will be a 1-day visit to Sydney with at least 1 day prior in Canberra for the formal welcoming to Australia.
Today’s announcement has meant Monarchical Welcomes are no longer traditionally celebrated in Sydney for the 1st visit of the reigning monarch. The last and only time this happened was in 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II took her 1st steps on Australian soil at Fleet Steps on Sydney Harbour. Nevertheless, the tradition of the extraordinary Sydney Spectacular of Royal Fleet Reviews is still continuing and gaining more significance.
Fleet reviews are rare occasions – occurring roughly once a decade – so this fleet review may be the most important during the reign of King Charles, particularly as the Monarch has never personally done it on Sydney Harbour before.
It will be the 1st visit by the reigning Monarch to Sydney in 18 years. The last time being in 2006 when Queen Elizabeth II opened the Western Colonnade of the Sydney Opera House.
What Is A ‘Fleet Review’?
A fleet review is essentially an inspection of a navy. The reviewer will be stationed on a ‘flagship’ – the main vessel used to review the fleet. This may or may not be a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship but if it is, it does not indicate that it is the most important ship in the fleet. For example, in 2013, the flagship was an RAN hydrographic surveyor rather than a destroyer or frigate so for the upcoming fleet review, King Charles & Queen Camilla will be stationed on an as yet unknown vessel. Past fleet reviews have seen the flagship moored off Farm Cove. Sailing naval vessels will then parade past the flagship and the sailors on board will salute the Monarch and Queen consort & give 3 cheers. After this has been conducted, the flagship will then travel around Sydney Harbour to inspect any anchored naval vessels and for their sailors to salute & cheer the Monarch and Queen consort. Past fleet reviews usually go along the north shore towards Taronga Zoo & Bradley’s Head before heading south to go around Shark Island before heading west past Clark Island to Garden Island, which is the beginning & end of all flagship journeys during modern fleet reviews as it is Sydney Harbour’s main naval base.
The Royal Australian Navy has 40 ships, 29 commissioned & 11 non-commissioned. They also have about 50 aircraft, mostly helicopters, which could mean an aerial salute is also possible. 21-gun salutes are also likely to salute the Monarch and Queen consort & for signalling purposes.
The King and Queen will conduct a Fleet Review of the Royal Australian Navy, in Sydney Harbour.
At a library in Sydney, Her Majesty will meet children participating in a Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition workshop.
Their Majesties will attend a community BBQ in Western Sydney, sampling a range of produce from across New South Wales, experiencing the cultural diversity of Australian communities and meeting local residents.
Buckingham Palace
Sydney Spectaculars 