King Charles III and Queen Camilla Australian tour final day: Monarchs cook up royal fever in Sydney

The sun shone on Sydney today as the sun set on another royal tour.

King Charles III was at the centre of a storm of controversy in the nation’s capital on Monday but today he cooked up a storm as Sydneysiders turned out in their droves to greet the monarch and Queen Camilla.

The royal couple dazzled thousands of fans on Circular Quay on a glorious Sydney spring afternoon after a day spent frying sausages and meeting sporting and community heroes.

An estimated 10,000 people lined the streets and packed the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House as the royals returned to the landmark. Security was very tight with a police sniper atop one of the Opera House’s sails, while six Navy choppers, flying Australian flags, flew overhead.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and his wife Anna Minns greeted Charles and Camilla, welcoming them to the national icon which is the mainstay of any royal visit.

The four walked up the world-famous Opera House steps as crowds cheered from the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens. British actor Dame Joanna Lumley, actor Heather Mitchell, acrobat and dancer Lucia Richardson, singer Jin Tea Kim, Bangara Dance Theatre director Francis Rings and Sydney Symphony orchestra clarinet player Alexander Morris greeted the royal couple at the top of the stairs.

The party walked to the western edge of the top of the Opera House, where they posed for a photo with the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind them.

The royals steadily made their way down the steps, waving to the public as they went.

Camilla paused to meet with children and many shook hands with the King.

Tilly Cooper, 13, from Sydney’s Northern Beaches was ecstatic. “He took my flowers and he shook my hand,” she said.

Earlier Charles and Camilla delighted fans after grabbing a pair of tongs each, pictured above, and cooking sausages for hundreds of people at an invite-only community barbecue in western Sydney.

The event at Parramatta Park was attended by 550 guests, including cricketer David Warner, original Blue Wiggle Anthony Field and comedian Ahn Do, as well as religious and cultural leaders and volunteers.

The mercury reached 27C as the scores of royal fans erupted in cheers and chants of God save the King.

The King wore a light grey suit, while the Queen donned a royal blue silk cotton dress with light embroidery by UK designer Fiona Clare.

“It is no wonder, I think, that Sydney is world famous for its cuisine, whether it’s smashed avo, a pav or a cab sav, and that is what I hope has been on display,” the King said at the barbecue which also showcased Vietnamese and Mediterranean foods.

“So being here in Western Sydney also gives me an opportunity see firsthand what I have heard about before, and that is that Parramatta and the region around it has become one of the most dynamic, enterprising and culturally diverse communities in the world.”

Amy Scott, the NSW Police officer who was one of the heroes of the Bondi stabbings, was introduced to the King.

The royal couple also met Olympic kayak gold medallist Noemie Fox, entertainer Casey Donovan and Paralympian swimmer Timothy Hodge.

Charles and Camilla were shown an array of local produce from groups including Small Acres Cyder, Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod and Percora Dairy.

They were treated to a sheepdog display by Murray Wilkinson and his young family.

“It’s great to show our sheep industry. It’s been under a fair bit of pressure recently. It’s great to show the King we are still sticking strong,” he said,

Earlier, Camilla travelling without her husband, accepted “the most prestigious order” ever bestowed by Australian food rescue charity OzHarvest — the order of the teaspoon - at its restaurant in Surry Hills

A small silver brooch with a crown at the end of a tiny teaspoon was presented to the Queen when she sat down for lunch at OzHarvest’s Refettorio restaurant with regular patrons, who came for a free vegetarian lunch made from rescued foods.

“I shall wear it with pride,” the Queen said of the brooch.

When the Queen asked what was for lunch, she was told the menu was made from food past its use-by date that would otherwise go to waste. It comprised a crispy potato hash made from rescued potatoes with preserved peponata donated by NSW farmers.

After being greeted by Simeon Beckett SC — husband to the Governor General of Australia Sam Mostyn, the Queen donned OzHarvest’s yellow apron in the tiny kitchen,

Before lunch, the Queen did her best to help Chef Jez Berwick pick through petals from nasturtiums and other flowers to decorate the meals.

At a separate engagement in the morning, a small crowd gathered outside the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence in Redfern to meet Charles.

They were greeted by National Indigenous Australians Agency chief executive Jody Broun and regional manager Leon Donovan before being welcomed with a smoking ceremony, right, and being served a kangaroo pie.

“We’ve got stories to tell and I think you witnessed that story yesterday,” Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council chairman Allan Murray said in reference to Monday’s events at Parliament House where the King was heckled by Senator Lidia Thorpe.

“Welcome to Gadigal land,” he said.

Chants could be heard from outside the centre including “You’re on stolen land”.