King Charles made a heartfelt admission today as he met survivors of Australia’s “stolen generation”, known as aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families through government policies and instead placed in children’s homes.
Attending the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence in Sydney as part of his Australian royal tour, the 75-year-old monarch was greeted by one survivor in a less formal manner.
Uncle James Michael ‘Widdy’ Welsh, 72, was taken from his family in Coonamble when he was eight-years-old. He was placed in Kinchela boys home and given the number 36.
Rather than give the King a formal handshake, James instead opted to hug the King, something that is rarely done when it comes to greeting royalty.
This was met with enthusiasm from the King who was seen smiling as he hugged James, who was among seven siblings taken away from his mother in the scandal, which saw hundreds of children were taken away from Indigenous families during four decades.
James opened up about his meeting with the King on Tuesday. He said « I told him I was there from the Kinchela Boys organisation and one of the so-called ‘stolen generation’ and he put his hand out to shake my hand.
“I said to him ‘I’m not much of a hand shaker, I’m more of a hugger or cuddler.
“He said ‘hugs are good’. So I went in for the hug and he gave me one back. That’s my way of making a sense of feeling between people. Shaking hands is not a good way to understand people. A hug is a way of connecting with someone’s aura.”
When speaking about his interaction with the monarch, James also spoke about his perspective of the 75-year-old monarch, who he said “genuinely cares” in a beautiful yet simple two-word verdict.
According to The Mirror, James said: “He made me feel comfortable, it was really good. It was a welcome hug. I welcomed him there and let him know. I’m a survivor of Kinchela Boys school, I was taken away from my parents.
« It was good he was there and he appreciated the hug as he hugged me back. I had a really good feeling about him. I got the feeling he is somebody who genuinely cares. I wouldn’t mind sitting down and having a yarn with him to be honest and tell him everything that has happened and how to help the children coming up for a better future.There is too much anger around. It was a genuinely good cuddle. »
The meeting came just a day after the King was heckled by Senator Lidia Thorpe, who shouted at the monarch after he made a speech on Monday.
She declared that Charles was not Australia’s “King” before hurling accusations at him. She was escorted away by security.
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