Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with King Charles III at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The meeting took place on Saturday morning, local time, after Albanese arrived at the Lossiemouth Royal Air Force base, where he was welcomed by Scottish bagpipers. Accompanied by his fiancée, Jodie Haydon, Albanese shared a photo with the King on social media, expressing that it was an honor to meet him.

This royal audience followed a meeting with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where Albanese discussed the rise of populism and far-right politics. When asked about Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, Albanese stated, "Governments have to come up with solutions, not seek to divide people." He acknowledged concerns in Australia regarding the increasing influence of far-right elements in various countries, emphasizing the need for public trust in democratic systems.

Albanese's meeting with King Charles comes shortly after the monarch highlighted the significance of the AUKUS partnership between the UK, US, and Australia during a state banquet with former President Donald Trump. King Charles remarked, "Our AUKUS submarine partnership, with Australia, sets the benchmark for innovative and vital collaboration."

In addition to his royal meeting, Albanese is scheduled to speak at the British Labour Party conference in Liverpool, reinforcing his ties with the progressive movement in the UK. His trip will conclude with a visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he will meet President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Albanese's visit to Balmoral was noted as a significant event during his meetings in London. He expressed his anticipation for the visit, stating, "It will be quite a privilege to go up to Balmoral tomorrow."

This meeting marks the third occasion Albanese has met with King Charles since taking office. Their first encounter was during the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, followed by a meeting at the King's coronation in May 2023. Albanese has previously faced questions regarding his stance on Australia's potential shift to a republic, a topic he has downplayed in the current parliamentary term.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley criticized Albanese's travel schedule, accusing him of using taxpayer funds for what she described as a self-indulgent trip. Ley stated, "Albanese is in the UK as the Australian Prime Minister, not the Leader of the Australian Labor Party - he shouldn’t be swanning around on the taxpayer dollar at Labour political conferences."

Albanese has made a point to engage with UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch during his visit but has avoided meetings with Farage, whose party is gaining traction in the polls. On Sunday, Albanese will become the first Australian Labor leader to address the UK Labour’s national conference.