PNG PM Marape's address during the Occasion of Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

 Acting Governor General, Speaker of Parliament His Excellency, Hon. Job Pomat,

National Capital District Governor Hon. Powes Parkop, Papua New Guinea Defense Force Commander Captain Philip Polewara, High Commission of UK to Papua New Guinea His Excellency Keith Scott,

All other Heads of Missions, Public Servants; and the people of Papua New Guinea watching on Television and livestream,

I take this time to welcome you all to this event to celebrate the Coronation of our king and Head of State, His Majesty King Charles III.

We join with all Commonwealth Realm nations as each country holds its own event – however big or small – to mark the Coronation of the King, as it is being held in London, England. 

Papua New Guinea’s association with His Majesty, the King; his mother Elizabeth, our late Queen; and the Crown goes way back to 1884 when the southern part of Papua New Guinea was a British colony under the reign of Queen Victoria – the great-great-great grandmother of King Charles. This long association with the Crown of England and Great Britain has led to our eventual inclusion in the Commonwealth of Nations. 

Last year 2022, we witnessed the end of an era in the death of Queen Elizabeth II – the longest-serving British monarch to date. Her Majesty had served for 70 years and 214 days, dedicating her life to service, duty, and the exemplification of her Christian faith. 

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 as King Charles III, the same day his mother passed. 

This week, we witness the beginning of a new era in his Coronation. 

Papua New Guinea has known His Majesty since he was a boy, as he had made four visits to our country to date. 

In 1966, at the age of 18 and while a student in Australia, Prince Charles visited our country and slept in a typical thatched-roof house in Popondetta as part of a student exchange program. 

In 1975 at the age of 27, Prince Charles represented his mother Queen Elizabeth to officiate at the Independence of Papua New Guinea – joining in the celebrations, witnessing the lowering of the Australian Flag and the hoisting of the new Papua New Guinean one for the first time.

In 1984 (aged 36), the Prince once more joined the people of Papua New Guinea to open our new Parliament House at Waigani, which, today, stands as a proud testament to the vibrancy of the democratic system of government we have inherited from Britain. 

Recently, in 2012 (aged 64), Prince Charles represented the Queen to visit PNG as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations, reminding us that, even though Her Majesty was far away in England, Papua New Guinea was still very much a part of her duty as the Head of State and the Commonwealth. 

As can be seen, King Charles has been a part of our journey as a sovereign nation since 1975, and we have come to love and cherish him, just as we have loved and cherished his mother, our late Queen, over her long reign. 

There is no doubt the new monarch has a soft spot for us as a people. His Majesty still holds dear his times spent in our country, as I noted when he accorded me the honour of meeting him in London last year 2022, during the burial of his mother, our late Queen. 

His Majesty talked at some length about his visits to PNG, the acquaintances he made during these times, and graciously accepted my invitation to officiate at our Independence Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2025.

The relationship King Charles has with our country is now at its height as, today, he steps into his full regal title and role as the Head of State of our country, Papua New Guinea.  

There are many modern-day critics who say PNG should consider breaking away from this old practice of associating with Britain’s Royalty. I disagree. 

Papua New Guineans are a people very accustomed to tradition, ceremony, and hierarchal systems. Britain’s monarchy reminds us of our own traditional Chieftaincy systems which brought order, balance and stability to our communities and societies. 

Our continued association with the Crown is also linked to our shared history and Britain’s hand in our development as a country. This history is now part of our acquired heritage, just as our thousand-plus traditional customs and norms are parts of our heritage and identity. 

As the world becomes a global village and countries turn to the other for support and growth; as global issues become more complex and strong advocacy becomes paramount in addressing them; as developing economies like ours look around for older ones to help boost commerce and trade, I say we are very fortunate to belong to a block of nations as large as the Commonwealth.  

Together we can advocate on pressing issues like Conservation and Climate Change; together we can use this platform to increase trade and commerce amongst ourselves; and together, we can support each other to make our parts of the world a better place to live in. 

These are the benefits of being a part of the Commonwealth – a remarkable organisation that has existed for over 70 years, comprising 54 independent nations, and held down by the strong foundation laid out in the British monarchy. 

Today, as we join to mark the Coronation of our Head of State, King Charles III, may I remind us of the importance of ‘Tradition’ in the face of so much change. The British Monarchy is a time-tested institution spanning more than 1,200 years, comprising 62 kings and queens. This institution has come to symbolise stability, grace and service – values we need more of amongst so much change and instability in our world today.

On behalf of the People of Papua New Guinea, let me take this time to offer our hearty congratulations and well wishes to His Majesty, King Charles III on his coronation. He has been groomed his whole life for this moment, and although his reign might not be as long as his mother’s, we know he has been prepared well for this work. 

As a country of Christians, we pray that God will bless him with a heart of service and duty to honour his calling, and to also speak up with conviction on matters of conscience close to his heart. 

May God Save the King!

HON. JAMES MARAPE- PRIME MINISTER

Media statement/One PNG News

Next: SP PNG Hunters beat Ipswich Jets 40 - 30