LOYAL TOAST TO THE KING BY ANTHONY CLARKE on Friday 9th September 2022
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This was undoubtedly the first Loyal Toast to King Charles in Victoria and probably Australia. I had been invited to give the Toast To The Queen a few days beforehand. With the death of Queen Elizabeth at 1 am Melbourne time, I had to rewrite my speech on the way from Warracknabeal to Melbourne on the Friday morning so that it was for the new King.
GREAT SIEGE OF MALTA DINNER AT GRADUATE HOUSE PARKVILLE
Friday 9th September 2022
LOYAL TOAST TO THE KING BY ANTHONY CLARKE
I am very pleased to have the honour of proposing the Loyal Toast on the 457th anniversary of the Siege of Malta.
We received the sad news today that Queen Elizabeth died this morning in Balmoral Castle at about 1 am Melbourne time and 4pm Thursday London time. Her last big duty was to appoint a new Prime Minister for the United Kingdom two days ago, Liz, ie another Elizabeth, Truss. She has given us 70 years of great service and is the longest serving monarch in British History. She was also the Leader of the Venerable Order of the Knights of St John.
When Prince Philip died almost 17 months ago in April 2021, I was attending a function in South Melbourne for Her Majesty’s 95th birthday, with the Australian Monarchist League and its Chairman, Philip Benwell. So it is quite an honour with today’s news it should be my duty to propose a toast to our new sovereign King Charles III.
My sister in law Lindy, yes yet another Elizabeth sent me a text today saying Prince Charles, now the King, stands for truly healthly agriculture (being both organic and biodynamic), homeopathics and realistic social housing and thus she said there is no better leader to take us to a brighter future.
I saw Piers Morgan say on Sky News this morning that Charles will be a great king. I agree with all of that.
We are now able to say Long Live The King
It is now with great pleasure that I say:
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Members of the Order, please make sure your glasses are charged and be Upstanding.
I give you the Loyal Toast To The King Of Australia, The King.
