King Charles urged to press for return of Aboriginal treasures from British museums

The King has been urged to back the return of stolen Aboriginal artefacts from British museums. Charles will meet the leaders of indigenous groups during his historic trip to .

And they want him to use his influence to speed up the repatriation of cultural artefacts. The British Museum and the Australian Research Council has identified 300,000 items being held in 70 UK institutions.

Noeleen Timberry, a campaigner from La Perouse in Sydney’s Botany Bay, said: “Now is the time for Charles to be an ­advocate and an ally for Australia’s indigenous people. We welcome his visit and hope his ­platform can help our campaign and our community have a voice.”

Australia and Britain begun ­negotiating the return of culturally sensitive indigenous items in recent years, but the pace has been described as “glacial”. But Noeleen said: “I am sure if the King vocalised that he thought it was the right thing to do things would start moving a bit quicker.”

The La Perouse Aboriginal land council chair helped broker the return of four spears taken by explorer Captain James Cook and botanist Joseph Banks in 1770. They were among 40 Gweagal weapons British soldiers stole from camps at Botany Bay.

Noeleen added: “The spears are an important connection to our past, our traditions, and cultural practices, and to our ancestors. Our elders worked for many years to see their ownership ­transferred. To have the King’s backing in our larger campaign would be right and proper for the ­prosperity of future relationships.”

Some museums also held skulls and other human remains collected during the settlement of Australia. Noeleen said: “Questions need to be asked as to what else is out there because it appears that in the back of museums, not even on display, there is so much that is lost until somebody goes looking for it.”

Any return of artefacts must be approved by the museums holding them and the government. In 2019, the Museum became the first British one to return stolen artefacts. That same year, the Natural History Museum sent back the remains of 37 indigenous ­Australians kept in archives.

Charles and Camilla will meet the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on Tuesday on their six-day Australia visit. did not comment.

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