With just days until the coronation of King Charles III, another inauguration of sorts has taken place in Australia.
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With a little less fanfare than the pomp and ceremony planned for the Westminster Abbey ceremony on Saturday, the monarch's wax replica has been unveiled alongside his royal ancestor, in the form of the Queen Victoria statue in Sydney's CBD.
Bagpipers played as curious onlookers watched a mock changing of the guard on Wednesday, amid a declaration from a town crier.
The regal wax figure will form part of Madame Tussauds Sydney's exhibit where the monarch will join other royal family members at the novelty museum.
Also on the red carpet were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Prince Harry tellingly a few steps away on the pavement.
Meghan Markle was "notably absent", organisers said.
It took designers nine months to mould and curate the King Charles figure, a journey that began in the London studios.
He is depicted in his signature pose, with hands clasped behind his back, ready to greet his subjects, wearing a single-breasted grey Prince of Wales check suit with a lilac shirt custom-made by the king's tailors
Operations manager at Madame Tussauds Sydney Mikayla McGlone is pleased with the result.
"The likeness is incredible."
Ms McGlone said fans had been requesting Charles join the museum's royal cohort "for years".
Australian Associated Press
