THE Australian Monarchist League has called a decision to ban the public from two major Queen’s Jubilee events in Canberra an “absolute disgrace”.

According to the league, Australia’s largest member-based monarchist organisation, the federal government has made both the Platinum Jubilee Lighting Ceremony and the Aspen Island renaming ceremony this week “invite-only” events, meaning they will only be open to select politicians and officials.

The ceremonies are set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s II’s reign. 

National Chair of the Australian Monarchist League Philip Benwell has called the decision to exclude the public “disgraceful”.

“That the Australian people have been excluded at the last minute from celebrating their sovereign’s Platinum Jubilee at the heart of these national events is shameful,” he said.

“This will be the nation’s most lasting tribute to a sovereign who has selflessly served the people of Australia for 70 long and eventful years, but politicians are preventing the people from taking part in the celebrations.”

Mr Benwell believes the Beacon lighting ceremony on Thursday (June 2), is to be held in the forecourt of Parliament House, which was also the setting for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The Monarchist League says the public have also been prevented from attending the Aspen Island renaming ceremony to be held on Saturday (June 4). The event will see the island on Lake Burley Griffin renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island and the Queen Elizabeth Water Gardens dedicated. 

“Given that the Island is an open-air venue with a great deal of space for members of the public to stand or sit, the fact that they are being denied access and ignored indicates where the sympathies of political elites and bureaucrats lie,” said Mr Benwell.

“On every one of her many visits to the nation’s capital, The Queen has been welcomed by thousands of eager well-wishers and admirers from all walks of life, including on Aspen Island itself. The Queen officially opened the National Carillon there on 26 April 1970.

“All that the public will be able to witness are the RAAF planes flying over the Lake and a 21-gun salute firing in the distance; from the ceremonies and official events they are barred.”

The Monarchist League is calling for the decision to exclude the public from the events to be reversed.