Australian Court Rejects Thorpe’s Charles Prosecution Bid

Victoria’s Court of Appeal rejected Indigenous elder Robbie Thorpe’s attempt to appeal the dismissal of his private prosecution against King Charles III, marking his third legal setback since he began the case in 2023. Thorpe alleges the king, the Australian government and its institutions perpetuate genocide through systems that disadvantage Indigenous people; the courts have found the charges do not disclose an offense recognized under Victorian law. He may seek permission to appeal to Australia’s High Court, but has said he plans to take his allegations to the International Criminal Court if domestic options are exhausted. Legal experts cited in the reports say the monarch may have broad immunity from prosecution in Australia, though that question has not been tested there; an individual also cannot directly initiate a criminal case at the ICC.