Children greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla outside a Sydney church

SYDNEY (AP) — King Charles III and Queen Camilla were greeted by children Sunday outside a Sydney church in their first public appearance of their Australian visit.

Charles’ arrival Friday marked the first reigning British monarch visit to Australia since his late mother Queen Elizabeth II made her 16th journey to the distant nation in 2011.

Charles, 75, is being treated for cancer, which has led to a scaled-down itinerary.

The couple spent a rest day on Saturday at Admiralty House, the official Sydney residence of the monarch’s representative in Australia, Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

The royals' first public engagement was at a service at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney. As Charles and Camilla made their way to the front of church, Sunday school children waving Australian flags cheered and shook hands with the couple. Inside, dozens of phones pointed in their direction, while excited whispers echoed through the room. After the service, the king and queen were greeted outside by hundreds of cheering people hoping to catch a glimpse or snap a photo.

Sunday’s service was restricted to the local congregation, with only a few special guests allowed to attend, such as Mostyn and New South Wales state Governor Margaret Beazley.

A small group of protesters demonstrated nearby under a banner that read, “Empire Built on Genocide.”

The couple later attended the New South Wales state Parliament to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Australia's first legislature.

Charles gifted an hourglass, which is traditionally used to limit the duration of lawmakers' speeches.

"So with the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long," Charles said.

It is Charles’ 17th trip to Australia and the first since he became king in 2022.

The couple will attend a reception in the national capital, Canberra, on Monday. All government leaders of Australia’s six states have declined invitations to attend, which monarchists have interpreted as a snub. The non-attendants are all republicans who would prefer an Australian citizen as the nation’s head of state, rather than Britain’s monarch.

On Wednesday, Charles will travel to Samoa, where he will open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

King Charles III, center left, and Queen Camilla, second from front left, stand during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III exits a car as he arrives with Queen Camilla for a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive for a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, right, and Queen Camilla, left, arrive for a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, center, and Queen Camilla, left, stand during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla visit St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, left, and Queen Camilla, center left, arrive for a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, left, and Queen Camilla, center, arrive during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, right, and Queen Camilla, left, stand during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III exits a car as he arrives for a visit with Queen Camilla to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

Attendees, including King Charles III and Queen Camilla, sit during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

Children wave New Zealand flags as King Charles III and Queen Camilla visit St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, center right, and Queen Camilla, center left, stand during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

King Charles III, left, and Queen Camilla, center, greet people during a visit to St Thomas' Anglican Church in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Dean Lewins/Pool Photo via AP)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for his fourth career shutout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on Saturday night.

Nils Hoglander, Brock Boeser and Kyle Sherwood scored for the Canucks, who spoiled Philadelphia's home opener and the first NHL home game for top Flyers' prospects Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko.

The Canucks controlled play for most of the game and took advantage Philadelphia's defensive breakdowns for a pair of goals.

Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for Philadelphia, which lost its fourth consecutive game (0-3-1) after winning its season opener against the Canucks in Vancouver.

Canucks: Tyler Myers picked up an assist on a nifty, no-look pass to Boeser. It was Myers’ 1,000th NHL game. Myers also had three shots on goal, blocked a pair of shots, finished the game plus-1 and led the Canucks in total time on ice at 21:54.

Flyers: In another milestone game, Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier played in his 800th career game. However, the veteran center was demoted to the fourth line and on the left wing by coach John Tortorella before the game. Once the Flyers fell behind 3-0, Couturier was shifted back to center, but he couldn’t spark the team's offense.

Vancouver scored twice in 50 seconds in the second period to pull away. Sherwood’s goal was a one-timer off a faceoff win by Teddy Blueger to make it 3-0.

Minus 11, the Flyers' goal differential in five games this season at even strength. Through five games they have now been outscored 17-6 at five-on-five. All three of Vancouver's goals on Saturday were at even strength.

The Canucks are off until Tuesday night when they finish their four-game road trip in Chicago.

Philadelphia is also off until Tuesday night when it hosts Washington in the first of back-to-back games against the Capitals.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Philadelphia Flyers' Rasmus Ristolainen, left, plays the puck past Vancouver Canucks' Nils Hoglander (21) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Vancouver Canucks' Nils Hoglander, right, skates past Philadelphia Flyers' Egor Zamula during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Vancouver Canucks' Conor Garland, left, and Philadelphia Flyers' Egor Zamula collide along the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov, left, and Vancouver Canucks' Conor Garland (8) race for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov skates for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson, left, reacts after giving up a goal to Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser, center, celebrates his goal with J.T. Miller (9) and Tyler Myers (57) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen watches a loose puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)