Tasmanian artist Miss Kaninna films provocative performance of controversial song outside royal residence as Lidia Thorpe pulls her own protest at same spot
An Aboriginal artist has sparked outrage after staging a shocking performance outside Buckingham Palace where she pretended to be strung up with a noose while singing lyrics about killing the King.
Miss Kaninna, whose real name is Kaninna Langford, filmed herself performing her controversial song ‘Pinnacle B****’ directly in front of the royal residence in the heart of London this week – in what appears to be a coordinated display alongside Senator Lidia Thorpe’s own anti-monarchy demonstration.
The brazen stunt saw the rapper mime having a noose around her neck while belting out inflammatory lyrics including: “If I ever met the king/ Break his neck with a string.”
Police officer walks past oblivious
In an extraordinary scene, a British police officer can be seen walking past in the background, apparently unaware of the provocative performance taking place just metres away.
And I’m running down these streets / Screaming, f*** the police,” the Yorta Yorta, Djadja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman sang as the officer strolled by.
The short clip, which the artist posted to social media, ended with Miss Kaninna giving both middle fingers to the King’s administrative headquarters in a final act of defiance.
‘Your not my King’
Boasting about her stunt, the rapper captioned the post: “Flew all the way to the UK to play my song in front of Buckingham Palace.”
She added: “YOUR NOT MY KING !! #Alwayswasalwayswillbe #Aboriginal #Landback #thecolonywillfall.”
The shocking display comes as controversial Senator Lidia Thorpe was reported to have performed her own one-woman protest at the same location, continuing her campaign against the monarchy following her headline-grabbing confrontation with King Charles during his Australian visit last year.
Rising star’s controversial anthem
Miss Kaninna, who grew up on Bruny Island off Tasmania’s south coast, has rapidly risen to prominence in Australia’s music scene since releasing her breakout single ‘Blak Britney’ in May 2023.
The artist released her self-titled debut EP in September 2024, becoming the first independent Aboriginal woman to be nominated for a debut single at the ARIA Awards – Australia’s equivalent of the Grammys.
‘Pinnacle B****’, released in October 2023, has been described as a “club-ready call-to-arms” and features provocative lyrics throughout, with the artist stating it’s “not a Miss Kaninna song without saying ‘F*** you to the government and the people who uphold the systems in place to oppress Black people.'”
Pattern of palace protests
The inflammatory performance adds to a growing list of protests targeting the royal family at Buckingham Palace in recent years.
In 2023, anti-monarchy group Republic staged what they called the “first-ever protest” inside Buckingham Palace walls, with activists wearing T-shirts spelling out “Not My King” in the Grand Hall.
Animal rights protestors were found guilty of criminal damage in 2024 after pouring red dye into the palace fountains in a “fake blood” stunt protesting the late Queen’s environmental exemptions.
Thorpe’s continued campaign
Senator Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman, made international headlines in October 2024 when she disrupted King Charles’s speech at Australia’s Parliament House, shouting “You are not my King” and accusing the monarchy of genocide.
The independent senator, who quit the Greens over disagreements about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, has maintained her stance despite widespread criticism from both sides of politics and some Indigenous leaders.
Her presence at Buckingham Palace alongside Miss Kaninna’s performance suggests a coordinated effort to bring their anti-monarchy message to the heart of the British establishment.
Growing movement
The dual protests reflect a growing movement among some Aboriginal activists who reject the monarchy’s role in Australia and continue to demand treaty negotiations and recognition of sovereignty.
Miss Kaninna comes from a family of activists – her grandmother Rosalind Langford was a renowned activist who helped start the Aboriginal Information Service in Tasmania in the 1970s, while her mother Ruth works with Indigenous women experiencing family violence.
The artist has previously courted controversy, with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation finding she breached impartiality standards after making pro-Palestine comments on Triple J’s Hip Hop Show in November 2023.
Palace maintains silence
Buckingham Palace has historically declined to comment on protests and security matters, maintaining its policy of not engaging with demonstrators.
The Metropolitan Police have not indicated whether any action will be taken regarding the performance, despite the explicit nature of the lyrics about violence towards the monarch.
Miss Kaninna’s stunt represents an escalation in protest tactics, bringing confrontational activism from Australia directly to the symbolic heart of the British monarchy.
What’s in the song:
- Violent imagery – Lyrics about breaking the King’s neck with string
- Anti-police sentiment – “Screaming f*** the police”
- Mock execution – Artist mimes being hanged with noose
- Defiant gestures – Ends with middle fingers to palace
- Anti-colonial message – Hashtags include #thecolonywillfall
