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The 28th governor-general of Australia, Sam Mostyn, was sworn in on Monday, making history as the second woman to fill the esteemed position.

Mostyn, a well-known businesswoman, stressed in her inaugural address that she was determined to be an "optimistic, modern, and visible" envoy of King Charles II, and sought to strike a balance between custom and modern service to the people of Australia.

The governor-general's position is largely ceremonial, and represents the British monarch, who serves as the head of the state.

Her nomination is a turning point in the nation's history and reflects current debates over the future of governance and Australia's identity, SBS reported.

Mostyn's appointment as Australia's governor-general is the first since King Charles III took over the throne. It is also the first such appointment by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left Labor Party government, which aims to abolish the British monarchy in favor of the Australian President as the head of state, according to the Associated Press.

Mostyn is a well-known entrepreneur and sustainability advisor renowned for her leadership in gender equality, business, sport, and climate change. She has also advocated for women's participation in the AFL, held many leadership positions, and won awards for her work in community service, sustainability, and business.

The 59-year-old said she had discussed the position with each of the five living former governors-general, and mentioned Quentin Bryce, who held the position from 2008 to 2014 after being chosen by Queen Elizabeth II based on a Labor prime minister's recommendation.

Although Mostyn's nomination has drawn criticism, critics have pointed to her activities in the past, highlighting her support for an Australian republic and her allusion to Australia Day as Invasion Day -- a term used by some Indigenous leaders to mark the arrival of the first British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788.

In her speech, Mostyn said she had visited the king in Britain in May, and had passed on the wishes for the health of his and Kate, Princess of Wales, who were undergoing treatment for cancer.

"I am not the first Australian to be struck by the interest and warmth the King feels for this country where he lived and studied as a young man," about the months the King spent in 1966, attending an Australian boarding school.