King Charles has taken off for the Bahamas as he prepares for one of the biggest tours of his reign.
The King departed the UK this afternoon for a visit that will take him around the Caribbean against a backdrop of calls for an apology and reparations over Britain’s past involvement in the slave trae.
His Majesty is beginning the visit alone and will tour the Bahamas and Guyana by himself before Queen Camilla joins him for the second half of the tour which will take in Antigua and Barbuda where the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting takes place this year.
As The King departed, Buckingham Palace said his programme will ”celebrate the communities, people and natural beauty of the Bahamas”.
The last high profile royal tour to the Caribbean came in 2022 when the Prince and Princess of Wales, then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. William and Kate ran intro controversy as parts of their visit were criticised as appearing old fashioned to some, with particular debate about an open top jeep ride which echoed events of visits in the 1950s by Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
King Charles will pack plenty in on his arrival in Nassau, where this Caribbean tour will start. One of his first engagements will be attending a youth rally which will celebrate the contribution of young people to Bahamian national life.
The environment and sustainability will also be at the heart of his visit with The King visiting a Bahamian National Trust site to hear about conservation projects which have helped restore habitats and protected wildlife.
During the visit to the Bahamas, The King will also spend time with members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force at Coral Harbour Base. There is also a visit to Parliament Square to meet people from all parts of Bahamian society and witness a Junkanoo parade. King Charles will meet more people when he hosts a Garden Reception for community leaders.
From there, King Charles heads to Guyana where he will visit the Commonwealth War Graves site and hear about projects that preserve and celebrate history and legacy. His time in Guyana also sees him spend time in Georgetown where he will hear about leadership on environmental issues. The focus on sustainability continues throughout his time in Guyana with The King attending the Global Biodiversity Alliance Conference.
The royal visit to Guyana also includes time with the National Toshaos Council to recognise the important contribution across society of indigenous communities.
Queen Camilla joins The King as the royal autumn tour reaches Antigua and Barbuda. Together, they will attend the country’s Independence Day Parade as well as a Church Service.
The King and Queen will also attend a garden event in Antigua and Barbuda. Queen Camilla’s solo engagements include a visit to the American university and to a school while King Charles will meet business leaders at the Sticky Wicket Business Forum.
One of the biggest events in this tour is CHOGM where The King, as Head of the Commonwealth, will attend the Opening Session with Queen Camilla at his side. There will also be a CHOGM dinner.
The King has a busy time ahead – his arrival in the Bahamas is set for October 28 and the tour concludes on November 4 when King Charles and Queen Camilla leave Antigua and Barbuda.
