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Camilla arrives: The King and Queen together in Antigua and Barbuda
After a week on his own in The Bahamas and Guyana, King Charles has been joined by Queen Camilla in Antigua and Barbuda. On Sunday, the country's Independence Day, they went to church together ahead of the Commonwealth summit.
King Charles arrived in Antigua and Barbuda on Friday evening after his state visit to Guyana. There he was met by Queen Camilla, who had travelled ahead and did not take part in the first part of the tour. On Sunday the King and Queen appeared together for the first time on this trip.
"Their Majesties have arrived in Antigua and Barbuda as the country celebrates 45 years of Independence and hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2026," the Royal Family said on their arrival.
Steel band and trumpets
Their first engagement was a church service in the capital, St John's, on Sunday, the same day the country celebrates its independence in 1981. Outside the church the King and Queen were welcomed by a steel band, and by Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams and his wife, Lady Sandra Williams. The Governor-General is the King's representative in the country.
The service centred on unity and partnership between the countries of the Commonwealth. Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the Governor-General gave readings, and a youth orchestra led the hymns. It lasted an hour and ended with the hymn "The Lord's My Shepherd".
Afterwards the King and Queen met the Dean, the Very Reverend Dwane Cassius, Prime Minister Browne and his wife Maria Browne, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey and cricket legend Sir Viv Richards, the summit's envoy.
Parade and cricket legends
Later on Sunday the Independence Day parade was on the programme, at the stadium named after Viv Richards. There the King and Queen were also to meet schoolchildren and four great West Indies cricketers: Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richie Richardson, Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
A summit with slavery on the agenda
The main reason for the visit is the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, where leaders from Commonwealth countries meet in St John's from 1 to 4 November. The King is Head of the Commonwealth and will give the opening speech.
According to the British press, the King will speak there about Britain's role in the slave trade with "unflinching honesty" and "sincere sorrow", but he is not expected to apologise. Several Caribbean countries have demanded both an apology and reparations from Britain.
During the summit the King will also toss the coin to decide who bats first in a friendly cricket match between heads of government, in which Caribbean leaders take on leaders from the rest of the Commonwealth. The King and Queen end their tour on 4 November.