King Charles has shared his ‘lifelong aspiration’ to visit all 56 countries in the Commonwealth, but joked how royal medics were holding him back. Hosting a dinner for delegates from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in Samoa, Charles acknowledged that his task had become increasingly difficult due to the expanding family of nations.
During their only evening engagement on their nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa, King Charles and Queen Camilla embraced the island lifestyle by dressing casually for the event at Robert Louis Stevenson’s former residence on the Pacific island.
On their last night in the country, which has warmly welcomed the couple, Charles expressed his deep affection for the family of nations, stating: “The Commonwealth can surely be a source of hope.”
He further added that while “dark clouds gathered”, global challenges demanded global solutions and that “dialogue and discussion” was the path to peace.
READ MORE: King Charles’ friend found dead after getting ‘trapped between wall and bed’
Click for more royal news from the Daily Star
In a deeply personal and moving speech, King Charles opened up about the ongoing impact of history within the Commonwealth. He urged for unity and understanding, stating: “As we look around the world and consider its many deeply concerning challenges, let us choose within our Commonwealth family the language of community and respect, and reject the language of division,” reports the Mirror.
(Image: PA)
He continued, emphasising the importance of learning from history to address current inequalities: “None of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”
Despite his weekly cancer treatments since his February diagnosis, Charles reassured everyone of his commitment to his Royal duties, saying: “For my part, I can assure you today that for however many years God grants me, I will join you and the people of the Commonwealth on every step of this journey.
“Let us learn from the lessons of the past. Let us be proud of who we are today. And together, let us forge a future of harmony with nature, and between ourselves, that our children and our grandchildren deserve.”
King Charles cracked a joke about his age during a dinner in Samoa, quipping that his first visit to the island in the 1970s aboard HMS Jupiter showed “how unbelievably old I am”.
(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
He also expressed his delight at returning to Samoa to deepen his understanding of the country and mentioned how the local performers’ singing at the Commonwealth summit’s opening ceremony had “raised my spirits to the roof and made me feel unbelievably happy”.
In a more casual pre-dinner speech, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali commended the King for his “willingness to engage in difficult conversations that will enable us to learn from a sometimes difficult past while we carve a future as a commonwealth of equal partners.”
On their last full day in the Pacific Island, Charles and the Queen Consort met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and eight other new heads of government, including the prime ministers of New Zealand, Lesotho, and Fiji.
These leaders, who took office after the last Chogm in Rwanda in 2022, were warmly greeted by the King under a beach hut at the picturesque Taumeasina Island Resort, where he welcomed them into the Commonwealth family.
With a breathtaking turquoise sea as the backdrop, King Charles, clad in a chic beige linen suit and tie, personally expressed his gratitude to each visitor presented by Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household. It was British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer who wrapped up the receiving line, lauding the King for his impactful words at the Chogm opening.
The exchange between the two saw the PM complimenting, “great speech”, with Charles modestly responding, “Well, it was very long”. Starmer reaffirmed the sentiment, insisting “it was great”, which prompted a thankful nod from the Monarch: “for taking a look at it”.
On the global stage, tomorrow marks the pivotal election where world leaders will appoint the successor to Commonwealth secretary-general Baroness Scotland. Amid this transition, all three hopefuls have stepped forward advocating reparations for nations scarred by the legacies of slavery and colonialism.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.