Prince William has mentioned his brother, Prince Harry, publicly for the first time in years, as he paid tribute to their mother in his upcoming documentary.
The Prince of Wales recounted an emotional childhood memory of the late Princess Diana taking him and his brother to visit a homeless shelter when he was 11-years-old.
“She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10,” he said.
The last time William spoke about his brother publicly is thought to be six years ago, when the pair were interviewed at Royal Foundation Forum in 2018.
In a touching tribute to his mother’s character William added: “I had never been to anything like that before and I was a bit anxious at what to expect. But mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, having a laugh and joking with everyone.”
Meanwhile, King Charles is set to return to his normal schedule of overseas tours next year, as he continues cancer treatment. The monarch will complete full tours during the spring and autumn, provided doctors sanction the travel.
Key Points
- Prince William breaks silence on Harry in touching tribute to their mother Diana
- William talks to George, Charlotte and Louis about homelessness on school run
- King to return to full schedule of overseas trips
- Charles and Camilla wave goodbye as they leave Samoa
Voices: The royal family’s finances are shrouded in mystery – it’s time to open the books
12:20
Athena Stavrou
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth.
Read the full story:
Palace share highlights reel of royal tour of Australia and Samoa
11:28
Athena Stavrou
King Charles and Queen Camilla have shared their thanks for those who joined them on their recent royal tour of Australia and Samoa.
A video, shared on X/Twitter, shows a selection of clips from their trip.
Thank you to all those who turned out to support Their Majesties in Australia and Samoa . pic.twitter.com/YUUqSHX19k
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 27, 2024
William shares behind-the-scenes snaps from upcoming documentary
10:30
Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales has shared some behind-the-scenes pictures from his upcoming documentary Prince William: We Can End Homelessness.
The programme follows the prince during the first year of his Homewards initiative.
The campaign is a major long-term focus for William, who has told how visiting shelters with his late mother when he was a child left a deep and lasting impression and inspired his work.
The documentary will be broadcast on October 30 and 31 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player.
Watch ‘Prince William: We Can End Homelessness’ this coming Wednesday and Thursday, on @ITV and @ITVX.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 27, 2024
The documentary follows the first year of @HomewardsUK – a five-year programme founded by The Prince and The Royal Foundation which aims to demonstrate that it is possible to… pic.twitter.com/Ub3WwFv0aj
Were Wallis Simpson rumours orchestrated by the British establishment?
09:26
Athena Stavrou
Were the scandalous stories surrounding Wallis Simpson’s time in China were the product of society gossip - or an orchestrated effort by the British establishment to sabotage her relationship with the future Edward VIII?
This is the question discussed by author Paul French in his new book Her Lotus Year.
Dubbed the “China Dossier”, the collection of rumours accused Simpson of affairs, connections to gangsters, and risque behaviours, but French argues that none of these claims had any factual basis with Simpson.
Instead, they appear to have been drawn from unrelated incidents in 1920s China, and possibly amplified by figures in British intelligence.
French’s research suggests that the tales were carefully constructed to tarnish Simpson’s reputation, showing the lengths to which the establishment may have gone to block a royal union with a controversial American divorcee.
“They just wanted to scupper this relationship somehow,” French said.
Watch: Tom Parker Bowles full interview with Geordie Greig
08:45
Athena Stavrou
Tom Parker Bowles gives his verdict on the cooking of his mother, the Queen
08:00
Athena Stavrou
Tom Parker-Bowles has lifted the lid on the cooking of his mother, Queen Camilla, and the meals they ate at home while he was growing up.
Describing Camilla as a “good, basic cook”, he said she perfected slow-cooked scrambled eggs (always on the Aga) and roast chicken - but steered clear of all spice and curries.
Never following a recipe, she relied on “very, very simple food” while providing meals for Tom and his sister Laura at their home near Chippenham in Wiltshire.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent’s editor-in-chief, Geordie Greig, the renowned food writer discussed everything from his fondest childhood food memories to the one meal that caused Buckingham Palace to grind to a halt.
Read the full story here:
Prince William recalls first visit to homeless shelter with mother Diana
07:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
Inside the King’s ‘holistic’ approach to his cancer diagnosis
07:00
Athena Stavrou
Details of the King’s “holistic” approach to his cancer diagnosis have been revealed by the palace.
The King has been receiving treatment as an out-patient for an undisclosed form of cancer since early February, and initially postponed all public-facing duties, continuing to work behind the scenes, and returned to events with the public in late April.
Maintaining a work schedule after his diagnosis has been an important part of Charles’s holistic approach to his cancer, and during his recent trip to Australia and Somoa he maintained a busy schedule for the benefit of “mind and soul” while the doctor on the trip looked after the body.
A palace official said about the large number of events the King attended during the recent tour: “It is also a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with the diagnosis.
“And he’s a great believer in mind, body and soul, and this combination works very well on a visit like this, because he feels that sense of duty so strongly that to keep his mind and his soul engaged and then the doctor is here to make sure that his body is properly looked after, you’ve got what makes for very successful visit in in these circumstances.”
Charles ‘unruffled’ by Australian senator’s ‘genocide’ accusation
06:30
Athena Stavrou
King Charles was “completely unruffled” after being confronted by an Australian senator accusing him of genocide, a palace official has said.
Lidia Thorpe, 51, an outspoken advocate for Indigenous rights, shouted at the King in a fiery address during his royal reception in Great Hall of Parliament House on Monday.
She approached the stage shouting “you are not my king” and accusing the King of “committing genocide against our people”, as she urged him to negotiate treaty between Australia‘s First Nations and its government.
However, the monarch remained relatively unaffected by this. The palace official said: “He’s been around a long time. As always, kept calm, carried on.”
He believes “free speech is the cornerstone of democracy, and so everyone is entitled to their views”. Potential issues during a overseas tour are “not ducked”, it’s “very easy to run away from some of these issues.
“But the King isn’t one for doing that,” said the palace official.
Prince William inspired by Princess Diana to end homelessness as he shares unseen family footage of charity visit
06:00
Athena Stavrou
Prince William has revealed how his mother Princess Diana inspired him to end homelessness as he shared unseen family footage of a charity visit.
A new ITV documentary shows William visiting the same homelessness charity where his mother first took him and Harry when he was 11.
William says: “I had never been to anything like that before and I was a bit anxious at what to expect. But Mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, having a laugh and joking with everyone.
“I remember thinking if no one has a home everyone would be really sad but it was incredible how happy an environment it was. I remember having good conversations, playing chess and chatting. That’s when it dawned on me that there are other people out there who don’t have the same life as you do.
Prince William: We Can End Homelessness airs 30th and 31st October at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player
King to embrace overseas tours despite cancer battle
05:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
The King will return to regular overseas trips next year as he adapts to living with cancer.
Charles will fly abroad during the spring and autumn, the traditional periods for official foreign royal trips, provided doctors sanction the travel.
The development comes after the King’s recent tour of Australia and Samoa with the Queen he was “determined” to carry out and which was a “perfect tonic” for the head of state, said a senior Buckingham Palace official.
The palace official added: “We’re now working on a pretty normal looking full overseas tour programme for next year, which is a high for us to end on, to know that we can be thinking in those terms.”
An update about the state of the King’s health or his treatment has not been given but the news that Charles will take on more overseas trips suggests his cancer is being managed successfully.
Read the full story here:
Voices: The royal family’s finances are shrouded in mystery – it’s time to open the books
05:00
Maroosha Muzaffar
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth:
ICYMI: Commonwealth nations adopt 1st ocean declaration as former British colonies seek reparatory justice
04:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
Commonwealth countries have adopted their first ocean declaration during their summit held for the first time in the Pacific island nation of Samoa as calls from some of Britain’s former colonies for reparatory justice for the trans-Atlantic slave trade grew louder:
— Associated Press
Prince William breaks silence on Harry in touching tribute to their mother Diana
04:00
Athena Stavrou
Prince William has mentioned Prince Harry publicly for the first time in years, as he recalls a childhood memory in his upcoming documentary.
The Prince of Wales recounted the time his mother, the late Princess Diana, took him and his brother to visit a homeless shelter more than 30 years ago.
He said: “My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect.”
The mention of Harry is believed to be the first in six years. The last time William spoke about hus brother publicly is thought to be in 2018 when the pair were interviewed at Royal Foundation Forum.
Previously unseen pictures have also released as part of the documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, showing William as a child on the visit.
New book reveals how high society and British intelligence smeared Wallis Simpson
03:26
Maroosha Muzaffar
A new book investigates whether the scandalous stories surrounding Wallis Simpson’s time in China were the product of society gossip or an orchestrated effort by the British establishment to sabotage her relationship with the future Edward VIII.
Dubbed the “China Dossier”, this collection of rumours accused Simpson of affairs, connections to gangsters, and risque behaviours, but author Paul French argues in Her Lotus Year that none of these claims had any factual basis with Simpson.
Instead, they appear to have been drawn from unrelated incidents in 1920s China, and possibly amplified by figures in British intelligence.
French’s research suggests that the tales were carefully constructed to tarnish Simpson’s reputation, showing the lengths to which the establishment may have gone to block a royal union with a controversial American divorcee.
“They just wanted to scupper this relationship somehow,” French said.
Charles ‘unruffled’ by Australian senator’s ‘genocide’ accusation
02:00
Athena Stavrou
King Charles was “completely unruffled” after being confronted by an Australian senator accusing him of genocide, a palace official has said.
Lidia Thorpe, 51, an outspoken advocate for Indigenous rights, shouted at the King in a fiery address during his royal reception in Great Hall of Parliament House on Monday.
She approached the stage shouting “you are not my king” and accusing the King of “committing genocide against our people”, as she urged him to negotiate treaty between Australia‘s First Nations and its government.
However, the monarch remained relatively unaffected by this. The palace official said: “He’s been around a long time. As always, kept calm, carried on.”
He believes “free speech is the cornerstone of democracy, and so everyone is entitled to their views”. Potential issues during a overseas tour are “not ducked”, it’s “very easy to run away from some of these issues.
“But the King isn’t one for doing that,” said the palace official.
King to return to full schedule of overseas trips - ICYMI
00:01
Athena Stavrou
King Charles is set to return to his normal schedule of overseas tours next year, amid his ongoing cancer treatment.
In an update given by a palace official, it was revealed Charles will fly abroad during the spring and autumn in 2025, provided doctors sanction the travel.
“We’re now working on a pretty normal looking full overseas tour programme for next year, which is a high for us to end on, to know that we can be thinking in those terms,” the official said.
An update about the state of the King’s health or his treatment has not been given but the news that Charles will take on more overseas trips suggests his cancer is being managed successfully.
Full story: Prince William remembers ‘anxious’ first visit to homeless charity with Princess Diana
Sunday 27 October 2024 22:00
Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales has recalled playing chess and chatting with people during his first visit to The Passage homelessness charity with his mother, more than 30 years ago, in a new documentary.
William said he was “a bit anxious as to what to expect” before his first visit, and remembered his mother – Diana, Princess of Wales – “making everyone feel relaxed and having a laugh and joking with everyone”.
Read the full story here:
Sunday 27 October 2024 20:00
Athena Stavrou
Tom Parker Bowles gives his verdict on the cooking of his mother, the Queen
Tom Parker-Bowles has lifted the lid on the cooking of his mother, Queen Camilla, and the meals they ate at home while he was growing up.
Describing Camilla as a “good, basic cook”, he said she perfected slow-cooked scrambled eggs (always on the Aga) and roast chicken - but steered clear of all spice and curries.
Never following a recipe, she relied on “very, very simple food” while providing meals for Tom and his sister Laura at their home near Chippenham in Wiltshire.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent’s editor-in-chief, Geordie Greig, the renowned food writer discussed everything from his fondest childhood food memories to the one meal that caused Buckingham Palace to grind to a halt.
Read the full story here:
Watch: Prince William recalls first visit to homeless shelter with mother Diana
Sunday 27 October 2024 18:00
Athena Stavrou
Inside the King’s ‘holistic’ approach to his cancer diagnosis
Sunday 27 October 2024 16:00
Athena Stavrou
Details of the King’s “holistic” approach to his cancer diagnosis have been revealed by the palace.
The King has been receiving treatment as an out-patient for an undisclosed form of cancer since early February, and initially postponed all public-facing duties, continuing to work behind the scenes, and returned to events with the public in late April.
Maintaining a work schedule after his diagnosis has been an important part of Charles’s holistic approach to his cancer, and during the recent trip with his wife he maintained a busy schedule for the benefit of “mind and soul” while the doctor on the trip looked after the body.
A palace official said about the large number of events the King attended during the recent tour: “It is also a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with the diagnosis.
“And he’s a great believer in mind, body and soul, and this combination works very well on a visit like this, because he feels that sense of duty so strongly that to keep his mind and his soul engaged and then the doctor is here to make sure that his body is properly looked after, you’ve got what makes for very successful visit in in these circumstances.”
Trip to Australia and Samoa was ‘perfect tonic’ for King
Sunday 27 October 2024 14:53
Athena Stavrou
The King “genuinely loved” and “thrived” on his tour tour of Australia and Samoa as it lifted “his spirits, his mood and his recovery, a Buckingham Palace said.
“In that sense, the tour, despite its demands, has been the perfect tonic,” a palace official said.
He went on to say the monarch takes great strength from the Queen being there, not least because she “keeps it real”.
Australia was a significant visit for Charles as it was his first to the country as King and in Samoa he opened a major Commonwealth summit.
Prince William inspired by Princess Diana to end homelessness as he shares unseen family footage of charity visit
Sunday 27 October 2024 13:45
Athena Stavrou
Prince William has revealed how his mother Princess Diana inspired him to end homelessness as he shared unseen family footage of a charity visit.
A new ITV documentary shows William visiting the same homelessness charity where his mother first took him and Harry when he was 11.
William says: “I had never been to anything like that before and I was a bit anxious at what to expect. But Mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, having a laugh and joking with everyone.
“I remember thinking if no one has a home everyone would be really sad but it was incredible how happy an environment it was. I remember having good conversations, playing chess and chatting. That’s when it dawned on me that there are other people out there who don’t have the same life as you do.
Prince William: We Can End Homelessness airs 30th and 31st October at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player
Unseen pictures from William, Harry and Princess Diana’s trip to homeless shelter
Sunday 27 October 2024 12:44
Athena Stavrou
Prince William breaks silence on Harry in touching tribute to their mother Diana
Sunday 27 October 2024 11:32
Athena Stavrou
Prince William has mentioned Prince Harry publicly for the first time in years, as he recalls a childhood memory in his upcoming documentary.
The Prince of Wales recounted the time his mother, the late Princess Diana, took him and his brother to visit a homeless shelter more than 30 years ago.
He said: “My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect.”
The mention of Harry is believed to be the first in six years. The last time William spoke about hus brother publicly is thought to be in 2018 when the pair were interviewed at Royal Foundation Forum.
Previously unseen pictures have also released as part of the documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, showing William as a child on the visit.
King and Queen issue heartfelt message after royal tour
Sunday 27 October 2024 10:27
Athena Stavrou
Charles and Camilla have issued a heartfelt statement as they return back to the UK after visiting Australia and Samoa.
The couple wrote on X/Twitter: “As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come.
“Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close connections that unite us across the globe and through our Commonwealth family have been renewed, and will remain as profound as they are enduring. - Charles R. & Camilla R.”
As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 26, 2024
Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close… pic.twitter.com/hZutsrhN0N
William recalls first visit to homelessness charity with his mother 30 years ago
Sunday 27 October 2024 09:41
Athena Stavrou
Prince William has recounted the time his mother, the late Princess Diana, took him and his brother to homeless shelter as a child.
The Prince of Wales recalled playing chess and chatting with people during his first visit to The Passage homelessness charity with his mother, more than 30 years ago.
He told the ITV1 and ITVX documentary – Prince William: We Can End Homelessness: “My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect.
“My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed and having a laugh and joking with everyone.”
Watch: Prince William recalls first visit to homeless shelter with mother Diana
Sunday 27 October 2024 08:47
Athena Stavrou
Charles ‘unruffled’ by Australian senator’s ‘genocide’ accusation
Sunday 27 October 2024 08:04
Athena Stavrou
King Charles was “completely unruffled” after being confronted by an Australian senator accusing him of genocide, a palace official has said.
Lidia Thorpe, 51, an outspoken advocate for Indigenous rights, shouted at the King in a fiery address during his royal reception in Great Hall of Parliament House on Monday.
She approached the stage shouting “you are not my king” and accusing the King of “committing genocide against our people”, as she urged him to negotiate treaty between Australia‘s First Nations and its government.
However, the monarch remained relatively unaffected by this. The palace official said: “He’s been around a long time. As always, kept calm, carried on.”
He believes “free speech is the cornerstone of democracy, and so everyone is entitled to their views”. Potential issues during a overseas tour are “not ducked”, it’s “very easy to run away from some of these issues.
“But the King isn’t one for doing that,” said the palace official.
King to return to full schedule of overseas trips
Sunday 27 October 2024 07:33
Athena Stavrou
King Charles is set to return to his normal schedule of overseas tours next year, amid his ongoing cancer treatment.
In an update given by a palace official, it was revealed Charles will fly abroad during the spring and autumn in 2025, provided doctors sanction the travel.
“We’re now working on a pretty normal looking full overseas tour programme for next year, which is a high for us to end on, to know that we can be thinking in those terms,” the official said.
An update about the state of the King’s health or his treatment has not been given but the news that Charles will take on more overseas trips suggests his cancer is being managed successfully.
Watch: A look back at King Charles’ Australia tours over the years
Sunday 27 October 2024 06:00
Athena Stavrou
King acknowledges enduring pain of Commonwealth’s past - ICYMI
Sunday 27 October 2024 02:00
Athena Stavrou
King Charles has acknowledged that the “most painful aspects” the Commonwealth’s past “continue to resonate”, as he indirectly acknowledged growing calls for slavery reprations in Samoa.
The monarch acknowledged the need to “right inequalites that endure” as he told world leaders at the the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm): “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.”
He added: “Our cohesion requires that we acknowledge where we have come from. I understand, from listening to people across the Commonwealth, how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate.”
William talks to George, Charlotte and Louis about homelessness on school run
Sunday 27 October 2024 00:02
Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales is using the school run to tell his children about homelessness, just as his mother did when he was a boy, as he attempts to find ways to tackle the issue.
William said he talks to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis when they spot rough sleepers – much in the same way that his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, did when he and his brother Harry were children.
He tells the ITV1 and ITVX documentary – Prince William: We Can End Homelessness: “When you are that small you are just curious and trying to work out what’s going on. You ask the question ‘why are they sitting there?’
“My mother would talk to us a bit about why they were there and it definitely made a really big impact.”
William was asked on the documentary when he felt the right time would be to introduce George, 11; Charlotte, nine; and Louis, six, to homelessness.
He replied: “I am probably already doing it on the school run. The first few times I thought ‘do I bring this up or should I wait to see if they notice?’ Sure enough, they did. They were sort of in silence when I said what was going on.”
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:10
Howard Mustoe
As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 26, 2024
Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close… pic.twitter.com/hZutsrhN0N
No plans to hold weddings for the public at the King’s Balmoral Estate
Saturday 26 October 2024 22:00
Athena Stavrou
There are no plans to host weddings for members of the public on the King’s Balmoral Estate, a spokesman for the royal residence has said.
Weddings are mentioned in plans a representative for the Aberdeenshire estate had lodged for the Queen’s Building, on the grounds near Balmoral Castle.
The plans state the venue “may be used for weddings, dinners, meetings and associated events”, which it said would be “rare throughout the year”.
But a spokesman for the estate said: “There are no plans for Balmoral to host weddings as a commercial venture.”
It is understood the estate has had the capability to host functions and events, both private and public, for a number of years.
Read the full story here:
Mike Tindall reveals what the late Queen was like behind closed doors
Saturday 26 October 2024 20:00
Athena Stavrou
Mike Tindall, the late Queen’s grandson-in-law, says the Queen’s life “wasn’t like an episode of Downton Abbey”.
The world cup winning rugby union player, who is married to the Queen’s granddaughtr Zara Tindall, revealed what the Queen was like behind closed doors in his joint book ‘The Good, The Bad and The Rugby - Unleashed’, released alongside podcast co-hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne.
“I’m sometimes asked if the Queen did informality like ‘normal’ people, and the answer to that is yes,” Mr Tindall said.
“Her life wasn’t like an episode of Downton Abbey, with meals on long tables and everyone dressed in their finery every night, and Zara and I would often watch the racing with her on TV, as I’m sure lots of people reading this have done with their gran.
“Lunches were also relaxed, especially up in Scotland, where lunch would often be heading out into the open space of the Scottish Highlands for a picnic.
“There’s a great picture of my daughter Mia sitting with the Duke of Edinburgh that captures exactly what those afternoons were like: members of a very close family who loved each other dearly spending precious time together. Yes, there’s a lot of drama surrounding the royal family, but they aren’t much different to anyone else underneath it all,” he added.
A look back at King Charles’ Australia tours over the years
Saturday 26 October 2024 18:00
Athena Stavrou
Watch: Alpaca sneezes on King Charles during walkabout in Australia
Saturday 26 October 2024 16:30
Athena Stavrou
As the King’s landmark trip to Australia and Samoa come to an end, here’s a look at one of the more bizarre moments of the royal tour.
The King was left in “disbelief” after a crown-wearing alpaca dressed in a suit with a gold bow tie sneezed as he went to say hello on Monday.
The animal was calmly waiting with its owner among hundreds of well-wishers to meet the King outside the Australian War Memorial in Canberra when he committed the social gaff.
Robert Fletcher had brought his nine-year-old alpaca – named Hefner as his mother was called Playgirl – on its lead to meet the King.
But when Charles stroked his nose the animal sneezed and those around him laughed.
Mr Fletcher said afterwards: “I got to shake his hand and then Hefner sneezed. The King just looked in disbelief. But it’s just who Hefner is. He is an alpaca after all.”
King says he hopes to survive long enough to return to Samoa
Saturday 26 October 2024 15:30
Athena Stavrou
The King has said he hopes to “survive long enough” to return to Samoa as he heads back to the UK.
Charles and Queen Camilla ended their four-day state visit to Samoa by visiting a village twinned with the UK, as a major Commonwealth summit was hosted by the Pacific nation.
After his landmark speech at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) on Friday, the King and his wife took part in a cultural welcome as guests of Siumu village the following day.
He told his guests: “I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come back again and see you all.”
Pictured: Charles and Camilla’s final day in Samoa
Saturday 26 October 2024 14:30
Athena Stavrou
Round up of royal trip to Australia and Samoa
Saturday 26 October 2024 13:30
Athena Stavrou
From poignant remembrance events to ancient welcome ceremonies, the King and Queen’s tour of Australia and Samoa had it all.
Crowds flocked to the famous Sydney Opera House to see the monarch making his first visit to Australia as King, with his wife Camilla. It saw the largest crowd of the tour, with more than 6,000 people vying for the best spot to get a glimpse of the couple.
In the capital Canberra the mood was very different when the couple paid their respects at the Australian War Memorial during a poignant wreath-laying ceremony. There were moments when the formalities were forgotten, including Charles being hugged by one well-wisher during his visit to the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Sydney.
Some encounters were more unusual, from an alpaca wearing a crown and bow tie that sneezed as the King stroked its nose, to the Queen trying to coax a parrot to talk.
Royal tours sometimes have controversial moments and when Charles was welcomed by parliamentarians in Canberra, senator Lidia Thorpe accused him of “genocide” against the First Nations.
In Samoa the King showed off his own take on local fashion during welcoming ceremonies.
Charles swapped his trademark tailored suit for a short-sleeved white jacket and trousers he designed himself as he was honoured with a new title, sipped a symbolic drink and was presented with a pig for feasting on the opening day of his state visit to the Pacific nation.
The itinerary was tailored to give the King, who has been receiving treatment for cancer for much of the year, periods of rest. A rest day was allocated after the couple first arrived in Australia and the King looked engaged, relaxed and in good spirits throughout the overseas visit.
Charles and Camilla wave goodbye as they leave Samoa
Saturday 26 October 2024 12:30
Athena Stavrou
Charles and Queen Camilla ended their four-day state visit to Samoa on Friday as they boarded their plane back to the UK.
Before departing, the King and Queen visiteda village twinned with the UK and later sheltered under umbrellas when they boarded their plane home in torrential rain.
Camilla went ahead of her husband, who chatted to dignitaries for a few minutes before
