King Charles III (File photograph)
Details are limited on the upcoming royal visit to Bermuda by King Charles III — but the monarch’s passion for art as well as the natural world offer some clues of potential sites of royal interest on the island.
King Charles was heir to the throne when he called on the island for the first time, as Prince Charles.
His official visit to Bermuda, from October 20 to 22, 1970, marked the formal opening of the 350th session of what was then known as the Colonial Parliament.
Although the three-day visit was uneventful, the island’s simmering social unrest at the time sparked security concerns and a bodyguard of Royal Marines was dispatched to Bermuda to provide additional protection while Charles stayed at Government House.
In 1973, Prince Charles arrived without pomp and ceremony as a sub-Lieutenant on board HMS Minerva.
He attended a number of social functions during a four-day stay — but his main duties kept him aboard the Royal Navy ship.
In March 1982, Prince Charles and his new wife, Princess Diana, made a quick stop on their way to the Bahamas.
Although they were only on the ground for two hours, the Special Branch gave them a tour of St George’s upon Prince Charles’s request.
The couple had wed in July 1981 and during their brief stopover Princess Diana was heavily pregnant with their first child, William, now Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne.
King Charles’s accession to the throne in September 2022 was marked in Bermuda with a 21-gun salute on Front Street, after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose 70-year reign was the longest in British history — and who made four visits to Bermuda after her coronation in 1953.
The King is known in Bermuda for his support of the Masterworks Foundation after granting his patronage to the museum in 2003.
At the time he wrote: “My involvement with Masterworks reflects the importance I attach to the preservation of cultural heritage through art — a cause that has relevance to communities across the world.”
In 2007, he marked the 20th anniversary of Masterworks by donating a proof of his own watercolour, Wensleydale from Moorcock, to be auctioned off for fundraising.
Last May, in a Bermuda Day message to Andrew Murdoch, the Governor, the King highlighted efforts to sustain the island’s natural beauty and support the environment.
The King said he was “heartened” by the valuable work being undertaken in Bermuda to combat climate change, including harnessing live corals for coastal protection, progressing the transition to renewable energy and community fundraising to establish the High Point Nature Reserve.”
The King may well be looking forward to visiting Bermuda for some calm after a state visit to the United States that comes at a time when “the special relationship” is looking increasingly delicate.
The monarch’s four-day trip to the US comes as global issues — such as the Iran war and the release of the Epstein Files — dominate media headlines.
The Times reported that calls were made for the King to delay the trip given recent comments from President Donald Trump about Britain’s role in the Middle East crisis.
Mr Trump said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s attitude towards the war was a “big mistake”.
It came after the UK refused to allow its bases to be used for offensive operations and has been reluctant to be drawn into the war.
Mr Trump said he was looking forward to hosting the King. He wrote on his media platform Truth Social: ”This momentous occasion will be even more special this year, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of our great country.”
The King’s trip also comes after the release of millions of pages relating to the investigation into child sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associates were released by the US Department of Justice last year.
In February, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the King’s brother, was arrested by British police over his links to the late sex offender.
Following his arrest, the King said the “law must take its course” and that police had his full support following the arrest of his brother, British media reported.
The former prince remains eighth in line to the throne despite being stripped of his titles in October amid pressure over his ties to Epstein.
This week, Ro Khanna, a US Democratic congressman called on the King to privately meet Epstein’s victims.
King Charles, 77, who became the monarch following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022, was born on November 14, 1948.
In February 2024, the King revealed that he was diagnosed with a form of cancer.
In December, in a recorded message aired on the BBC, the King shared “good news” about his cancer, saying in a personal message that early diagnosis and “effective intervention” means his treatment can be reduced this year.
During his US trip, the King is not expected to meet his son Prince Harry, People Magazine reported.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle lives in Montecito, California, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.royalgazette.com ’
