King Charles joined a colourful Junkanoo street festival in Nassau, dancing and waving traditional Bahamian hand bells before leading the parade down the street. The monarch watched the loud procession of fancy dress and floats roll past for several minutes before getting involved and taking the lead.
Flanked by performers wearing bright, colourful headdresses, he shook hand bells and waved cow bells to the sound of local bands. Crowds of flag-waving locals gathered around Parliament Square for the festival, where protesters were also spotted holding signs demanding reparations.
Junkanoo's cultural roots
Junkanoo is a traditional Bahamian festival with origins within slavery, known for energetic dancing, elaborate costumes and infectious rhythms. The King's participation came during his tour of the Caribbean, where he also spent an hour with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), speaking to hundreds of service men, women and veterans, paying his respects to the fallen and inspecting troops.
Meetings and community events
Earlier, Charles arrived at the House of Assembly on Parliament Square and was greeted by Prime Minister Philip Davis, Chief Justice Ian Winder and Leader of the Opposition Michael Pintard. He also met Bahamian students involved with The King's Foundation Building Craft Programme, which focuses on preserving traditional skills such as carpentry, stonemasonry, blacksmithing, shingle roofing and lime plastering.
One spectator said of the King: "He asked about my leg injury because he remembered me from Dumfries House and I didn't have it... I told him it was a motorbike accident."
Visit to boxing club
The King also visited the Bahamas Boxing Academy in the Yellow Elder district of Nassau, which opened in April to develop the next generation of fighters. He met young boxers and was immortalised on black T-shirts worn by fighters and their head coach, featuring a crown, gloves, shorts and a boxing belt. Jermaine Gibson, president and chief executive of the All-Out Boxing Club, wore the Charles T-shirt he created and posed for photographs in the ring with 12-year-old Sanai Miller.
