King Charles III has praised a premium rum distilled in his honour as “very good” after taking a sip to mark his state visit to Guyana.
The King began his two-day trip to the South American country with a cultural evening hosted by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, following private talks between the two men before the entertainment began.
Among the guests were Britons with ties to the country, including pop star Eddy Grant, who was born in Guyana before moving to the UK as a child, and former justice secretary David Lammy, whose parents were from Guyana.
Royal Welcome Rum Tasting
Charles was offered a glass of “Royal Welcome” limited edition 2026 rum, made by food and beverage company Banks DIH. He smelt the spirit before taking a sip, pulling a surprised face and laughing as he said “very good”.
Before sampling the drink, he asked guests nearby: “Do you drink this? Endless rum punches at the end of the day?”
The president advised the King, “you’ve just got to drink it down”, and Charles took another sip before saying: “That’s very kind. Somebody else will have to finish it!”
Gregory Garraway, Banks DIH’s rum plant executive, said the rum was more than 20 years old, adding: “We wanted the King’s visit to be something he could actually taste.
“Our description of the rum is extremely smooth, rich and flavourful and he loved it.”
Caribbean Tour and Commonwealth Summit
Charles arrived in Guyana from the Bahamas for the first leg of his nine-day tour of the Caribbean, which will end in Antigua and Barbuda, host of a major Commonwealth leaders’ summit the King will open in his role as head of the “family of nations”.
The trip celebrates Guyana’s culture and people as it marks the 60th anniversary of independence from Britain. It comes after renewed calls from Caribbean nations for Britain to apologise for its role in selling enslaved people for profit and for reparations.
Guyana’s president said in a recent interview with ITV News that Charles has recognised slavery as the darkest days in human history, but moving to the apology is “the next step”.
Within hours of arriving in the Bahamas on Tuesday, the King acknowledged the “great suffering of the past” and confirmed the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting would discuss the legacy of slavery.
Cultural Performances and Engagements
Grant, whose solo hits include Electric Avenue and I Don’t Want to Dance, met the King, someone he said he has known for many years. He held strong views on the issues due to be debated by Commonwealth leaders and said he had involvement with Guyana and Barbados’ official bodies on reparations.
The musician said of Guyana’s 60th anniversary of independence celebrations: “I wouldn’t say I am not interested in the independence side of it because it was not really independence, it was a different kind of enslavement.
“Whereas the reticence of the white world as it relates to reparations and enslavement… is much more interesting.”
Charles was joined by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for his state visit, a tradition for politicians holding the post. The two men sat in the front row with the president and his family as they watched dance performances reflecting Guyana’s cultural groups, from indigenous people to Chinese and Indians.
A group of Scottish bagpipe graduates from the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, touring the country at the president’s invitation, performed alongside Guyanese drummers of Asian and African heritage as part of their efforts to learn about the country’s culture and promote bagpipes.
Later, the King will attend a string of events in the capital Georgetown, from laying a wreath recognising the sacrifices of those who fought in world wars during a ceremony at a Commonwealth War Graves to meeting indigenous leaders from the National Toshaos Council. He will also visit Kingston Seawall, one of Georgetown’s most historic landmarks and a vital component of Guyana’s coastal defence system.
