Queen Camilla has joined King Charles in Antigua, where the royal couple began their first full day of engagements together by attending a church service. The Queen flew out to Antigua on Thursday and will undertake both joint and solo engagements during the remaining two days of the tour.
First Joint Engagement
Arriving at St John’s Pentecostal House of Restoration for an Anglican Church service, the couple were welcomed by a steel band and greeted by the governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda, Sir Rodney Williams, and his wife, Lady Sandra Williams. Camilla made her first appearance on the King’s nine-day Caribbean tour, wearing a turquoise chiffon dress by Anna Valentine, with turquoise and diamond earrings from her private collection and a multi-coloured Antigua beaded bracelet made by a local vendor.
The church service, part of the broader Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 programme, centred on themes of unity and partnership. Inside, a trumpet fanfare sounded before the King and Queen ended the procession and the service got under way. It featured readings from Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Governor-General and an Act of Affirmation by the Commonwealth secretary-general, Shirley Botchway, concluding with the Lord’s My Shepherd.
Independence Parade and Cricket Legends
After the hour-long service, the King, wearing a colourful tie gifted to him by Barry Humphries’ widow and a pocket square made of the traditional Antiguan and Barbuda Independence Day madras, chatted amiably with the governor-general as they left the church. As the couple made their way to their waiting vehicle, the steel band played a rousing rendition of the William Tell Overture.
Later on Sunday, the King and Queen will attend Antigua and Barbuda’s 45th annual independence parade and meet cricketing legends. The royal couple will view the parade’s closing ceremonial sequence before greeting students and four legendary knights of West Indies cricket – Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richie Richardson, Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
CHOGM and Cricket Celebration
The main reason for the King and Queen’s visit to Antigua is for CHOGM, where Charles will speak about the issue of slavery with “unflinching honesty” and “sincere sorrow” in a speech to open the meeting but is not expected to offer an apology. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has increased interest after Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered Commonwealth nations the opportunity to discuss a slavery apology from Britain.
Charles will end his day by tossing a coin to decide which team will bat or bowl first in the Commonwealth Cricket Celebration game. The Heads of Government T5 exhibition match will see Caribbean leaders, captained by Mohamed Irfaan Ali, president of Guyana, compete against heads of government from the wider Commonwealth, led by William Ruto, Kenya’s president.
