Queen Camilla joined King Charles for the first time in Antigua as they attended a church service celebrating the Commonwealth. The couple were told the voices of small states must be heard for there to be “true partnerships” in the Commonwealth as Caribbean nations welcomed the UK’s offer of slavery apology talks.
First Official Engagement in Antigua
Charles and Camilla’s first official engagement of their trip to the Caribbean island, for a summit of Commonwealth leaders on Tuesday, saw them sit at the head of a congregation for a special Sunday service celebrating the “family of nations”. They were greeted by Charles’ official representative Sir Rodney Williams, the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, and also shared a few words of welcome at the church door with Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary West Indies cricketer.
Anglican Bishop Ernest Flemming delivered the message and told those gathered, including cricket legend Sir Viv Richards and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the “prosperity” of the Commonwealth must be a “shared prosperity”.
Service Highlights and Attendees
The royals led the applause for Desrie Markham, Miss Caribbean Universe 2025, who received spontaneous applause for her rendition of the song You Raise Me Up. Among the performers was pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, whose siblings are all accomplished musicians, including her brother cellist Sheku Kanney-Mason.
Antigua’s prime minister gave a bible reading, as did the Governor-General, and prayers were said to “grant discernment, courage, integrity and compassion to all heads of Government”.
Commonwealth Summit Agenda
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held every two years, has the theme, Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth, but talks are expected to be dominated by discussions of Andy Burnham’s offer to Commonwealth nations to discuss a slavery apology from Britain. The Prime Minister expressed “my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions” but ruled out considering financial reparations.
The senior cleric, bishop of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba, said: “…accelerating partnerships must mean more than signing agreements or exchanging promises. True partnership requires mutual respect, it requires listening, it requires fairness. It requires that the voices of small states, young people, women, persons with disabilities, indigenous communities, and those living at the margins are not merely heard ceremonially but included meaningfully in decision making. A genuine partnership does not ask what can I take; it asks what can we build together?”
