King Charles III lightheartedly remarked about being soaked by a downpour, quipping, "My suit has grown watercress," when he encountered actor Idris Elba in Antigua. The encounter occurred during a visit that has also been overshadowed by renewed calls for slavery reparations from Britain.
Charles, who had experienced a previous incident where an aide failed to provide him with an umbrella, laughed off the drenching while speaking with Elba at Nelson's Dockyard. The actor, a goodwill ambassador for The King's Trust, apologized for the rain, to which the King responded with his witty remark. Elba, a well-known figure and advocate against knife crime, was hosting a concert at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The King's visit to Antigua and Barbuda marks the country's 45th anniversary of independence. The trip comes shortly after the country's prime minister reiterated demands for Britain to pay reparations for slavery and expressed a desire to remove the King as head of state. These discussions have also prompted debate within Britain, with some politicians suggesting an openness to an official apology for the nation's role in slavery, while others have stated that Britain has "had enough of apologising."
During the tour, both Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Government House Museum, where they acknowledged the history of slavery. The King observed artifacts from the era, including shackles and medallions depicting slaves, and even inquired about a display, asking, "Is that an umbrella?" The museum is situated in a building once described as a "symbol of British colonial oppression."
Earlier in his tour, Charles and Camilla visited former slave quarters, now restored as a reminder of the transatlantic slave trade. These sites provided a somber historical context as the King prepared to address the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). His speech was anticipated to be "unflinchingly honest" and express "sincere sorrow" regarding the lasting impact of the slave trade.