Queen Camilla went barefoot on a beach in Antigua as she and King Charles participated in a litter-picking event with local youngsters. The couple visited Fort James beach, where they were greeted by a band and learned about the environmental work of the grassroots movement Adopt a Coastline. "Displaying her pink-painted toes, Her Majesty said she couldn't resist slipping off her shoes on the sandy shores," according to reports.
The King expressed shock upon hearing that 71 bags of rubbish had already been collected from the beach before their arrival. The Queen, dressed in sapphire blue, received a bracelet made from discarded kite surf materials, remarking that it matched her dress. Both the King and Queen took litter pickers, playfully raising them like swords.
Charles and Camilla are in Antigua and Barbuda as part of their Caribbean tour. During the visit, King Charles also addressed the complex legacy of history and the transatlantic slave trade. "The transatlantic trade in enslaved persons still casts a shadow over these islands and other Members of our Commonwealth," he stated. "As I have said before, that shameful chapter of history is one that fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow."
Later, King Charles attended the official opening of the leaders' segment of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) summit, where he delivered a speech to approximately 1,200 delegates. He also hosted a reception for new Commonwealth Heads of Government, meeting with leaders including Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Tonga's PM Lord Fakafanua.