King Charles III spent the second day of his visit to the Bahamas honoring four Bahamian marines who lost their lives in 1980 after their ship was struck by a Cuban fighter jet and sank.
In Nassau, the monarch laid a wreath at the Flamingo Monument in memory of Fenrick Sturrup, Austin Smith, David Tucker and Edward Williams. Wearing a light suit and his medals, he also left a signed card bearing the initials Charles R, which read: “In everlasting memory.”
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Later, Charles went to Coral Harbour Base, where he met members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. He visited the 56-metre-long HMBS Lawrence Major, which is used to respond to natural disasters.
Accompanied by Commander Alexis Brown, the king spoke with dozens of serving and retired military personnel. During the meetings, he stressed the importance of military personnel continuing their training.
Charles also visited Bonefish Pond National Park, where work is underway to restore mangroves and natural habitats for plants and fish. He planted a mangrove tree and said he would like to return to see how it grows. Jokingly, he added that he hoped he would still be alive when the tree had grown.
The park is part of the Bahamas National Trust network, an organization that manages the country’s 32 national parks. Its previous patron was Prince Philip, the late husband of Queen Elizabeth II, before he passed the role on to Charles.
During his visit to the Bahamas, the king is also expected to attend a Junkanoo parade. This celebrated music and dance tradition has its roots in the period of slavery.
Meeting with young Bahamians, Charles spoke about Junkanoo’s importance to the country’s cultural identity, describing it as one of the finest examples of Bahamian culture being passed down from generation to generation.
The Caribbean tour is taking place amid growing debate about Britain’s colonial past and calls for reparations related to the country’s historic role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Charles has acknowledged that the islands’ history has been marked by great suffering and injustice, saying it is necessary to confront the past while also creating opportunities for the future.
“It is right that we acknowledge the great suffering and injustices of the past on these islands and beyond, even as we celebrate the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future,” the king said.
Queen Camilla is not taking part in the first leg of the Caribbean tour. She is expected to join Charles in Antigua and Barbuda at the end of the week.
