King Charles downs a shot of rum (or two) as he kicks off second leg of his Caribbean tour

The King has arrived on the second leg of his Caribbean tour, touching down in Guyana.

He arrived on the official RAF government plane from The Bahamas for a whirlwind two-day state visit at the invitation of the country's President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who insisted on personally going to the airport to greet him.

While President Ali has been among the loudest voices in the region calling for formal British acknowledgement of, and compensation for, its role in the historic transatlantic slave trade, he also enjoys a warm personal relationship with the King.

The pair have bonded over Charles's lifelong passion for the environment.

Indeed the monarch has worked extensively to help protect Guyana's huge virgin rainforest regions – and President Ali repaid the favour by appearing in the King's recent Harmony documentary to thank Charles for his work.

Although he has vociferously spoken out in only the last few days over the issue of reparations, it is understood that the president does not intend to publicly raise the issue during the visit and is keen for it to focus on 'the present and the future'.

The king will also be greeted in Guyana by Ambassador Ivan Evelyn and British High Commissioner, Joseph Fisher, alongside UK Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, who has flown out for talks on the back of the trip.

Guyana is Britain's biggest trading partner in the Caribbean.

King Charles III is welcomed by Guyana's President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Timehri, Guyana

King Charles walks after disembarking a plane upon arrival in Guyana for a state visit during a tour of Caribbean nations

The Band of the Guyana Defence Force play the British and Guyanese National Anthems for the two leaders

The Band of the Guyana Defence Force will play the British and Guyanese National Anthems, before His Majesty inspects a Guard of Honour, formed of members of the Guyana Defence Force.

The King and President Ali clasped hands and talked for a few moments as soon as His Majesty got off the steps.

Aides said the two men had met six times before.

Tonight the two men will hold talks before attending a State Reception in the garden of State House marking 60 years of bilateral relations between the two nations.

The King will view a performance of music and dance reflecting the Guyanese culture, before greeting guests, including Guyanese changemakers, parliamentarians and politicians, Chevening and Commonwealth scholars, and British members of the Guyanese diaspora community.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The King and both the President and Vice President do have a very warm relationship personally, going back many years.'

His Majesty arrived after two days in The Bahamas on the first leg of his Caribbean tour.

Yesterday he paid his respects to the fallen as he inspected the troops of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). 

Charles, wearing a set of medals with the Order of Merit neck order – and, of course, his sunglasses – in the bright heat of Coral Harbour on the island of New Providence, spent an hour with the RBDF, speaking to hundreds of service men, women and veterans.

He laid a wreath at the 'Flamingo Monument', which commemorates the four Bahamian Marines who died in the sinking of His Majesty Bahamian Ship (HMBS) Flamingo on May 10, 1980.

A handwritten card, signed Charles R, carried the message 'in everlasting remembrance'.

The King was told about the history of HMBS Flamingo, which sank when it was attacked by Cuban MiG fighter aircraft, killing Marines Fenrick Sturrup, Austin Smith, David Tucker and Edward Williams.

The King met family members of each of the fallen Marines, and surviving crew member Force Chief Petty Officer Gregory Curry.

UK Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband who has flown out for talks on the back of the trip

The pair have bonded over Charles' life-long passion for the environment

King Charles III inspects a Guard of Honour, formed of members of the Guyana Defence Force

He then stepped onto HMBS Lawrence Major, a 56m 'roll on/roll off' vessel whose primary duty is response to natural disasters.

It is currently moored, and stationary when the King was on board with the ship's Commanding Officer, Commander Alexis Brown.

On board, he spoke to dozens of service and retired service men and women, asking them about their roles and length of service.

Among them were the Ship's Company, Disaster Risk Management Unit, retired members of the Defence Force, RBDF Rangers Youth Programme, Bahamas National Youth Guards, RBDF veterans, Officers, Warrant Officers, Senior Rates and Marines.

When he stopped to meet the Youth Guards, he asked about their backgrounds and told proud teenagers that they must be 'very highly trained'.Later in the day, the King spent time viewing conservation projects at Bonefish Pond National Park, highlighting the urgent need for environmental restoration and climate-resilience projects in areas such as the Bahamas which are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

He then undertook the first of two tree plantings of the day, before heading off to The Bahamas Boxing Academy which is helping offer opportunities for local youngsters through sport.

The King laughed as he was presented with a T-shirt featuring a muscular rendition of himself wearing boxing shorts, gloves and a crown.

Charles, joined by Prime Minister Philip Davis and minister for sports, Mario Bowleg, visited the Bahamas Boxing Academy in the Yellow Elder district of New Providence.

It opened in April 2026 on the Queen Elizabeth sporting complex to provide young Bahamians with opportunities through sport, mentoring and education.

Davis has championed the academy and described boxing as being deeply rooted in the 'Bahamian D.N.A.'.

Charles watched a youth boxing session in the training area and met young athletes and their trainers by the boxing bags, including Sanai Miller, 12, and her coach, Jermaine Gibson, members of the All Out Boxing Club who train at the academy.