King Charles arrives in The Bahamas as he kicks off Caribbean tour amid demands from Commonwealth nations for slavery reparations - and monarch 'won't shy away from shameful past'

The King received a warm welcome in The Bahamas tonight ahead of what could prove to be a bumpy autumn royal tour.

With growing demands for a formal apology and reparations for Britain's role in the historic transatlantic slave trade, Charles, 77, arrived in the capital, Nassau, where he was given a full ceremonial welcome as head of state.

Stepping off the British government's official Voyager plane, His Majesty looked sprightly and smiling, dressed in a beige summer suit, tie and sunglasses, as he walked down the steps to be greeted at Lynden Pindling International Airport by a selection of dignitaries.

After disembarking, the King took his place on a dais, where 96 members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force had formed an impressive Guard of Honour and extended a Royal Salute.

Bands from the forces played the National Anthem of The Bahamas, after which The King inspected the Guard of Honour, before getting into his official car - winding down the window and waving at media and onlookers.

The King addressed the thorny issue of slavery and reparations within hours of landing on the potentially explosive Caribbean tour, saying: 'It is only right that we should acknowledge the great suffering of the past, in these islands and beyond, even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future.'

Although he will stop short of offering an apology or financial compensation in line with government policy, aides say His Majesty will 'not shy away' from addressing the growing clamour that threatens to overshadow his visit to The Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda.

King Charles arrives at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, The Bahamas, as part of an autumn tour of Caribbean nations 

The King inspects the guard of honour, made up of members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force

The King spent his flight reading briefing papers and working on speeches ahead of his arrival

Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, with The Bahamas National Reparations Committee having already warned him: 'Don't come empty handed.'

On Tuesday night the 77-year-old monarch arrived in its capital Nassau at the start of the eight-day trip at the request of the British government.

He was in good spirits despite the 10-hour flight - having spent most of it working on his papers and speeches - and plunged immediately into a series of public engagements.

Charles will be joined later in the week by the Queen.

Buckingham Palace insists that His Majesty is 'alive' to the local strength of feeling, particularly given his role both as Head of the Commonwealth and as monarch in two of the countries he is visiting this week, The Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda, where calls for action have been growing. 'His Majesty will as usual not seek to ignore the past,' an aide said.

As a result, he will tackle the 'backdrop of wider discussions on colonial legacy' head-on in a number of his speeches, as well as visiting sites with particular links to the practice.

But he will continue to be mindful of the British government's firm line on the matter which, while acknowledging the 'abhorrence' of the historic transatlantic slave trade and its legacy that endures today, firmly rejects demands for compensation as it was not illegal at the time.

Any official apology from the King could be seen as opening the floodgates to billions in claims against the UK.

The King received a loud and enthusiastic welcome to The Bahamas as he attended a youth rally.

Charles, whose arrival at Clifford Park for his first public-facing engagement was met by a small group of protestors holding placards reading 'Pay us what you owe' and 'Reparations now', began his autumn tour by acknowledging the 'great suffering of the past'.

King Charles III delivers an address from the main stage at The Future Bahamas Youth Rally

The King received a loud and enthusiastic welcome to The Bahamas as he attended a youth rally

Hundreds of cheering schoolchildren greeted his arrival at The Future Bahamas Youth Rally and Exhibition at Clifford Park, the historic site where The Bahamas officially gained its Independence in 1973, which was elaborately decorated with the country's flag.

Having arrived in convoy, the King was met by Deputy Prime Minister Isaac Cooper, who is also the Minister for Education, Science and Tech.

He also chatted with Mario Bowleg, Minister for Youth and Sports, Sandena Neely, director of Youth, Ramona Wells, Education Office and two students, Avery Davis, 11, and Alyssa Bain, 13.

Heading inside a large marquee, he spent 15 minutes viewing four exhibitions.

At the FEMStem Bahamas, a youth-based non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering high school girls through science, technology, engineering and maths, the King was shown a device to help visually impaired people judge distances - made from recycled plastics.

The other stands included the Doctor's Hospital Bridge to the Future Stem Program, the Young Innovators Club and Gold Medal recipients of the Governor-General's Youth Awards, which is The Bahamas' delivery of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.

The King then took a seat to view a cultural performance, stopping to shake hands and greet people as he made the short walk to the pavilion.

There he smiled, clapped and tapped his leg as he watched the performances and chatted warmly with the Prime Minister sat beside him.

The lively performances included a Choral Prayer by Combined National Youth and Children's Choirs, a Combined Youth Rake & Scrape Performance, showcasing the traditional folk music of the country, and a Spoken Word Song & Cultural Presentation.

When the Tiny Tots took to the stage to welcome the King to The Bahamas he smiled and chuckled as the youngsters delivered a special message.

The King continued to chat animatedly to the Prime Minister as members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Rangers, Royal Bahamas Police Force Cadets, and National Youth Guard paraded onto the Rally site carrying all the flags from the Family Islands.

Avery and Alyssa then walked with the King onto the red carpet as they stood for the National Anthem, before Charles walked onto the stage to loud cheers.

Less than 10 seconds in, he had to pause as the crowds whooped and cheered, and his joke about Junkanoo prompted noisy laughter.

But when he acknowledged the colonial era, not a sound was made by the crowds.

The rest of the speech, ranging from climate change, the country's impressive sporting record and his previous visit in 1973, was warmly received and he left the stage to more rapturous applause.

In a speech reflecting on shared history, while looking to the positive future of young Bahamians, he highlighted how 'some of what is best in Bahamian culture today - the most joyful, the most hopeful, the most bright - was born out of darkness'.

Highlighting the traditional Junkanoo, a carnival-style street parade, which in itself has historical roots among what were enslaved people and is now a source of great cultural pride and competition, he said that 'each of these groups is a living witness to the way Bahamian culture has been passed down from one generation to the next, each generation not only incorporating but magnifying - and sometimes transforming - that which has come before'.

The King added: 'It is only right that we should acknowledge the great suffering of the past, in these islands and beyond, even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future.'

His Majesty also made clear that leaders attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua this week will discuss the issue of slavery and reparations.

But he added that 'tonight it gives me enormous hope to see the way generations of Bahamians have carried the history, the legacy and the promise bequeathed to you by your ancestors, with pride in your hearts and purpose in your steps', adding: 'You have not only carried their legacy, you have nurtured and enhanced it, creatively and courageously, and we have seen tonight what a wonderful gift it is, to The Bahamas and to the world'.

A guard of honour was in place to welcome the monarch as the British Voyager plane arrived in the Caribbean

His Majesty gives a wave as he departs from the Airport and begins his Caribbean tour

Charles stands next to Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, at a youth rally in Clifford Park

He will spend two nights in the country before moving on to Guyana for a brief State Visit and then finally arriving in Antigua and Barbuda, another Caribbean nation where he remains King, on Friday for CHOGM.

The King will be joined there by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for their first joint foreign outing.

It is also Charles' first tour of the Caribbean since acceding the throne and he is said to be mindful of recent tours by the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to the region, which were beset by difficulties and, in some cases, outright disaster.

Photographs of William and Catherine in 2022 shaking hands with children through a fence in Kingston, Jamaica, and riding in a 1950s Jeep, sparked a wave of criticism and accusations of neo-colonialism.

The optics of the trip deeply concerned William - then the Duke of Cambridge - who spoke openly afterwards of his determination to learn from the experience and of his expectation that he will not inherit his father's position as Head of the Commonwealth.

Kensington Palace told the Mail this week that the prince's view hasn't changed now that he is Prince of Wales.

In September, Jamaica took the unusual step of asking King Charles to refer the UK's involvement in slavery to the judicial committee of the privy council, the final court of appeal in London for some Commonwealth Realms - bringing the issue firmly to Britain's door.

Even the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said last week that an apology for slavery 'wouldn't hurt' and that the 'time had come' for a discussion about reparations.

Asked whether Charles should apologise, she told Sky News: 'It wouldn't hurt to have that [an apology]. Not at all,' adding on the issue of compensation: 'I don't believe we can run away from it.'

Her comments will inevitably heap greater pressure on the King as head of the 56-strong 'family of nations', as he navigates a diplomatic tightrope between Commonwealth nations - the majority of which are former British colonies - and the UK government.

Buckingham Palace has stressed the way in which King Charles has, over the years, led from the front for the Royal Family on the issue, acknowledging the wrongs of the past and creating organisations such as The King's Trust International to create better education and employment opportunities, particularly in developing nations.

The King took his place on a dais, where 96 members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force had formed an impressive Guard of Honour

The 77-year-old monarch arrived Nassau at the start of the politically sensitive eight-day trip at the request of the British government

The King also has many friends in the region, including President Irfaan Ali of Guyana, who, while being an outspoken advocate for reparations - accusing Britain of exploitation, destroying lives and the creation of underdevelopment in the region for personal gain - is such a fan of Charles' environmental work that he offered to appear in a recent Amazon documentary about him singing his praises.

They are hopeful that warmth will help avoid awkward public moments, leaving difficult subject matter to be discussed behind the scenes.

The King's supporters also point to his hugely successful State Visit to the USA earlier this year.

'He is a lifelong statesman and diplomat, with a sensitive political antenna, and is uniquely placed to deal with the challenges ahead,' a source said.

A spokesman for the King made clear he would face 'the most shameful aspects of our past'.

They said: 'At the request of host Governments, the King's programme will primarily focus on shining a light on the many modern partnerships and opportunities for the future that are having a transformative effect on the region, as it confronts the challenges of today.

'For His Majesty, this tour is both a new journey but also the continuance of a lifelong one, in which he has sought to engage, understand and educate about the most shameful aspects of our past. This will therefore also be reflected in differing ways and words during the tour, as you would expect.'