King Charles and Queen Camilla Encounter Rain During Antigua Independence Parade

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were briefly delayed by a sudden rainstorm during the independence anniversary parade in Antigua on Sunday. The downpour began while the couple were at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, prompting staff to provide umbrellas for both royals. Charles was heard joking with Prime Minister Gaston Browne, saying, "I think I’m about to grow watercress on my suit." The monarch, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, and Camilla then resumed the ceremony.

Charles, wearing a beige suit and colorful tie, and Camilla, in a white chiffon dress with gold embroidery, had been on a nine-day Caribbean tour that began on Oct. 27 in the Bahamas and included visits to Guyana and Antigua. Camilla joined the tour on its fifth day for a church service in St. John’s.

The visit coincided with renewed calls for the United Kingdom to address slavery reparations. In a youth rally in the Bahamas, Charles acknowledged historic suffering while highlighting contemporary achievements, stating, "It is only right that we should acknowledge the great suffering and injustices of the past… even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future."

Protesters in Nassau later called for the UK to pay reparations and return cultural artefacts. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Charles received treatment for a benign prostate condition in early 2024, during which his cancer was diagnosed. He reported health improvements in July 2025 and noted that early diagnosis allowed a reduced treatment schedule for the coming year.