King Charles to visit The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana in October
Key Points(5)
- Britain’s King Charles III will visit three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries later this year as part of a week-long tour that will include his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
- Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday that the King and Queen Camilla will travel to The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana during the tour, which is scheduled to run from Oct.
- The royal couple will visit Antigua and Barbuda in connection with CHOGM 2026, which will be held in the twin-island nation from Nov.
- Before the Commonwealth gathering, King Charles will make a royal visit to The Bahamas, where he remains head of state.
- The trip will mark his first visit to the country since ascending the throne in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Britain’s King Charles III will visit three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries later this year as part of a week-long tour that will include his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday that the King and Queen Camilla will travel to The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana during the tour, which is scheduled to run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.
The royal couple will visit Antigua and Barbuda in connection with CHOGM 2026, which will be held in the twin-island nation from Nov. 1 to 4.
Before the Commonwealth gathering, King Charles will make a royal visit to The Bahamas, where he remains head of state. The trip will mark his first visit to the country since ascending the throne in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“Their Majesties The King and Queen will undertake an Autumn Tour from Tuesday, 27th October to Wednesday, 4th November 2026. This will include a Royal Visit to Antigua and Barbuda to coincide with Their Majesties’ attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026,” Buckingham Palace said.
The palace said the King will also make a state visit to Guyana at the invitation of the country’s president and at the request of the British government.
“Prior to CHOGM, The King will undertake a Royal Visit to The Bahamas, of which His Majesty is also Head of State. His Majesty will then undertake a state visit to Guyana, at the invitation of the president of Guyana and at the request of the UK Government. The visit will mark 60 years of bilateral relations between the UK and Guyana,” the statement said.
Guyana gained independence from Britain in May 1966 and became a republic in 1970.
Buckingham Palace said the wider Caribbean tour will highlight the region’s people and heritage, saying it will “celebrate communities, cultures and nature within the Commonwealth family.”
The visit to The Bahamas will also fulfil an intention expressed by King Charles two years ago after he was unable to travel to the country amid treatment for cancer.
In 2024, the King apologised for missing celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of The Bahamas’ independence and told Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis that he hoped to visit the country in the future.
The Bahamas gained independence from Britain in 1973 but retained the British monarch as its head of state.
The October tour will bring the King to a region where debate over the future of the monarchy has intensified in recent years, with several Caribbean countries considering moves toward becoming republics. Barbados removed the late Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and became a republic in 2021, while other Commonwealth Caribbean nations have discussed similar constitutional changes.
