After a long day of official engagements, King Charles could perhaps be excused for welcoming the chance to enjoy a shot of rum—or even two.
So when President of Guyana Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali presented him with a bottle of specially blended Royal Welcome rum at a reception held in his honour, the 77-year-old monarch readily accepted an invitation to sample it.
‘Do you drink this? Endless rum punches at the end of the day?’ Charles asked guests with a knowing smile. He then sniffed the drink before raising his glass and clinking it with that of President Ali.
The King took a sip, waggled his eyebrows and pulled a slightly eye-watering face before delivering his verdict: ‘Very good!’
The president, who appeared more accustomed to the drink, leaned towards the monarch and advised him: ‘You’ve just got to drink it down!’
‘It won’t last long,’ Charles joked with a grin before taking another generous sip. He then told his hosts: ‘That’s very kind. Somebody else will have to finish it!’
The reception was held in the garden of the State Residence, the president’s official home in Georgetown, Guyana’s capital.
King Charles is making a two-day state visit to Guyana at President Ali’s invitation to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between the two countries.
King Charles samples a specially produced Guyanese rum created in his honour
King Charles III is welcomed by Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Timehri, Guyana
Charles speaks with President Ali as one of the president’s children sits on his lap
The pair have now met six times, and the warmth between them was clear as they laughed and chatted throughout the evening.
Following his arrival, the King held private bilateral talks with his host. The two men later appeared on the balcony of the residence for photographs, where they admired the president’s collection of classic cars displayed for the occasion.
They then stood for the national anthems of Guyana and the United Kingdom before watching a colourful programme of song and dance celebrating Guyanese culture. Dozens of performers took part in the display, dressed in bright costumes.
Charles sat between President Ali and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who was seen giving the monarch a friendly slap on the back at one point.
The King tapped his toes and smiled broadly during the performances, appearing to be thoroughly entertained.
He seemed especially delighted by a performance bringing together the National Piping Centre, of which he is patron, and local Guyanese drummers. Charles tapped his fingers against his trousers as he watched.
The president and vice president of Guyana had previously seen the musicians perform at Dumfries House, the King’s Scottish charity headquarters. Impressed by what they saw, they decided to create an opportunity for a cultural exchange in the Caribbean.
Piper Finlay MacDonald, director of the National Piping Centre and a musician who has performed for the King many times, said: ‘It’s been amazing for us as musicians. The best thing we can do is travel, learn about people’s culture and music, and share our own.
‘We have travelled to seven of the states here, and it has been incredible meeting and working with the musicians, as well as sharing our music and culture with them. It’s something we will remember forever.’
The King was also mobbed as he met guests including Guyanese changemakers, parliamentarians, sportsmen and women and Chevening and Commonwealth scholars.
The two men observe a document at State House in Georgetown, the country’s capital
His Majesty looks at a wooden table presented to him by the Guyanese President
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, King Charles, Guyanese President Ali and First Lady Arya Ali attend a Guyanese cultural performance
Charles tapped his toes and smiled broadly at the performances, appearing to be thoroughly enjoying himself
His Majesty arrived in Guyana on the official RAF government plane from The Bahamas for a whirlwind two-day state visit at the invitation of President 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.
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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’.
Guyana is Britain’s biggest trading partner in the Caribbean.
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 played the British and Guyanese National Anthems, before His Majesty inspected 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.
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 servicemen, 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.