The Queen joined her husband in the Caribbean as he prepared for one of the most diplomatically challenging stages of his eight-day tour.

Camilla, 79, flew from the UK on Thursday and reunited with the King after his arrival from Guyana on Friday night. She attended a church service on Sunday morning, making it her first public appearance of the week.

The couple had spent a rare day off together at a luxury beach resort on the tropical island on Saturday before attending the Anglican service at St John’s Pentecostal House of Restoration.

They were welcomed by an energetic steel pan band performing a medley of familiar songs, alongside a display of flags representing all 56 Commonwealth nations.

The service formed part of the wider Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 programme and focused on themes of unity and partnership.

The King and Queen were greeted at the church by Antigua and Barbuda’s Governor-General, Sir Rodney Williams, and his wife, Lady Sandra Williams.

The Queen wore a turquoise chiffon dress by Anna Valentine, accessorised with turquoise and diamond earrings from her private collection. She also added a multicoloured Antigua beaded bracelet made by a local vendor.

The King complemented his outfit with a pocket square made from traditional Antiguan and Barbudan Independence Day madras.

He also wore a colourful tie given to him by the widow of Barry Humphries, better known as Dame Edna Everage, from her collection. The King and Humphries shared a warm friendship over the years.

The royal couple were then introduced to the Very Reverend Dwane Cassius, Dean and Parish Priest of the Cathedral and Parish of St. John the Divine; Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his wife, Maria Browne; Foreign Affairs Minister and CHOGM 2026 Task Force Chair Chet Greene; Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey; Royal Commonwealth Society Chair Janet Cooper OBE; and cricketing legend and CHOGM Envoy Sir Viv Richards.

Hymns during the service were led by the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Orchestra and its vocal ensemble, the Inspire Youth Choir. The choir won the 2016 Commonwealth Choir Competition and performed at Buckingham Palace in 2018.

The King is visiting Antigua in his capacity as Head of the Commonwealth for the organisation’s biennial CHOGM gathering.

The event was always likely to be contentious, amid growing calls from former British colonies in the region for the UK to issue a formal apology over slavery and provide reparations.

The King’s visit has also been complicated by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement that he is open to negotiations over an apology for Britain’s role in the historic transatlantic slave trade.

Before the tour, Buckingham Palace made clear that the royal visit would follow existing government guidance: there would be no apology or reparations from the British government.

The King has therefore been unable to respond directly to campaigners’ calls during the eight-day tour. Instead, he referred in a speech in Nassau to the “shameful aspects” and “great suffering and injustices of the past”, before visiting a site in Georgetown, Guyana, where rebelling slaves were brutally executed by British authorities.

The tour was intended to strengthen trade and diplomatic ties across the Caribbean and has so far been regarded as a major diplomatic success, building on the King’s long-standing relationships with political leaders in the region.

At the age of 77, and still undertaking cancer treatment, he has tirelessly packed in dozens of public engagements in a matter of days and been greeted by enthusiastic crowds.

Now many have been left asking whether Mr Burnham has placed the monarch in an invidious position by suddenly indicating – on the eve of CHOGM – that he was ready for a ‘conversation’ over the issue, supercharging demands by Caribbean campaigners for Britain to pay up billions in compensation.

The king is due to give a keynote speech to leaders and delegates on Tuesday.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘As we have indicated, The King will not shy away from confronting the most shameful aspects of the past during this Visit. 

‘You may therefore expect him to address them in his speech with unflinching honesty, sincere sorrow, and respect for the wider discussions that will be taking place between relevant governments on this issue at CHOGM and beyond. 

‘He will be speaking at CHOGM in his capacity as Head of the Commonwealth. It would not be appropriate for him to address matters of particular policy relating to the UK Government’s position.’

But Mr Burnham has been widely warned against issuing a formal apology for Britain’s role in the slave trade because it ‘is a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash’.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged the Prime Minister not to apologise because she said it would lead to more demands for reparations, which UK politicians of all stripes have opposed.

Chancellor John Healey defended Mr Burnham’s consideration of a formal apology, but said British people today should not be held financially liable for the slave trade in which they played no part.

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In an op ed on Friday in The Guardian newspaper the Prime Minister, who is due to join the King at CHOGM next week, said he was ‘open’ to discussing a slavery apology from Britain.

But, in keeping with previous governments, he rejected calls for financial compensation.

Mrs Badenoch argued an apology would give countries a reason to ask Britain for money.

Asked what she believed would be the problem with the UK saying sorry, the Opposition leader told Sky News: ‘It’s because of what will happen next.

‘What I’m worried about is that this CHOGM summit is yet another opportunity for people to start asking Britain for money because of the slave trade.’

She added: ‘We need to start looking at how we can bring the Commonwealth together – start looking forwards, not backwards.

‘I don’t think we should be giving any money to compensate people for the slave trade, and I don’t think that Andy Burnham needs to be apologising because it is a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash.’

However Mr Healey said Mr Burnham felt considering an apology was the ‘right thing’.

He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: ‘The Prime Minister has said, look, we are open to a discussion about an apology.

‘He feels that that’s the right thing, particularly ahead of the Commonwealth leaders’ conference.

‘But he doesn’t believe that reparations are the right approach, and considering a formal apology doesn’t mean accepting that British people now should accept the financial liability for any part in things that happened hundreds of years ago, in which they had no role.’

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds was asked whether reparations should logically follow an apology.

She told Sky News’s Sunday Morning: ‘I don’t agree with that.

‘I think the symbolism … of issuing a formal apology is powerful.

‘It is something that people in the region are talking about and have asked for, but as the Government has made clear, that will not involve financial reparations because the British people of today didn’t have a role in the slave trade hundreds of years ago and in fact, there were brave men and women in this country who led the campaign for the abolition of slavery, which is something that should be recognised too.’

Opposition to payments also came from the Liberal Democrats, whose leader Sir Ed Davey told Times Radio: ‘I just think you can’t go back centuries like that and expect the taxpayers of today to pay money.’

He also criticised overseas aid spending cuts by Labour and Tory governments, saying they have ’caused huge distress and additional poverty and misery in many countries that were affected by the slave trade’.

‘I think you should apologise, but I also think you should show that the UK, as it has done over many years now, is there to support people who are suffering economic injustice.’

But Sir Donald McKinnon, a former secretary general of the Commonwealth, told the same programme that the rejection of reparations was ‘a very rigid position, which is probably quite inappropriate,’ as he called for UK action to improve ‘agitated’ relations with the countries through better trading relationships and training and educational opportunities.

The King’s opening address at the CHOGM summit in Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday will receive heightened interest after the Prime Minister’s intervention.

But Charles, who as head of state is above party politics, is not expected to offer an apology or reference the change in Government policy.

Mr Burnham, writing in the Guardian, said: ‘We are offering a structured dialogue with those affected by the transatlantic slave trade.

‘Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them.’

The Prime Minister expressed ‘my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions’ but, in keeping with the policy of his predecessors, ruled out considering reparations.

‘I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part,’ Mr Burnham wrote, adding that he would instead seek to launch a drive on debt-servicing to help countries repay over a longer time period with better rates.

Jim Chalmers has been rated Labor’s weakest-performing senior politician in a new voter survey.

The latest Newspoll, published by The Australian on Sunday, found that only 24 per cent of respondents were satisfied with Mr Chalmers’ performance as Treasurer. Forty per cent were dissatisfied, 16 per cent were neutral and 20 per cent said they had not heard of him.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen recorded an even lower satisfaction rating, at 19 per cent. However, his dissatisfaction score was lower than Mr Chalmers’ at 32 per cent, while 33 per cent of voters said they did not know who he was.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong was the best-known senior Labor minister in the poll and recorded a satisfaction rating of 38 per cent.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and Health Minister Mark Butler were the least recognisable figures, with 54 per cent of respondents saying they had not heard of either minister.

Labor’s primary vote has continued to slide, falling to 27 per cent. One Nation was ahead on 28 per cent, while the Coalition recovered some ground to reach 21 per cent.

The Greens secured 13 per cent, with other parties accounting for the remaining 11 per cent.

Labor’s lowest recorded primary vote in a Newspoll was 26 per cent, recorded in 2011 when Julia Gillard was prime minister.

The poll surveyed 1,200 voters from Monday to Thursday last week.

Anthony Albanese remained the preferred prime minister on 44 per cent, ahead of Pauline Hanson on 30 per cent and Angus Taylor on 26 per cent.

Dr Chalmers’ weak polling comes as households continue to grapple with the cost-of-living crisis and the Treasurer faces pressure over persistent inflation, which has contributed to a series of damaging interest rate rises.

Financial markets are pricing in another rate increase on Melbourne Cup Day.

The Reserve Bank will meet on Monday and Tuesday before announcing its decision about an hour ahead of the Melbourne Cup.

Bond markets and most economists are forecasting a rate hike after hotter-than-expected inflation data and hawkish comments from RBA governor Michele Bullock over the past month.

An oil shock in the Middle East and a surge in artificial intelligence investment have added to pressure on Australia’s already supply-constrained economy.

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The RBA’s preferred inflation gauge, the quarterly trimmed mean, rose by one per cent in September, exceeding the central bank’s forecast of 0.8 per cent.

Underlying inflation has now remained above the midpoint of the Reserve Bank’s 2-3 per cent target band for 20 consecutive quarters.

Recent remarks from Reserve Bank officials show the bank is increasingly worried about how persistent inflation has been.

‘Although the jobs market is showing clearer signs of weakening, and falling housing prices are starting to feed through to stalling growth, we see the RBA prioritising the high inflation challenge and hiking in November,’ HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said.

Mr Bloxham estimated a recession was a fifty-fifty chance and predicted the unemployment rate to tick up to 5.1 per cent.

Unlike the post-Covid pandemic years, the Reserve Bank is in no mood to shield households from the worst impacts of its inflation fight. 

A fifth rate rise this year would bring the cash rate to 4.85 per cent – the highest level since 2008.

It would also mean a household with a modest $600,000 mortgage would pay an extra $456 on monthly interest repayments compared to January this year, according to financial comparison site Canstar.

The decline in borrowing capacity, stretched affordability and Labor’s curbs on property investor tax breaks have hit house prices. 

The housing downturn is on track to be the deepest on record and property data firm Cotality will provide another snapshot on Monday. 

Home values fell 1.1 per cent in September. 

While consumer confidence has plunged, helped by rising rates and falling house prices, household spending has held up relatively well. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported spending was up 6.8 per cent in the 12 months to August. 

NAB expects another strong monthly rise of 0.8 per cent when September figures are released on Monday.

Ciara Mageean, the European 1500m champion and two-time Olympian, has died at the age of 34 after battling bowel cancer.

The Northern Irish athlete, who competed for Ireland at two Olympic Games and won European gold in 2024, died on Sunday morning surrounded by her loved ones.

Mageean, who was from Portaferry in County Down, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in May 2025.

Her death comes only weeks after she married her long-term partner, Thomas Moran, in an intimate civil ceremony in Belfast last month.

The news was confirmed on Sunday in a heartbreaking statement shared through Mageean’s social media accounts.

It read: ‘At 6.30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones.

‘A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam (may her soul rest in peace).’

Tributes have been paid to the celebrated middle-distance runner, who became one of Ireland’s most successful athletes after overcoming years of injuries and setbacks.

Athletics Ireland said in a statement: ‘We are heartbroken. An inspiration to so many, Ciara will be remembered for her courage, kindness and incredible spirit.

‘Our deepest sympathies are with her family, friends and loved ones at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Ciara.’

Mageean achieved the defining moment of her career at the European Athletics Championships in Rome in June 2024, winning the women’s 1500m final and securing the first major title of her career.

In a thrilling race, she was initially boxed in behind Britain’s Georgia Bell and Jemma Reekie before forcing her way through and powering down the home straight to win gold in four minutes 4.66 seconds.

The emotional triumph came after years of narrowly missing out on the international stage and confirmed her status as one of Europe’s leading middle-distance runners.

Afterwards, an ecstatic Mageean said that ‘words can’t even come close’ to capturing how she felt after finally claiming the coveted title.

However, her hopes of winning an Olympic medal were cruelly ended only weeks later when an Achilles injury forced her to withdraw from the Paris Games on the eve of her opening heat.

That setback was the latest in a series of injuries that had repeatedly threatened to interrupt her career.

She had previously represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio Olympics, reaching the 1500m semi-finals, and at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021. A calf injury disrupted her preparations in Tokyo, where she was eliminated in the heats.

Mageean’s athletic ability was clear from childhood. She initially played camogie for Portaferry GAC before turning to athletics as she pursued her Olympic ambitions.

She enjoyed a glittering junior career, winning silver medals over 1500m at the 2010 World Junior Championships and the 2011 European Junior Championships.

At just 18, she also reached the 1500m final at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

However, a serious ankle injury subsequently ended her hopes of competing at London 2012 and required surgery in 2013.

She fought her way back to win the Irish 1500m title in 2014 before claiming European bronze in Amsterdam two years later.

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In 2017, she moved from Dublin to Manchester to join Steve Vernon’s Team New Balance after parting ways with coach Jerry Kiernan.

Her career continued to flourish, with a European Indoor bronze medal in 2019 followed by a series of record-breaking performances.

In 2020, she shattered Sonia O’Sullivan’s 27-year-old Irish 1,000m record at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

Two years later, under the guidance of former British Olympian Helen Clitheroe, Mageean won silver medals at both the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, finishing behind Britain’s Laura Muir.

She subsequently defeated Muir and a world-class field at the Brussels Diamond League meeting, breaking O’Sullivan’s Irish 1500m record with a time of 3:56.63.

In 2023, she narrowly missed out on a World Championships medal after finishing fourth in Budapest, but broke the Irish mile record and was named BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year.

Her long-awaited European triumph in Rome the following summer was the pinnacle of a career defined by extraordinary resilience.

Following her cancer diagnosis, Mageean spoke movingly about her gratitude for the life she had enjoyed and the opportunities athletics had given her.

Earlier this year, she said she was ‘continuing to find the joy in everyday’ as she thanked supporters for their messages.

Speaking to the BBC in June, she said she was ‘grateful’ for having a career ‘that many others didn’t get to have’.

In a poignant interview with The Irish Times in June, Mageean had spoken candidly about her terminal diagnosis and the prospect of leaving her partner behind.

She revealed that doctors had warned she might have just two or three years left to live, admitting she feared she would not reach her 40th birthday.

Despite the devastating prognosis, she remained determined to make the most of her remaining time, publishing a memoir, My Greatest Race, and going ahead with her wedding plans.

Just days before her death, Mageean and her husband celebrated their marriage with family and friends at Darver Castle in County Louth, following their earlier civil ceremony in Belfast.

The couple’s celebrations marked a final joyful chapter in the life of an athlete whose determination and achievements had inspired thousands across Ireland and beyond.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was deeply saddened by the news.

‘My heartfelt sympathies go to her husband Thomas, all her family and friends,’ he said in a statement on the social media network X.

Tanaiste Simon Harris described the news as heartbreaking.

He said on X: ‘She was a European champion, two-time Olympian, a proud Irish athlete and an extraordinary person.’

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Mageean demonstrated ‘extraordinary talent, determination and dedication’.

‘From representing Ireland at two Olympic Games to winning European Championship gold in Rome in 2024, Ciara demonstrated extraordinary talent, determination and dedication,’ she said.

‘However, beyond the medals, records and sporting accolades, Ciara will be remembered for her warmth, courage and tremendous strength of character.

‘Throughout her illness, she showed a remarkable spirit and an incredible ability to find hope and joy in life, even in the most difficult circumstances. Her courage touched countless people and will leave a lasting legacy.

‘For a community like Portaferry, this loss will be deeply felt. Ciara was one of our own, and the pride she brought to her community and beyond will never be forgotten.’

A little-known Indonesian island is emerging as a more affordable alternative to Bali for Australians feeling the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis.

Karstan and Maxine Smith moved to Lombok with their daughters, Zuri, seven, and Zena, three, nine months ago. They now believe the island offers the ideal place to raise their family.

The couple had spent years travelling across Australia before purchasing five acres in the Byron hinterland in 2025, planning to build their dream home.

However, escalating costs and an avalanche of paperwork soon made the project far more difficult than they had expected, forcing them to rethink their future.

‘We bought land to build a house, which we thought was the Australian dream, but the reality was roadblock after roadblock of rules, permits and reports,’ Ms Smith, 37, said.

‘We’ve spent close to $100,000 trying to get our development application approved and the land ready to build on. It hasn’t been exciting, it’s been stressful.’

The family travelled to Lombok earlier this year and quickly embraced its slower pace of life. As delays and setbacks continued to stall their northern New South Wales building plans, they chose to move after seeing the opportunities available on the island.

‘It is very untouched and there’s more opportunity. It’s more natural than Bali, there’s more land and it’s growing,’ Mr Smith, 39, said.

The Smiths said the cost of everyday life was also dramatically lower than in Australia, whether they were dining out or buying food for the family.

‘A meal out can cost just over $1,’ Mr Smith said.

‘A grocery shop would cost us at least $150 in Australia, but here we can go to a local market and pay around $15 to $20 and stock up the fridge,’ he added.

Fuel has delivered another significant saving. The family said subsidised diesel costs about 6,000 rupiah per litre, equivalent to roughly 50 cents.

Their move reflects a broader trend, with more Australians considering Indonesia as a lower-cost place to live and, in some cases, an appealing property investment market.

Tom Merrett, principal of Reef Property Lombok, said Australian investor-buyers now account for half of his clients, up from 15 per cent just two years ago.

Australians are reportedly paying about $350,000 for a two-bedroom villa within walking distance of central Kuta, Lombok’s main tourist town. Larger five-bedroom homes with ocean views can sell for as much as $1.2 million.

The contrast is especially stark against Sydney, where the median house price reached $1.66 million, according to Domain’s September 2026 House Price Report.

Mr Merrett said Lombok’s appeal was partly driven by growing frustration with Bali due to its overcrowding and traffic congestion.

‘About a million Australians go to Bali each year and I think a lot of people are just bored with it and they’re looking for somewhere new and Lombok offers that feeling, it’s a bit of a cliche, but they say it’s Bali 30 years ago,’ he said.

The Smiths said Lombok’s growing property market was another major drawcard, with increasing development creating new opportunities for investors.

‘Big developers are moving over here. There is a continuation of growth and a lot of opportunity coming,’ Mr Smith said.

The couple had previously invested in Australian property but said government policies and rising costs had made it increasingly difficult to achieve the returns they wanted.

In Lombok, however, they believe the potential rewards are considerably greater.

‘We can double or triple our returns on investment in Lombok,’ Mr Smith said.

He also pointed to the Indonesian government’s creation of special economic zones, saying the development was contributing to the island’s investment appeal.

The couple said they planned to start a business helping other Australians navigate the process of moving abroad, something they believe is entirely possible for families like theirs.

They said the growing expat community meant their children’s education did not have to suffer, with the girls thriving at international schools and meeting ‘kids from all over the world’.

However, the couple stressed the importance of understanding Indonesia’s immigration rules and ensuring they had the correct visa before making the move.

‘You can’t just jump on a tourist visa. You have to do your due diligence and go through the correct visa process – for us, this was the investor visa process,’ they said.

The couple said Australia would always be home and, while they had no plans to return permanently in the near future, they looked forward to spending Christmas there.

‘Australia is still our home and we can appreciate both worlds. Indonesia has its pros and cons, as does Australia,’ they said.

‘We still return regularly, but Lombok is where we are meant to be right now. In November, we are back for some tourism work and will be in Australia for Christmas.’