[WATCH] What King Charles Told a 99-Year-Old Veteran in Guyana Before His Birthday
His Majesty paused to reflect at the site in Georgetown of past public executions from the Demerara Slave Rebellion of 1823.
Guyana warmly welcomed King Charles yesterday, the second stop on his nine-day Caribbean tour. The monarch was honored with a vibrant state reception at the State House, where he met dignitaries, enjoyed a cultural program, and also sampled a distilled rum celebrating his 26-year return, 'Royal Welcome'. His Majesty commenced the second day of his state visit with a solemn visit to the Commonwealth War Graves in Georgetown.
Guyana's Prime Minister, Mark Anthony Phillips, accompanied him as they laid ceremonial wreaths on the graves of the fallen heroes. The King, acting as Patron, honored Commonwealth service and sacrifice.
He interacted with veterans from the pre-independence British Guiana Defense Forces. The site, established in 1824, features the Georgetown Timehri Memorial, which commemorates 24 British Guianese casualties from both World Wars.
The King was caught sharing a light-hearted moment while interacting with veteran Donald Grant, 99, who served in WWII with the RAF. "Is this the hand of the King? Is this the hand of the King? I can’t say much, but it’s all in my heart," Grant said while shaking hands with Charles. The monarch replied warmly, "It's a great pleasure to meet you, my dear, and I hear you're about to become a hundred as well. A fellow Scorpio; next week, my birthday, I'm also a Scorpio," referring to his upcoming birthday on 14th November. Watch the video here!
After exiting the Commonwealth Graves, His Majesty paused to reflect at the site in Georgetown of past public executions from the Demerara Slave Rebellion of 1823. His poignant visit to the Parade Ground-Independence Park aims to acknowledge historical wrongs during his two-day State Visit to Guyana amid ongoing calls for slavery reparations.
The King looked sharp in an off-white suit; among his medals, he wore the Order of Merit, a prestigious dynastic award bestowed on him, featuring "FOR MERIT" in gold letters on a blue enamel center. It is an 8-pointed cross of red and blue enamel, topped with the Imperial Crown and displaying the Sovereign's Royal Cipher on the reverse. Charles, a recipient of a prestigious medal Queen Elizabeth II awarded in 2002, is one of only 24 members to receive this honor and wears it at official and military occasions.
