King Charles joked that his suit had “grown watercress” after being drenched by a Caribbean downpour, as he reunited with actor Sir Idris Elba in Antigua.
The King was visiting Nelson’s Dockyard when he encountered Sir Idris, who apologised for the torrential rain that had left him soaked during an engagement the previous day.
“How are you doing? Are you having a good time? Sorry about the rain,” Sir Idris said.
Charles laughed and replied: “My suit has grown watercress.”
The monarch had just set an engraved stone into a wall when he met the actor, a goodwill ambassador for The King’s Trust who was hosting the One Commonwealth Night concert at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“How are you?” Sir Idris asked as they shook hands.
“What are you doing here?” the King replied.
Both men laughed before Sir Idris said: “I get around,” and affectionately patted the King on the arm.
The exchange came after Charles was left without an umbrella during a sudden shower in Antigua. He was seen waving towards staff and appearing to ask, “Where’s the umbrella?” before eventually being handed one by his equerry, Major Ben Rigby.
By then, the King was soaked through, with his lightweight summer suit appearing see-through in places. Queen Camilla had already retreated from the rain while Charles paced on and off a podium and mimed holding an umbrella.
Charles later made another reference to umbrellas while visiting Government House Museum, where he viewed artefacts connected with slavery and abolition. Pointing towards a silk parasol in a display case, he asked: “Is that an umbrella?”
The visit took place as the King attended celebrations marking Antigua and Barbuda’s 45th anniversary of independence, during a trip overshadowed by renewed calls for slavery reparations and for him to be replaced as head of state.
Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister has renewed demands for Britain to pay reparations. In Britain, Andy Burnham has opened the door to an official apology for the country’s role in slavery, while saying the public should not pay compensation for events in the past.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has rejected calls for reparations, saying Britain has “had enough of apologising” for its past.
Charles is in Antigua as Head of the Commonwealth for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. His speech is expected to address the continuing pain caused by the slave trade with “unflinching honesty” and “sincere sorrow”.
