King Charles Shows Off Dance Moves at Bahamas Junkanoo Parade

King Charles III has traded royal formality for dance moves and maracas during the second day of his Caribbean tour, joining performers at a colourful Junkanoo parade in the Bahamas.

The King, dressed in a suit and sunglasses, joined dancers at the front of the procession on Wednesday, 28 October, carrying maracas in the colours of the Bahamian flag as cheering crowds watched.

The lively celebration offered a lighter moment during his nine-day visit, which has also placed renewed attention on the legacy of slavery and calls for reparations from Britain.

Charles began his visit to the Bahamas on Tuesday by acknowledging the suffering caused by the transatlantic slave trade, describing the historical injustices as a painful part of the region’s past.

Speaking at an event celebrating young Bahamians, he said the country’s culture was “born out of darkness” and that it was right to acknowledge historic injustices.

Paying tribute to fallen servicemen

The King began Wednesday’s engagements by paying his respects to members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force who lost their lives in service.

At the Flamingo Monument, Charles laid a wreath in memory of four Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines killed in May 1980 when Cuban MiG fighter aircraft sank the vessel HMBS Flamingo.

He also met serving personnel and veterans during the visit, recognising their contributions to the country’s security.

Later, he visited the Bahamas Boxing Academy, where he met young athletes and watched two fighters spar in the ring. The academy trains boys and girls aged between eight and 18.

The King was greeted by staff and young boxers wearing T-shirts featuring an illustration of him in a crown, boxing gloves and a championship belt.

Jermaine Gibson, president of a neighbouring boxing club, said Charles enjoyed the gesture and was given one of the shirts.

While speaking with the young athletes, the King told them he might see them competing at a future Commonwealth Games.

Conservation and climate change

Environmental protection was another major focus of the King’s programme, with a visit to Bonefish Pond National Park highlighting the importance of preserving the Bahamas’ coastal ecosystems.

The site, which was formerly used as a rubbish dump, has been redeveloped into a protected wetland area covering approximately 1,235 acres of mangroves.

Charles walked along a boardwalk through the wetlands and learned about cons