King Charles has quipped he will return to Samoa if he survives “long enough”.
The 75-year-old monarch has been battling an undisclosed form of cancer since February, when it was detected following a routine operation to treat an enlarged prostate, and he made the gag while thanking his hosts on the Pacific island on Saturday (26.10.24) during his royal tour of the nation.
He said: “I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come back again and see you.”
The king paused his cancer treatment to travel to Australia and Samoa this month, and also told islanders as he made an honorary chief of Samoa: “I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world.”
He visited the nation with his wife Queen Camilla, 77, and they sat on golden chairs under cover from tropical rain to view a traditional ceremony including fire dancers during their visit.
The people of Siumu village hosted the royal couple for their stay, with villagers serving them breakfast every morning at their lodge.
As they got ready to fly home, the royals were given gifts including a hand-woven mat, fly whisks and a traditional war club.
Charles was given the title ‘To’aiga-O-Tumua’ during his chief-crowning ceremony, which also saw the royal take a sacred drink prepared from the roots of the kava plant.
At the end of the ceremony, Charles was given a microphone and asked to deliver an unscripted “keynote speech”.
Along with making a joke about his cancer fight and age, Charles added during the speech: “We’ve been so impressed by the beautiful way in which all the villages have decorated the roadsides, it is something very special about Samoa.”
