Charles and Camilla to host gathering of Commonwealth leaders at glitzy St James's Palace reception
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend the reception
PA
The King and Queen will celebrate the people of the Commonwealth ahead of a major gathering of leaders from the "family of nations".
Charles and Camilla will host a St James’s Palace reception for guests invited from the across the member states of the Commonwealth.
Among the 300 guests will be singer Grace Jones, dancer Motsi Mabuse, rugby player Theo McFarland, soprano Isabella Moore and singer Neil Finn.
The event will recognise and celebrate the contribution the guests have made to UK life and further afield.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend the reception
PA
The King and Queen will be joined by other members of the royal family as well as high commissioners and representatives from various organisations associated with the Commonwealth.
There will also be supporters of the King’s Trust International and the British Asian Trust, two charities founded by Charles when he was the Prince of Wales, which operate in the Commonwealth.
Camilla’s causes will also feature, including The Wow (Women of the World) Foundation, of which she is president, and the Queen’s Reading Room, which she launched in 2021.
The event is being held ahead of a visit to Samoa by the King and Queen later this month, where they will attend events associated with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the Polynesian nation.
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Scottish Parliament, King Charles III and Queen Camilla sign the Visitors’ Book at the Scottish Parliament
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Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has urged all delegates, including the King, to forgo formal suits in favour of more comfortable attire due to the island's hot October weather.
Prime Minister Mataafa has been clear in her vision for this CHOGM, describing it as "an island CHOGM" that will be unlike any other.
In a video message, she reiterated her plea for casual attire: "Can I tell you it's warm in October, so please don't wear your suits in your packing... We look forward to welcoming you in true island style."
The Prime Minister, who boasts Samoan royal lineage herself and is the island's first female leader, aims to showcase a unique part of the world. She expressed her desire for delegates to be comfortable, emphasising that the relaxed dress code doesn't diminish the meeting's importance.
Samoan Prime minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa
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Speaking earlier this year in his Commonwealth Day address, King Charles said: "The Commonwealth family is strongest when we are connected, through friendship. As I have said before, the Commonwealth is like the wiring of a house, and its people, our energy and our ideas are the current that runs through those wires.
"Together and individually, we are strengthened by sharing perspectives and experiences, and by offering and borrowing the myriad ways we have each tackled the challenges of our time.
"This is true both at the level of nations and, indeed, at the local level. We recognise today that our diversity is our greatest strength."
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