His Majesty King Charles thanks Bermuda during Government House Garden Party
As the last light of a remarkable day softened over the hills of Langton Hill, King Charles III brought his first full day in Bermuda to a close with a Royal Garden Party Speech at Government House that was by turns gracious, affectionate and quietly witty. Addressing a gathering that included government officials, dignitaries, artists, charity leaders and a broad sweep of Bermudian community life, the King spoke with evident feeling about an island that has occupied a particular corner of his family’s heart for generations.
He began by acknowledging the deep and enduring bond between Bermuda and the wider British family — a relationship he described as unwavering and as sturdy as the Atlantic rock on which the archipelago stands. He then reached back into his own family history, recalling that his mother and father, the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, chose Bermuda as the opening destination of their Coronation Tour in 1953 — a detail, he noted with quiet pride, that speaks to the special place this island has always held within royal affections.
With the self-deprecating wit that has come to define his public addresses, the King acknowledged something that had apparently surprised even him — that in the full four centuries of Bermuda’s recorded history, no reigning King had ever set foot on its shores before this day. He offered a gently amused apology for the wait. He then recalled his own first visit in 1970 as a young man of twenty-one, when he was apparently energetic enough to climb all one hundred and eighty-five steps of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse without pausing for breath — a feat he reflected upon with the fond wryness of a man who has earned the right to smile at his younger self.
Yet it was his words about the people of Bermuda, and particularly its young people, that carried the greatest warmth. The island’s youth, he said, had shone with uncommon brightness throughout the day — whether through their artwork, their athletic endeavour, their devotion to public service, their love of the natural world, or the thundering vitality of the Gombey dance. He closed with the assurance that Bermuda’s future rests in capable and inspiring hands, and expressed profound gratitude to Premier David Burt, his Cabinet and the island’s parliament for the generosity and spirit of their welcome.
Governor Andrew Murdoch followed with remarks of his own, noting with characteristically dry good humour that the recent refurbishment of Government House had been completed with such haste in advance of the royal arrival that the building still carried a faint but undeniable scent of fresh paint. More seriously, he reflected that while Bermuda has changed considerably in the fifty-six years since the King’s last visit, one thing has remained entirely constant — the warmth with which its people receive their guests and the deep pride they carry for their home. He spoke of Bermuda’s standing across the fields of sport, science, commerce and culture, noting that the island’s global reputation is rooted not in ambition alone but in the strength of its community ties and its profound relationship with the natural environment. He expressed particular pleasure that the King had been able to witness Bermuda’s conservation commitments firsthand during his visit to Trunk Island, and extended an open invitation for a return visit, promising there was more than enough material for an entirely new programme. He concluded by describing Bermuda simply as a jewel in the Atlantic — a valued and cherished member of the British family.
The evening’s reflections were rounded out by two voices from the island’s institutions. Darrin Simons, Commissioner of Police, described the public response to the visit as nothing short of overwhelming, noting that the King had made a visible and lasting impression on the people who came out in their thousands across the island. He spoke warmly of how smoothly the day had unfolded and suggested that the visit had offered Bermuda a rare and welcome opportunity to present itself to the watching world. Chief Justice Larry Mussenden, who had been among those who greeted the King on his arrival the previous evening, reflected that His Majesty had carried himself throughout the day with a remarkable and infectious energy — one to which Bermudians had responded with matching enthusiasm. It had been, he said simply, a shining day for Bermuda. Few who were present would have disagreed.
