King Charles Set to Receive High Chief Title During Samoa Visit

Photo : Reuters

Britain's King Charles is set to be offered the title of high chief during his three-day visit to Samoa, which begins on Wednesday. This ceremonial recognition will occur amid a traditional welcome for the king and Queen Camilla, with the official title of 'Tui Taumeasina' being presented by Lenatai Victor Tamapua, a prominent Samoan chief and member of parliament.

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During the visit, King Charles will be taken on a guided tour of a mangrove reserve, where he will observe firsthand the severe impacts of climate change on the Pacific island nation. Tamapua highlighted the alarming rise in sea levels, noting, "The king tide today is about twice that it was 20, 30 years ago, and that is affecting our land, and it's eating away at some of the areas that are so hard for us to control, and people (have to) move inwards, inland now."

King Charles has long been an advocate for environmental issues, famously declaring in 2020 that global warming and climate change represent the greatest threats humanity faces. His upcoming visit to Samoa comes in the wake of a recent trip to Australia, where he faced criticism from an Indigenous senator who accused the monarchy of "genocide." This Australian tour marked Charles' first overseas visit as sovereign and his first significant foreign trip since his cancer diagnosis.

As head of state for Australia, New Zealand, and 12 other Commonwealth realms, King Charles' role is primarily ceremonial. His visit to Samoa is particularly significant, as the island nation is home to around 200,000 people and is among the many small states in the Commonwealth that are increasingly threatened by climate change and rising sea levels.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), for which Charles is attending, is expected to focus heavily on climate change and ocean protection. Leaders will likely issue a declaration addressing these critical issues. While Britain has indicated it will not discuss reparations for historical transatlantic slavery at the meeting, it remains open to engaging with leaders who wish to explore the topic.