Charles gets a warm welcome on his first visit as king to Samoa. But uneasy questions await

Associated Press

SIUMU, Samoa (AP) — Britain’s King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla have arrived in Samoa ahead of a biennial summit of 56 leaders of Commonwealth countries. The summit is being hosted for the first time in a Pacific Island nation. Residents of the fishing village of Siumu, close to where Charles will stay, waited excitedly for two hours in the hope of catching a glimpse of the king when his motorcade passed. Despite the warm welcome, the king’s presence is likely to prompt uneasy questions about the role of the British crown in the histories and aspirations of its former territories. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is likely to address climate change, especially how it effects small island nations like Samoa, and other issues.