Britain’s King Charles III concluded his three-day visit to Bermuda by officially launching the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) Project Nova, an initiative aimed at tracking space debris. During the final day of his visit, the king toured the site of a new UKSA observatory on the island, where he learned about plans to establish a global network of telescopes across five locations. The project is intended to monitor defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and other orbital debris to enhance space safety.

In addition to the space program, King Charles formally opened the Great Bay Coast Guard Station, highlighting the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s Coast Guard’s role in protecting the island’s territorial waters and marine environment. The king was introduced to two new technologies used by the regiment: unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Members of the Junior Leader programme also shared their experiences with the scheme. Before departing, Charles presented operational service medals to five regiment members in recognition of their commitment to the island’s defense.

King Charles’s visit marked the first time in Bermuda’s more than 400-year history that a reigning British monarch has visited the territory, a milestone he acknowledged during a garden party at Government House, where he stayed. The king noted his surprise at this fact and expressed regret that it had taken so long. At the event, he described Bermuda, along with other British Overseas Territories, as “a most cherished and important member of the British family,” praising the enduring friendship between the island and Britain.

The visit followed a high-profile trip to the United States, where the king aimed to ease tensions between Washington and London. While in Bermuda, Charles toured a museum exhibit addressing the island’s historical connection to the transatlantic slave trade—a sensitive topic that has drawn calls for the monarchy to confront this aspect of its past. He also observed a traditional dance with origins linked to the slave trade era.

Accompanied only by members of his staff, the king’s day included greeting schoolchildren at St Peter’s Church in St George’s—the first English settlement in the Atlantic Ocean territory—where he engaged briefly with them on the church steps. His arrival was marked with a Royal Salute and a performance by the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s band, which played the national anthem before softening the atmosphere with Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Jamming.” In Sandys Parish, the royal procession witnessed a performance by the Gombeys, dancers who preserve a folklore tradition blending African, Caribbean, and Native American influences.

Queen Camilla, who had traveled with King Charles to the United States earlier, did not accompany him on the Bermuda leg of the tour. The king’s itinerary in the island territory combined diplomatic, cultural, and technological engagements, reflecting both the historical ties and contemporary partnerships between Bermuda and the United Kingdom.