King Charles welcomed by President Ali’s family at Guyana State Reception, samples ‘Royal Welcome’ Rum

Guyana: King Charles III was welcomed by President Irfaan Ali’s family upon arrival in Guyana for a State Reception at the State House in Georgetown on October 29, 2026, to mark 60 years of UK-Guyana relations.

The reception included representatives from across Guyanese society.

The Royal Family shared the news through a social media post noting, “The King was welcomed to Guyana by President Ali and his family ahead of a State Reception bringing together representatives from across Guyanese society. The occasion celebrated 60 years of UK-Guyana relations.”

The King sampled a new rum, which was specifically crafted in his honour, named ‘Royal Welcome’.

A video was shared by The Royal Family where the King can be seen tasting the drink among guests, with boxes of the limited edition 2026 rum displayed on a table.

“At State House in Georgetown, His Majesty sampled a new rum created in his honour named ‘Royal Welcome’,” the post read.

President Irfaan Ali also shared the glimpses of King’s arrival at Cheddi Jagan International Airport on his Facebook page, through a live broadcast, which shows the Guyana Defence Force band, with the Guyana flag and the Royal Standard held out of the aircraft’s cockpit windows.

“His Majesty King Charles III arrives in Guyana for a historic State Visit, celebrating the enduring friendship and strengthening ties between our countries,” the video captioned.

King was also greeted by a guard of honour from members of the Guyana Defence Force, along with British High Commissioner Joseph Fisher and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband who is joining the King on his state visit.

The State Reception featured Guyanese changemakers, parliamentarians and politicians, Chevening and Commonwealth scholars plus members of the British Guyana community living in the UK.

The King watched various performances featuring music and dance before meeting guests.

Ali also shared the State Reception footage which showed the King and Ali together on the balcony of State House, talking and discussing with each other.

The broadcast also showcased cultural performances, dance and music. The King was also seen meeting with guests in the garden, enjoying food and drinks with them.

The Guyana visit highlights Guyana's global significance on climate and nature issues, alongside their culture and increasing role in the Commonwealth.

As part of the two-day state visit, the King will attend a reception with British businesses and local stakeholders as well as meeting members of the public at the Kingston Seawall bandstand.

He will also be delivering a dialogue on sustainable cities and mangrove restoration on the Georgetown seawall.

The visit comes as Caribbean nations are calling again for Britain to apologise and pay reparations for its role in slavery. President Ali said in an ITV News Interview that the King has acknowledged slavery was one of the darkest parts of history, however the next step is to apologise.

The King will travel to Antigua and Barbuda to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting with Queen Camilla.