The king has said goodbye to Samoa, telling his hosts in the Pacific islands that he “hopes I survive long enough to come back and see you.”
The king, who paused his cancer treatment to travel to Australia and Samoa, told islanders: “I will always remain committed to this part of the world” as he was honored with a major title at the closing ceremony of his visit.
He and the queen sat on golden chairs, sheltered from the tropical rain, to attend a traditional ceremony, which included fire dancers.
The residents of Siumu village have been hosting the royal visitors for their stay, with villagers walking to their quarters with breakfast every day.
As they prepared to fly home, the king and queen were presented with gifts including a hand-woven mat, streamers, fly whisks and a traditional war club.
The king was awarded the title 'To'aiga-O-Tumua' by the high village chief at the end of their third 'ava' ceremony, during which he sipped a sacred drink prepared from the roots of the kava plant.
The chief told King Charles that his late mother and “your daddy Prince Philip” had been to Samoa before, adding that this “royal visit has given our home a boost.”
At the end of the ceremony, the king was handed a microphone and asked to give an unwritten “keynote speech” in which he thanked Samoa for the warm welcome and spoke about his illness.
“We are so impressed by the beautiful way all the villages have decorated the roadsides, it is something very special about Samoa,” he said.
He thanked residents for their “amazing generosity” in bringing gifts of food and “other wonderful things”, and said the royal couple would take away “special memories of our time here”.
“I will always be committed to this part of the world and I hope I survive long enough to come back and see you,” he added.
In their final moments in Samoa, the King and Queen waved from the steps of a Royal Australian Air Force jet.
They took off in heavy rain, which matched conditions when they landed in Sydney ten days ago.
