King Charles says he hopes to survive long enough to see Samoa again

As they prepared to fly home, the King and Queen received gifts including a hand-woven mat, garlands, fly whisks and a traditional war club.

The king received the primary title of “To’aiga-O-Tumua” from the high chief of the village, at the end of his third ‘ava’ ceremony in which he took a sip of a sacred drink prepared from the roots of the kava plant.

The chief told King Charles that his late mother and “his dad, Prince Philip”, had been to Samoa before, adding that this “royal visit has lifted our house”.

At the end of the ceremony, the King was given a microphone and asked to give an impromptu “opening speech”, during which he thanked Samoa for such a warm welcomeand spoke of his illness.