The Duchess of Gloucester joins King Charles and Queen Camilla for rare joint engagement

The King and Queen were joined by the Duchess of Gloucester for a reception at St James’s Palace celebrating the contribution of Commonwealth communities in Britain and around the world.

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, accompanied Their Majesties for the engagement on Wednesday evening, as approximately 350 guests gathered at the royal residence ahead of the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

The reception brought together representatives from across the Commonwealth, including diplomats, artists, performers and supporters of charitable organisations working throughout its 56 member nations.

Among those attending were Australian singer Delta Goodrem, artist Veronica Ryan and Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey.

The gathering also provided an opportunity to recognise the contributions of diaspora communities to British society and celebrate the cultural connections shared between the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries.

One of the evening’s most memorable moments came when the King tried playing the steel drums alongside Khan Cordice, a musician who serves as director of culture for Antigua and Barbuda.

Charles was seen smiling as he experimented with the instrument during his conversation with Mr Cordice, who performed for guests at the reception.

The musician later revealed that the King had joked about his musical abilities and expressed an interest in learning to play.

“He said that he’s not good at the drums but he needs to learn,” Mr Cordice told the Press Association.

He explained that Charles had followed his work for some time and was particularly interested in music from Antigua and Barbuda.

The King also joked that he needed a new teacher and a better steel pan, prompting Mr Cordice to suggest they could work towards making that happen.

During their interaction, the musician performed Beethoven’s Für Elise on the steel pans, with the King’s reaction leaving a strong impression on him.

Mr Cordice described the experience of performing for Charles and Camilla as “amazing”.

Actor Peter Davison was among the guests at the palace reception, where he spoke with the King about their previous encounter.

Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who, recalled working with Charles many years ago on an environmental film produced by John Cleese.

The actor said the King remembered the project and had been pleasant during their earlier meeting.

Davison also spoke about his late father’s connection to Guyana, explaining how his family background had become increasingly meaningful to him as he grew older.

He welcomed the opportunity to meet people from Guyana and other Commonwealth nations at the reception.

The reception took place ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1 to 4.

The King became Head of the Commonwealth when he succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. The organisation brings together 56 member countries and represents a significant proportion of the world’s population.

The forthcoming summit will bring together leaders from across the organisation to discuss shared priorities and the future of the Commonwealth.