By Sarjo M Camara
The Vice President, His Excellency Mohammed B.S Jallow on behalf of His Excellency
President Adama Barrow is currently attending the Coronation of King Charles III scheduled to
commence from 5 th May 2023 in United Kingdom.
The Vice President is accompanied by Hon. Momodou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad; Mr Alieu Njie, Secretary to Cabinet;
Mrs Cordu L. Jabang-Senghore, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Vice President (OVP); and
Mr. Swaibou Barry, Deputy Permanent Secretary, amongst others.
Many other world leaders, especially the Commonwealth leaders, are also expected at the
coronation this Saturday at Westminster Abbey.
His Excellency Jallow and delegation will use the opportunity of the coronation to meet with
other world leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest.
As the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth I I and Prince Philip, King Charles III is the King of the
United Kingdom. He ascended to the throne after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II on
8 th September 2022. He is the oldest person ever to assume the British throne.
Queen Elizabeth II nominated Charles to succeed her as Head of the 53-Nation Association of
Britain and its former colonies at the Summit of the Commonwealth held in April 2018. "It is my
sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future
generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) should carry on the
important work started by my father in 1949," she said.
Shortly afterwards, Commonwealth leaders announced that they were adhering to the Queen’s
wish. "We recognise the role of the Queen in championing the Commonwealth and its peoples.
The next Head of the Commonwealth shall be His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of
Wales," they said in a statement.
In 2018, His Royal Highnesses, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were received in
The Gambia by His Excellency President Adama Barrow, who was democratically elected in
January 2017. President Adama Barrow’s government returned The Gambia to The
Commonwealth of Nations. This is what ignited the Royal Couple’s first visit to The Gambia,
among other Nations like Ghana, and Kenya, as part of his regional tour of Commonwealth
Nations
