Since his first visit to Jamaica while serving in the Royal Navy, His Majesty has had the "greatest affection" for the island
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| King Charles III says the disaster has "profoundly saddened" him and Queen Camilla |
King Charles has conveyed his profound sadness at Hurricane Melissa's destruction of Jamaica and the Caribbean.
The 76-year-old monarch said he and his wife Queen Camilla were "deeply concerned and profoundly saddened" by the "catastrophic damage" wrought by the storm, which has now escalated to a Category 4 hurricane, in an emotional statement sent through Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, October 29.
His Majesty went on, "We are keeping a close eye on the situation and are worried about everyone who has been so brutally impacted by this terrible storm. Above all, the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have sadly lost their lives deserve our deepest sympathies.
"Jamaica is a land for which I have had the greatest affection ever since I first visited the island while serving in the Royal Navy on the West Indies station more than fifty years ago," Charles remarked, reflecting on his own relationship to the nation.
No calamity could "break her people's enduring spirit of strength, solidarity, and steadfastness," the King said, praising the bravery and tenacity of the Jamaican people.
"I want to sincerely commend each and every one of you, but especially those who have stepped up so bravely when that spirit has been called upon in a dire circumstance like this. The emergency services, frontline personnel, and volunteers who are courageously and relentlessly supporting rescue and recovery activities around the island deserve my sincere gratitude," Charles said.
