King Charles believes his royal visit to The Bahamas has been a “diplomatic success” as he navigated the thorny issues of slavery while celebrating the country’s rich culture.

The first stop of three on his nine-day Caribbean tour saw him treated to youth performances, join a Junkanoo parade and acknowledge “the great injustice of the past” in a compelling speech at the start of his tour.

Reflecting on his royal visit to the Bahamas, an official spokesperson for the King said: “His Majesty was delighted to return to the islands, which have such a special place in his heart.

“You will have seen the immense pleasure it gave him to be there, right across all elements of the programme, and I know he was deeply grateful for the warmth and scale of the welcome he received from so many people, including from the Prime Minister, of course.

“The great wall of cheers he received when greeting crowds will echo long in his memory – and be a source of tremendous pride and encouragement as the tour continues to Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda.

“The Youth Rally performances and the Junkanoo were particularly joyful standout highlights – but I don’t think anyone had expected him to get so swept up in the carnival spirit that he would actually join the parade!

“Such a moment aside, as The King had hoped, the Visit proved an opportunity to celebrate and reaffirm the modern partnership between The Bahamas and the UK, to address the shared challenges of the future and also to acknowledge the great injustices of the past in a respectful way.

“In that sense, I think most would agree the Visit has been both a sensitive balancing act and a strong diplomatic success.”

Charles is now travelling to Guyana for a two-day state visit, marking his first return to the country after 26 years. The focus of his visit will be on the environment and biodiversity.

But the president of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has already said publicly that he wants an apology and reparations from the King for the UK’s historic role in the transatlantic slave trade.

However, the Palace has made clear that the King, who follows advice from the Government on such matters, will not be issuing either.

But Charles will continue to acknowledge the issue throughout his tour, with several engagements planned to allow the King to offer reflection and remembrance.

He will then visit Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) where he will be joined by the Queen.

The biennial summit will bring together leaders of 56 Commonwealth countries to address shared challenges and advance cooperation.

The King has already said the issue of the colonial past will be discussed by leaders.