The King declared “the force is with us” as he gave the seal of approval to a new world leading observatory in Bermuda before flying home to the UK.
Charles was treated to a tour of the site, operated by the UK Space Agency (UKSA), before it opens later this year and heard about Project Nova’s ambitious plans to tackle harmful space junk.
The area on the island was identified for its unique position in the world, which will allow the agency and its partners to track old satellites, rocket stages, and other objects.
Earlier, the King went an impromptu meet-and-greet with well-wishers when he opened a new Coastguard station at Great Bay on St David’s Island.
Some had waited hours in the sun and told him: “Thank you so much for coming” and “It’s such a pleasure to have you.”
The first phase in the £40 million Project Nova is to establish three telescopes on the north west coast of Bermuda, about 620 miles off the US coast, that will be able to spot asteroids or rogue satellites heading towards Earth.
A decade ago there were just a few hundred satellites in space but today there are more than 12,000 with that number expected to pass 100,000 by 2030.
The new planned telescopes across British territories, including Bermuda, are powerful enough to see objects smaller than a Rubik’s Cube in low Earth orbit.
During a space debris demonstration, the King, pointing to the sky, asked: “So how much damage is going on up there?”
Charles’s Sustainable Markets Initiative has been heavily involved in the project, through its Astra Carta, Latin for Charter of the Stars, environmental framework launched by Charles in 2020 to promote sustainability in the global space industry.
Before unveiling a plaque at the site to announce its launch, Charles spoke to the Astra Carta team working with UKSA and revealed he had completed a garden with the design based on the revolution of the planets.
He said: “I’ve just done a garden based on the planetary movements, because if you trace them it’s amazing how they all form the most beautiful patterns.
“It’s so interconnected really, in all forms. So as they say, the force is with us.”
When Charles visited the new Great Bay Coast Guard station, he saw the operations room where staff can monitor CCTV images of the coast line and track vessels.
Speaking after the visit, Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s minister of national security, said that the first visit by a monarch since 2009 was “a very exciting time”.
He added that there was a “50/50 split” in Bermuda between those who think it should remain a British Overseas Territory and those who think it should be an independent nation.
The minister said that there were “pros and cons” of total independence, adding: “But there’s no problem with a child leaving home at some point and standing on their own and taking care of themselves with the opportunity to reach out to the parent country if ever needed.”
Before waving goodbye to Bermuda from the top of the plane’s steps, Charles joined assembled Bermudan police motorbike outriders, security personnel and other officers for a large group photo.
Their British equivalents protecting the King had organised the gesture and, wearing sunglasses, the King posed and chatted briefly with the men.
