Charles gets a warm welcome on his first visit as king to Samoa

SIUMU, Samoa: In the dark, dozens of people lined a narrow road near the Samoan fishing village of Siumu, gathering near a sign bearing a portrait of...

SIUMU, Samoa: In the dark, dozens of people lined a narrow road near the Samoan fishing village of Siumu, gathering near a sign bearing a portrait of King Charles III and waiting excitedly for a glimpse of the real monarch.

A buzz surged through the crowd as a motorcade appeared on Wednesday, bearing the first British king to visit a Pacific Island nation.

Hands waved briefly from rolled-down windows and those standing in just the right spot managed to catch a glimpse of the king's face. Then the monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, were gone. The royals had arrived earlier Wednesday evening from a visit to Australia.

"All people in Samoa are very excited,” said Numio Faoagali, a garbage collector from Siumu who had spent three days cleaning and decorating his house with a Union flag and bunting. He hoped that Charles, who is staying at a resort nearby, might see it.

"It’s the first time to see the king. We’ve only seen him on the TV, not here in Samoa," he said.