King Charles’ coronation: Vanuatu tribe who worshipped Prince Philip honours new monarch

Acting British High Commissioner with villagers from the island of Tanna, in Vanuatu, during their own coronation celebrations. Photo / UK In Vanuatu

A remote tribe in Vanuatu that worshipped Prince Philip as a god has honoured King Charles III’s official ascension to the throne.

Villagers on the island of Tanna have celebrated the new British monarch’s coronation day, with traditional cultural dancing and the drinking of kava at a special ceremony.

Photos shared online show village men hosting Acting British High Commissioner in Vanuatu, Mike Watters, who was pictured taking a deep drink of kava presented to him by the tribe.

“After some spectacular kastom (traditional) dancing and singing, I was invited to drink kava from the same shell used by HM The King during his visit to Vanuatu in 2018.”

A huge honour and unforgettable experience to join the #coronation celebrations in Tanna in #Vanuatu today. What a wonderful way to pay respect to the unique relationship shared by the 🇬🇧 and 🇻🇺. pic.twitter.com/sSYwknPEtj

— Mike Watters (@MikeJDWatters) May 6, 2023

Watters said he was honoured to accept the invitation to the coronation celebrations in Tanna and called it a wonderful way to pay respect to the unique relationship shared by the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

“A huge honour and unforgettable experience to join the coronation celebrations in Tanna in Vanuatu today,” he wrote on Twitter.

Remote Pacific Island’s unique connection to the British royals

Two villages on the island of Tanna have long held King Charles’ father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in significant regard; believing that he hailed from the island and revering him as a sort of deity or spiritual figure.

Villagers on the remote island of Tanna, in Vanuatu, take part in a special coronation celebration ceremony. Photo / UK In Vanuatu

According to an ancient tale, a mountain spirit travelled to a far distant land where he met a powerful woman. He later returned to the island.

The story of Prince Philip being that mountain spirit was strengthened when he and Queen Elizabeth visited Vanuatu in the early 1970s.

Following Queen Elizabeth’s death last year, it was thought some of those villages in Vanuatu would see King Charles as the son of their god.

Villagers in Tanna base royal worship on the story of a figure who emerged from a volcano, such as Mount Yasur, and then disappeared overseas. Photo / Kathy Marks