Get you up to speed: King Makes Star Wars Joke During Bermuda Trip Before May the Fourth
King Charles visited Bermuda’s UK Space Agency to learn about Project Nova, aimed at tracking space debris through new telescopes planned for the island.
Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s minister of national security, remarked that the royal visit marks a pivotal moment amid ongoing debates over the territory’s political future.
Project Nova, focusing on tracking space debris, will commence with the installation of three telescopes on Bermuda’s north west coast later this year, as announced by the UK Space Agency.
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The King declared “the force is with us” during a visit to a leading observatory in Bermuda this week, where he was briefed on Project Nova’s plans to combat space debris. The site, managed by the UK Space Agency, is set to open later this year.
This initiative aims to develop advanced telescopes capable of tracking old satellites and other space junk, with the first phase of the £40 million project focused on establishing three telescopes along Bermuda’s north-west coast. Charles’s Sustainable Markets Initiative has actively supported this project through its Astra Carta framework, which promotes sustainability in the global space industry.
The King’s visit also included an engagement with well-wishers as he opened a new Coastguard station at Great Bay. Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s minister of national security, noted the significance of the monarch’s first visit since 2009 and commented on the mixed sentiments regarding Bermuda’s status as a British Overseas Territory.
Before departing, the King participated in a group photo with Bermudian police and security personnel, marking a memorable engagement with the local community.
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King cracks Star Wars joke on trip to Bermuda ahead of May the Fourth | News UK
The King declared ‘the force is with us’ while visiting a leading observatory in Bermuda this week.
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.
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.
‘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,’ he said.
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‘It’s so interconnected, really, in all forms. So as they say, the force is with us.’
Earlier, the King went on 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.
When Charles visited the new Great Bay Coast Guard station, he saw the operations room where staff can monitor CCTV images of the coastline 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 added: ‘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.