At a church service honouring the ‘immeasurable’ contribution of the ‘Windrush pioneers’ to Britain, the King was joined by the young offspring of those immigrants.
The 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush’s landing was commemorated with the event.
In 1948, it brought Caribbean residents who heeded Britain’s plea for assistance in addressing post-war manpower shortages.
Charles sat amid a group of 300 specially invited attendees, who also included students from several English schools, officials, and representatives of many charities and community initiatives.
Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, told the congregation at the service they had gathered at a time of particular ‘poignancy’ because it was a day of celebration and thanksgiving for the hardworking good citizens she refers to as the ‘Windrush pioneers’.
She told the congregation: ‘They are pioneers who paved the way for generations who came after them, not merely to survive but to thrive.
‘The significant contributions made by them in the United Kingdom to the National Health Service, the transport network, to the arts, sports, religion and life is second to none.’
The King said it is ‘crucially important’ to recognise the ‘immeasurable’ difference the Windrush generation has made to Britain.
His comments were made in the foreword of a book which accompanies a display of portraits that celebrate the Windrush generation in the week marking the anniversary of the crossing.
He added: ‘Those pioneers, who arrived in a land they had learned about from afar, left behind all that was familiar to them.
‘Many served with distinction in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War, just as their fathers and grandfathers had in the First World War.
‘Once in Britain, they worked hard, offering their skills to rebuild a country during peacetime and seeking opportunities to forge a better future for themselves and their families.
‘When they arrived on our shores with little more than what they were able to carry with them, few could hardly have imagined then how they, and those that followed them, would make such a profound and permanent contribution to British life.’
The Prince of Wales said the Windrush generation’s contributions to Britain ‘cannot be overstated’.
In a video posted on social media, William said: ‘They and the generation of Commonwealth citizens who followed in their footsteps, chose this country to start new lives. We know they experienced hardships.
‘But they also experienced joy; and life did indeed change for them and their families.
‘But these voyagers also gave to our nation, helping to rebuild our country and adding to our culture. Their contributions to the Britain we know now cannot be overstated.
‘We are a better people today because the children and the grandchildren of those who came in 1948 have stayed and become part of who we are in 2023. And for that we are forever grateful.’