In October 1970, I had the honour of being chosen to drive HRH Prince Charles - the Prince of Wales and now King Charles III – when he visited Bermuda for celebrations marking the 350th anniversary of the Bermuda Parliament.
The previous year, while stationed in the Police Traffic Department as a patrol driver, I had been assigned as temporary chauffeur to Governor, Lord Martonmere and Lady Martonmere after their regular chauffeur was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. On my first day at Government House I was advised that Lady Martonmere was a very nervous passenger and had to be driven slowly at all times. I took the advice to heart throughout my time as chauffer whenever I drove Lady Martonmere. I would keep strictly to the island wide speed limit of 20 miles an hour – except in the City of Hamilton and in St George’s where the speed limit was just 15 miles an hour – much to the chagrin of other road users!
Several months after taking the job I was summonsed to a meeting with Commissioner Robins who informed me that His Excellency had indicated he would like to offer me the position as his regular chauffer which I politely declined and soon returned to my regular duties in the Traffic Department.
It wasn’t until shortly before the Royal Visit that I was informed of having been chosen to drive HRH Prince Charles during his visit in October. I later heard from a reliable source that during a meeting at which His Excellency the Governor and Lady Martonmere met with officials from the advance party organizing the Royal Visit, Lady Martonmere had “insisted” that “Roger” be the chosen driver, no doubt due to the speed, or lack of speed whenever I drove her! Ironically, the issue of speed arose on the first day of the Royal Visit.
A sleek red Plymouth Satellite open-top convertible car was specially imported for the occasion, and on October 20th I headed to the airport accompanied by Detective Inspector Leslie Waddell as bodyguard for the arrival of His Royal Highness.
Prince Charles was welcomed at the airport by an Honour Guard from the Bermuda Regiment accompanied by the Regiment Band. The Prince was resplendent in the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Welsh Regiment and was greeted by His Excellency the Govenor, Lord Martonmere in full summer regalia. After HRH was introduced to a group of dignatories, the Governor and the Prince took their seats in the rear of the car, and off we headed to the City of Hamilton with Inspector Leslie Waddell in the front passenger seat as bodyguard.
A police motorcycle escort, led by Sgt Harold Moniz, set the pace, and I had been given strict instructions that the Royal car must keep up with the escort.
On the journey to Hamilton, the motorcade passed Francis Patton School. Children and teachers lined the roadside, enthusiastically waving flags and cheering. However, at the rather fast-speed set by the escort, they caught only a fleeting glimpse of our Royal visitor.
Prince Charles commented to the Governor in a tone of voice I could not fail to hear, that the car should slow down when passing groups of children. When the motorcade approached Saltus Cavendish School, the only other school on the route into Hamilton, I obeyed the Prince's wishes and eased back - much to Sgt Moniz's consternation.
On our arrival at City Hall, Sergeant Moniz severely admonished me for failing to keep pace with the escort and indicated I might be taken off the assignment – on my first day! I then explained my dilemma to him. Yes, I’d been instructed to keep up with the escort at all times but the son of the reigning monarch sitting in the back seat had made it perfectly clear that I should slow down when passing schoolchildren. Who should be obeyed?
Thereafter, the Royal car slowed for groups of onlookers although my doing so when passing Saltus Cavendish School had an unexpected and amusing result. Asked to write about their once-in-a-lifetime experience, Saltus pupils described how "the handsome Prince", in his white uniform, had DRIVEN his car past their school. Prince Charles and the Governor were, of course, sitting in the rear seat while I was at the wheel in white ceremonial uniform!
The Royal Visit ran smoothly and on the last day I had an audience at Government House with Prince Charles, who kindly thanked me for my service and presented me with the signed portrait shown here as a personal memento.
Over 50 years later, in May 2026 the former Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, made his first visit to Bermuda as monarch.
Someone who took particular interest in the King’s visit to Bermuda was former P.C. Philip Bermingham, who served here in the Bermuda Police from 1972-1979 during which time he worked in the Scenes of Crime of Ofiice where he took up photography. Phil went went on to a career as an internationally renowned portrait photographer. Over the years his subjects included presidents and prime ministers and a host of celebrities. In particular, Phil had been comissioned to photograph Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, and also Prince Charles who he had photographed on half a dozen previous occasions.
In Phil’s own words, “When I heard that The King was visiting Bermuda I contacted Governor Andrew Murdoch and asked if he could arrange for a session with the King during which I could take a casual relaxed portrait of him which I would give to the people of Bermuda in appreciation of the training and skill sets that I learned during my time as a police photographer. The Governor liked this idea and contacted the King who agreed and personally asked to be photographed with the Royal Poinciana tree he planted when he visited in 1970.”
The sitting took place during the King’s Royal Visit in May 2026 at a Celebration Garden Party held at Government House. By coincidence, I was invited to the Garden Party having driven the then Prince Charles some 56 years ago, and was provided with a name tag which included the words “Drove HRH during 1970 Visit”
Also in attendace were two members of my family, my daughter Joanna and grandson Eddie who were chosen to perform with a select group of musicians during the garden party.
It came as a complete surprise when I spotted Phil Bermingham, with camera at the ready, amongst the guests, and we got togeher and chatted about the good old days as police officers and what had brought us together that evening. I gathered that Phil was there to take photos of the Royal Visit and the King but had no idea of his special mission.
While we chatted, I had my dauighter take a photo of Phil and myself together, and Phil very kindly borrowed my mobile and took a quick photo of myself and family together with H.E. Governor Andrew Murdoch who informed me that the King had been briefed about my past connection with him in 1970.
I was supposed to introduce myself to His Majesty but there were several hundred guests present and unfortunately I never had the opportunity to do so, but at least I had my photograph taken by one of the world’s most renowned photographers!
