King Charles III, on his first visit to Bermuda as monarch, officially opened a second Coast Guard station for the Royal Bermuda Regiment (RBR) in May that will result in faster, more efficient operations in that part of the British Overseas Territory. “Our response times will be cut down, and this gives us the capability to work with our sister agencies in close proximity,” said Maj. Jeffrey Patterson, the RBR Coast Guard commander.
Nearby residents welcomed Charles when he arrived at the Great Bay Coast Guard Station, St. David’s, on May 2, 2026, and the RBR Band and Corps of Drums performed for him. Charles later met with RBR junior leaders and presented medals to five Soldiers who had served at least 30 days in disaster relief, humanitarian assistance or other emergency operations.
Charles unveiled a plaque at the base that reads: “To commemorate the official opening of Great Bay Coast Guard Station St David’s (Royal Bermuda Regiment) by His Majesty King Charles III on 2 May 2026.” The RBR plans a phased opening for the east end station, which is expected to be operational this summer. It’s at the site of the former St. David’s Post Office.
The station will offer rapid response times for significant east end locations, such as fishing exclusion zones, the airport and eastern approaches to the island, which would take much longer to reach from the existing base at Scenic House on Boaz Island, Sandys. The RBR Coast Guard conducted about 1,100 patrols in 2025, performed 101 search and rescue operations, and supported the prosecution of seven illegal fishing cases that led to convictions, an RBR news release said.
On a tour of the station, Charles saw equipment used by RBR Coast Guard crews, including uncrewed aerial and underwater vehicles, and communications devices for divers. Pvt. Kyle Fisher showed Charles the operations room, where a bank of monitors displayed weather conditions, video from key locations and data from a ship automatic identification system. Fisher works part time for the Coast Guard and, as an electrical engineer in his civilian life, designed the electrical systems for the Great Bay station.
King Charles “asked if I got out on the water much, and I told him that I was on one of his escort vessels yesterday, which he was quite happy to hear about,” Fisher said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience getting to escort the king on the water, then to come here today, to meet him in person, shake his hand as well — which was amazing — I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Cpl. Jokiya Trott was one of three cousins in the group of Coast Guardsmen who received medals from Charles. Trott’s medal was for his service during multiple emergencies, including hurricanes Fay and Gonzalo and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was very special” getting the medal from the king, Trott said. “It helped to bring together everything, all the challenging times I’ve spent on operations. It makes me feel proud.”
The RBR and the United States military have had a strong partnership for decades. The regiment has conducted its annual camp at the U.S. Marines’ Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, since the 1970s, allowing access to expansive land for training and facilities unavailable in Bermuda.
In 2022, Bermuda, the United Kingdom and the U.S. signed an agreement that allowed for more joint operations and U.S. support for Bermuda during a crisis. That year, the U.S. Coast Guard initiated operations out of Bermuda on its Sentinel-class fast response cutters, conducting patrols with personnel from the RBR and other Bermuda agencies that targeted illegal fishing and drug smuggling in Bermuda’s exclusive economic zone.