Royal news live: Samoa hotel set to host King Charles in ‘rush to upgrade’ while Prince Harry in Invictus blow

A Samoa hotel set to host King Charles for his Commonwealth tour is in a rush to upgrade its eco-lodges ahead of the Royal Visit.

The hotel, which is said to be four and a half stars, has secured £85,000 in government funding to upgrade its premises ahead of the King and Queen’s visit in October.

Buckingham Palace confirmed last week the King would be travelling to Australia and Samoa. Initial plans to visit New Zealand and Fiji were cut short on doctors’ advice following His Majestsy’s cancer diagnosis.

Recent reviews of the Samoa hotel, reported by The Telegraph, are mixed with some visitors claiming facilities were “run down and falling apart” or with dated fixtures and fittings and “musty” bed linen.

According to The Sunday Times, the Samoa Hotel has private villas and a tree-lined swimming pool and has a focus on sustainability.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has suffered a fresh Invictus Games blow in the wake of the Pat Tillman Award controversy after the foundation’s chief executive announced his departure.

Dominic Reid, who has been credited with helping the foundation’s growth globally, stepped down from Invictus after 10 years and six games across three continents.