Ana Tuiketei, a recipient of the prestigious King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) PhD Award met with the King Charles III twice, both at the Commonwealth Day reception held at St James Palace and at the Hampton court Palace.
A Fiji National University (FNU) PhD student has described a defining moment in her academic journey after meeting His Royal highness King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London, an experience that has further strengthened her commitment to research and development for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Ana Tuiketei, a recipient of the prestigious King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) PhD Award under the Association of Commonwealth Universities, participated in Commonwealth Week in March 2026, where she had the honour of meeting the King and Queen.
Tuiketei, a prominent international arbitrator said the opportunity to engage with global leaders and fellow scholars has significantly inspired her PhD pursuit.
She attended the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, hosted by the Royal Commonwealth Society, where citizens from across the Commonwealth contributed through music, dance, readings and reflections. The 2026 theme, “Unlocking Opportunities Together For A Prosperous Commonwealth”, highlighted the importance of empowering communities, particularly young people, across member nations.
“For me the reflections by four women speakers (including former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell) was powerful as they had a common message of hope, more equitable access and collaboration within the Commonwealth,” Tuiketei shared.
“To meet His Majesty King Charles III for the first time and to be introduced as a Kings Fellow to His Majesty was a proud moment for me, because he was not only encouraging in my PhD pursuit, he was curious in how my research would impact SIDS & the Commonwealth as a whole; and how it supports long-term sustainable development. I also had the honour of meeting Her Majesty Queen Camilla and I sensed both their appreciation for SIDs countries. We all met in London and together we attended various events with such excitement.”
Ana Tuiketei with the colleagues at an ACU hosted reception at the Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific institution, founded in 1660.
The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme, inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, aims to strengthen research and academic capacity across Commonwealth SIDS, supporting scholars like Tuiketei to address pressing global challenges.
Tuiketei summarissed her week with one word ‘Gratitude’ stating the participation sparked inspiration and impact having to also attend a webinar organised by the ACU Policy Team titled, “From Research to Resilience: Commonwealth Doctoral Research Shaping Climate and Health”.
“My colleagues and I addressed practical solutions for both decision makers and academics within SIDS to address the specific SIDS climate challenges including, inequality, environmental resilience and financial sustainability whilst promoting climate resilience,” she explained.
Ana Tuiketei met with Queen Camilla in London during at the Commonwealth Day reception held at the St James Palace.
During her visit, Tuiketei also attended a reception at the Royal Society, where she connected with global researchers, partners and supporters of the KCFP initiative.
“The reception allowed us to network with supporters, finders, KCFP partners, and researchers to also explore other practical collaborative opportunities to build and grow the programme. It was also an honour to have a tour at the Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific institution, founded in 1660. I had goosebumps opening the Charter Book and seeing the handwritten signatures from 1665 featuring fellows like Newtown, Darwin, Queen Victoria and others that made a difference in science globally,” she stated.
Her PhD scholarship is undertaken in collaboration with the University of London, specifically the Development Studies Department, SOAS University of London, where she engaged with her co-supervisor during her visit. SOAS University of London has been named the second-best University in the world for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
“I visited Prof. Tom in Brighton, and we were able to connect, meet regarding my PhD research, explore the vibrant seaside city, and plan for 2026. I am so blessed to have great supervisors for my research,” she said.
Ana Tuiketei at the roundtable discussion co-hosted by ACU and Octopus Energy –this event was organised by Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), founded by King Charles III this week where “hundreds of global CEOs, international delegations and innovators” with the goal of accelerating the transition to a sustainable global economy met in one location.
Tuiketei also presented at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Commonwealth at the Palace of Westminster, highlighting the role of education, skills and mobility in strengthening economic resilience across the Commonwealth.
“This was also my first time to visit the House of Commons Chamber, House of Lords Chamber, Central Lobby, Westminster Hall, Royal Gallery, and to listen to the Commonwealth Day debate led by Adam Jogee MP,” she said.
She further participated in a roundtable co-hosted by ACU and Octopus Energy, focusing on enhancing collaboration between the private sector, academia and governments to accelerate climate resilience solutions for SIDS.
“ACU co-hosted roundtable with Octopus Energy on how we can better leverage private sector-academia-government collaboration to accelerate climate resilience solutions for SIDS. The setting I found to be beautiful, and the ceiling was so distracting as I was admiring the 500-year-old art.”
Reflecting on her experience, Tuiketei emphasised the importance of continued support for SIDS research and innovation.
“I am grateful through ACU supporting our research, as we from SIDS can give value to a defenceless system; we are able to use the torch of education & mobility to shed a light into needed research; we are empowered to answer the call of ‘Leaving No one Behind’ by addressing climate change inequities. That includes our future generations. I come back home to Fiji more inspired than when I left.”
ENDS