royal tour of the caribbean 2022

Prince William and Kate Announce a Major Caribbean Tour

The Cambridges will spend a week in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Belize in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to undertake an official overseas visit together. Prince William and Kate Middleton will visit Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, on a week-long tour in late March. This will be their first official visit to the Caribbean.

The tour will begin in Belize on March 19 and end in Jamaica on March 26. Per Kensington Palace, in Belize, the Cambridges "will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community as well as exploring the country’s biodiversity." In Jamaica, they will meet with the Jamaica Defence Force and celebrate Jamaican musicians, and in the Bahamas, they will travel across numerous islands are experience a "famous junkanoo parade," a street parade celebrating Bahamian culture.

The Caribbean visit will focus on causes that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge care about, including mental health and early childhood education. According to Kensington Palace, "Their Royal Highnesses are keen to understand more about the impact that the pandemic has had across the Caribbean, and how communities have pulled together to respond to the challenges they have faced."

In April, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, will undertake a visit to other commonwealth countries in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. This is part of a larger plan of royal tours in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year—including a visit of Prince Charles and Camilla to Ireland and Princess Anne to Papua New Guinea.

Barbados severed ties with the British monarchy in November 2021, becoming a republic after almost 400 years of various forms of British rule—Prince Charles attended the ceremony . In the wake of that decision, the debate over whether or not to remove the Queen as head of state has reignited across many Commonwealth realms. And it's not just Caribbean nations— polling in Australia and Canada shows removing the Queen as head of state is popular.

Calls for Jamaica to become a republic especially intensified after Barbados left the Commonwealth. Jamaica's prime minister Andrew Holness declared in December 2021 that "Jamaica has to become a republic." Holness added , "We have put together a plan to move towards that in a way that is meaningful and substantial in function and form. That is what we are going to do."

Belize's leader, too, has spoken about the need for a change in government structure. Prime Minister John Briceño said in July 2021: "Probably one of the things we will be talking about in the near future [is] whether we want to stay with the parliamentary system, or do we want to go to a republican system, or find a hybrid between a parliamentary system and a republican system?"

The last senior royal to visit the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Belize was Prince Harry in 2012 as part of a Diamond Jubilee Tour. In addition, Princess Anne visited Jamaica and the Bahamas in 2015 and Prince Edward and Sophie visited the Bahamas in 2016.

Last summer, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle acknowledged the "uncomfortable" history of the Commonwealth in conversation with youth leaders involved in the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

"When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past," Prince Harry said, urging the United Kingdom to work to "right the wrongs" of its colonial history.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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Kate Middleton and Prince William's Caribbean Royal Tour Details Revealed!

The couple will set off on their eight-day tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas this weekend

Kate Middleton and Prince William are following in Queen Elizabeth 's footsteps with their upcoming tour of the Caribbean.

During the couple's eight-day tour, which kicks off on Saturday, the couple will visit Jamaica, echoing the Queen's first visit to the island country when she was a new Queen almost 70 years ago.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour will start in Belize on Saturday. They will stay for three nights and then move on to Jamaica on March 22, followed by the Bahamas from March 24 to the 26th.

The tour — their first joint official overseas tour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — is being conducted on behalf of William's grandmother the Queen and will see them bringing sentiments from the monarch to the people of the Caribbean, a royal source says.

And the Queen will be watching with interest from her home at Windsor Castle. William has been talking with his grandmother about their upcoming trip, and she's shared some of her memories of visiting the Caribbean countries, a source confirms.

As they embark on their international tour, the couple's thoughts are also with the people of Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine was very much front of mind for the couple and their staff as they planned the tour — especially as they made a visit to the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in London last week.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their staff are keeping a close eye on developments in Ukraine and will make adjustments to their tour schedule accordingly if the situation warrants it, PEOPLE understands.

As the tour begins in Belize, William will "take a trip down memory lane," as the palace puts it, when he takes Kate to see an army training unit in the jungle, where he spent a period of time alongside the Welsh Guards when he was in the army.

During their visit to the Bahamas, the competitive couple will take part in The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta at the Royal Sailing Club in Nassau, a place — and a sport — that was close to the heart of William's late grandfather Prince Philip .

The couple will also champion some of their favorite causes. Zeroing in on environmental issues, they will visit one of William's Earthshot Prize winners, Coral Vita, on Grand Bahama Island, and see their ground-breaking ideas for restoring and preserving reefs . It will be the first time that the couple has visited an Earthshot finalist.

Kate will bring the work on behalf of early childhood development to Jamaica when they head to Shortwood Teacher's College, where they hope to highlight the country's work on behalf of children. The college conducts research in the field and trains students to become early childhood education practitioners. It is the second time that Kate has brought the work of her R oyal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood abroad, after her trip to Denmark last month.

In Jamaica, William and Kate are set to celebrate the "seminal legacy of Bob Marley," the palace says.

"These are three countries with which Her Majesty has had an extremely warm relationship following multiple visits throughout her reign," a palace spokeswoman says. "Those trips have helped to provide inspiration for many of the engagements that Their Royal Highnesses will carry out during their tour."

"As well as thanking the people of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas for their support, across this eight-day tour, the Duke and Duchess's program will focus on celebrating the rich cultures that are unique to these three countries," the spokeswoman adds.

There will also be glittering evening receptions in each country — though no tiaras for Kate — as the couple meet prominent locals and take part in community markets, such as the quintessentially Bahamian "Fish Fry." The Duke and Duchess will meet vendors who will be preparing local cuisine, including a conch salad.

The couple hopes to "meet as many local people as possible," the spokeswoman shares. "Over the course of their time in the Caribbean, Their Royal Highnesses will meet a wide variety of groups, including children, young people and families, frontline workers, service personnel, leaders from government, business and the charity sector as well as inspiring conservationists and early years professionals."

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The trip through the Bahamas will also take them to see the effects of climate change on the fragile eco-system and extreme weather. They'll see firsthand how people in Abaco coped in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

On Monday, the royal couple joined Prince Charles , Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Queen Elizabeth 's cousin Princess Alexandra at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

Related Articles

Prince William and Kate Middleton Will Set Off on Caribbean Royal Tour

The pair have taken inspiration from Queen Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip's previous tours.

Prince William and Duchess Kate will embark on a Caribbean tour this weekend.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's eight-day tour will include visits to Belize, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, conducted on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. In addition to marking Will and Kate's first joint official overseas tour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the visit to Jamaica echos the monarch's first visit to Jamaica when she was a new queen 70 years ago.

"These are three countries with which Her Majesty has had an extremely warm relationship following multiple visits throughout her reign," a palace spokeswoman says. "Those trips have helped to provide inspiration for many of the engagements that Their Royal Highnesses will carry out during their tour."

"As well as thanking the people of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas for their support, across this eight-day tour, the Duke and Duchess's program will focus on celebrating the rich cultures that are unique to these three countries," the spokeswoman adds.

The Belize portion of the tour has had a recent schedule change, with the duke and duchess canceling one of their first outings . The pair will skip a planned visit to a cocoa farm in on the foothills of the country's Maya Mountains Sunday, after Indian Creek villagers staged a protest Saturday regarding colonialism and the use of a football field by the royals for landing their helicopter.

"Indian Creek was one of several sites being considered. Due to issues in the village, the Government of Belize activated its contingency planning and another venue has been selected to showcase Maya family entrepreneurship in the cacao industry," the Government of Belize said in a statement to People . Per the outlet, Kensington Palace declined to comment.

After three nights in Belize, the couple will continue to Jamaica, where they will celebrate the "seminal legacy of Bob Marley," per the palace. They will then head to the Bahamas to take part in The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta at the Royal Sailing Club in Nassau. The club was close to the heart of the late Prince Philip, who was a Honorary Commodore then Honorary Life Member of the sailing club.

Both Prince William and Duchess Kate will also take time to champion their causes on the trip. On Grand Bahama Island, the couple will meet with Earthshot Prize winner Coral Vita, and see the organization's ground-breaking ideas for restoring and preserving reefs. The visit will be their first time visiting an Earthshot finalist, after the inaugural ceremony last October.

They are also set to visit Jamaica's Shortwood Teacher's College, which conducts research in the field and trains students to become early childhood education practitioners. The visit will mark the second time that Kate has brought the work of her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood abroad, after her visit to Denmark last month.

Quinci LeGardye is an LA-based freelance writer who covers culture, politics, and mental health through a Black feminist lens. When she isn’t writing or checking Twitter, she’s probably watching the latest K-drama or giving a concert performance in her car.

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The best candid photos from Kate Middleton and Prince William's royal tour of the Caribbean

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on a royal tour of Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas.
• The tour marks Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.
• Candid photos show Prince William and Kate Middleton engaging in rare PDA and dancing with locals.

In a rare moment of PDA, Prince William placed his hand on Kate Middleton's shoulder while visiting the Laing Building in Belize City, Belize.

After disembarking from their plane, William and Middleton met with the prime minister of Belize, Johnny Briceño, and his wife, Rossana Briceño.

The couple whispered to each other while visiting a cacao farm.

They received a tour of the cacao farm and helped grind cacao seeds on a stone tool known as a ka'ah, Reuters reported .

Locals in the coastal town of Hopkins, Belize, pulled Middleton into a dance at a traditional Garifuna festival.

Hopkins is home to a traditional Afro-indigenous Garifuna community, according to Reuters .

She burst into laughter as she danced to the gunjei drum rhythm.

Middleton wore a Tory Burch smock dress with Stuart Weitzman wedges and blue statement earrings to the festivities, People magazine reported .

Prince William also got in on the fun.

After the Garifuna festival, William and Middleton planted a tree.

He gave his dance partner a spin.

"The Duke and Duchess were definitely getting into The Caribbean spirit today during a visit to the small town of Hopkins in #Belize ," royal photographer Chris Jackson wrote on Instagram .

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then visited the Caracol Mayan archaeological site in Belize's Chiquibul Forest.

The 3,000-year-old palace once served a community of around 200,000 people, archaeologist Allan Moore told the royal couple, according to People magazine .

In Jamaica, Prince William and Kate Middleton greeted ecstatic locals in Kingston.

One woman appeared particularly starstruck by the prince. Some locals have protested the royals' presence in Jamaica, however.

He joined a soccer game with students at Kingston College.

William and Middleton also met soccer players Raheem Sterling and Leon Bailey, People magazine reported .

He also sat in a bobsled during a meeting with Jamaica's Olympic bobsleigh team.

Middleton later joined William in the bobsleigh for a photo with the team.

Prince William and Kate Middleton played the drums at the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum, where Bob Marley used to live.

Kingston's Trench Town is known as the birthplace of reggae music.

They got caught in a tropical rainstorm in the Bahamas.

William and Middleton visited Sybil Strachan Primary School in Nassau, where Middleton spoke to students at an assembly.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal tour of the Caribbean confirmed by palace

The palace has also announced tours for charles and camilla, the wessexes and princess anne.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 's spring tour has been confirmed by Buckingham Palace.

Prince William , 39, and Kate, 40, will travel to Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas from 19 to 26 March. It comes after much speculation following the couple's representatives being spotted on Belize's largest island, Ambergris Caye, in January.

The Duke carried out a solo visit to Dubai in the UAE earlier this month, while the Duchess has just completed a two-day trip to Copenhagen in Denmark.

READ:  Prince William's important meeting revealed while Kate Middleton was in Denmark

WATCH: Royals' travel secrets revealed

Kensington Palace shared full details of the Cambridges' upcoming tour on Thursday revealing that the couple's visit will begin in Belize, where they will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community as well as exploring the country's biodiversity.

The Duke and Duchess will then travel to Jamaica where their visit will include engaging with the Jamaican Defence Force and celebrating the seminal legacy of Bob Marley and other ground-breaking Jamaican musicians alongside some of tomorrow's stars.

The Cambridges' last tour was to Ireland in March 2020

The trip will end in The Bahamas where William and Kate will spend time with communities across a number of islands and experience a world famous junkanoo parade.

In what will be their joint overseas tour since 2020, the Cambridges' itinerary will focus on themes connected to The Earthshot Prize, mental health and the importance of early childhood to lifelong outcomes. The couple  will meet a wide variety of groups, including children, young people and families, frontline workers, service personnel, leaders from government, business and the charity sector as well as inspiring conservationists, and the early years workforce.

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Charles and Camilla visited Jordan and Egypt last November

The palace also confirmed royal tours for other senior members of the royal family to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit the Republic of Ireland from 23 to 25 March, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex will travel to Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines from 22 to 28 April.

The Princess Royal is also set to visit Papua New Guinea from 11 to 13 April.

Travel restrictions during the pandemic saw the postponement of royal tours, with Prince Charles and Camilla carrying out their first major trip in almost two years to Jordan and Egypt in November 2021 .

The royals' overseas visits will take place ahead of Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the UK, including an event in Windsor from 12 to 15, in which 1000 performers and 500 horses will mark significant moments in royal history through a 90-minute performance that will include actors, musicians, and global equestrian displays.

Following that, the four-day Bank Holiday weekend from 2 to 5 June, will see a full-scale Trooping the Colour parade, a service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, the Platinum Party at the Palace and the Big Jubilee Lunch.

Like this story? Sign up to our special Queen’s Platinum Jubilee newsletter to get latest news, photos and videos related to Her Majesty's special milestone.

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Prince William and Kate’s Tour Was Meant to Secure the Monarchy in the Caribbean. Instead, It’s Raising New Questions About Its Future

T he British royal family is facing embarrassment on the international stage this week as protests disrupt Prince William and Kate Middleton’s tour of former British colonies in the Caribbean. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge began their week-long visit to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas March 19.

Officially, the trip was meant to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years on the throne. Many observers say the trip was meant to persuade the three countries to keep the Queen as head of state, and not to follow Barbados, which transitioned to a republic last November. But growing calls to cut formal ties with the Queen and campaigns for slavery reparations have ignited a reckoning with the region’s colonial past.

How is Prince William and Kate’s visit sparking controversy?

Prince William and Kate arrived in Jamaica, the second stop of their trip, on March 22. Only a day later, The Independent reported that the Jamaican government had begun the process of transitioning the island nation—which is the largest English speaking country in the Caribbean—to a republic.

The news arrived at a difficult moment for the royals. The day before the couple’s arrival in the country, one hundred Jamaican academics, politicians, and cultural figures signed an open letter calling for the royal family and British government to apologize and pay reparations for subjecting the island to colonial rule and slavery.

“We are of the view an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialization is necessary to begin a process of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation,” the letter said.

The letter’s consignatories describe Prince William and Kate as “direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the royal family…from the trafficking and enslavement of Africans”. In reference to the Queen’s Jubilee, the letter reads: “We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind.”

The group, called the Advocates Network, staged a protest March 22 outside the British High Commission in Kingston to coincide with the couple’s arrival. Demonstrators held banners reading “#SehYuhSorry and make REPARATIONS.”

The following day, Prince William stopped short of an apology, instead expressing “profound sorrow” for the “appalling atrocity of slavery” during an address to Jamaica’s prime minister March 23.

“Slavery was abhorrent and it never should have happened,” he said . “I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history.”

The Advocates Network issued a statement in response, calling the Prince’s words “unacceptable,” adding: “There was no responsibility taken! No call out of centuries of British bloody conquest and plunder.”

Events in Jamaica weren’t the only controversy for the couple on their tour. They canceled their first major engagement the day before touching down in Belize, the first stop on the trip. William and Kate were due to visit a cocoa farm March 20 but locals staged a protest against the visit, objecting to the couple’s plans to land their helicopter on a nearby football pitch without consultation, the Daily Mail reported .

The protests were part of a wider land dispute between indigenous communities and Flora and Fauna International (FFI), the conservation charity that William supports as patron. Locals allege that the charity controls their communal ancestral lands, lost in the colonial era, as “private property,” according to the report. Demonstrators carried banners reading ‘Prince William leave our land’ and ‘Colonial legacy of theft continues with Prince and FFI’.

Why is the Queen still head of state in 14 independent countries?

Queen Elizabeth II is not only the monarch of the U.K., but also of 14 other countries , including Canada, Australia, and Papua New Guinea, known as the Commonwealth realms. They are distinct from the Commonwealth of Nations , a group of 54 countries that were once part of the British Empire—the majority of which no longer recognize the Queen as sovereign.

The nations of the Commonwealth realms are constitutional monarchies—the Queen is a symbolic head of state but the countries are ruled by elected governments. The Queen is not involved in governing but she does still have some constitutional duties, such as approving new governments and legislation, which are carried out by a royal representative.

Although the Queen’s position in these nations is mostly symbolic, the U.K. government noted that the monarchy forms part of Britain’s outsized influence on the world.

In November, Barbados became the first country to remove the Queen as head of state since Mauritius in 1992. Dame Sandra Mason, the island’s governor-general since 2018, was named as president-elect of the nation. “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” she said .

Debates about abolishing the monarchy have rumbled on for decades in other Commonwealth realms. Both Australia and the Caribbean nation St. Vincent and the Grenadines held failed referendums on becoming republics, in 1999 and 2009 respectively. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Arden, told the Guardian in 2018 that she expected the country to transition to a republic in her lifetime.

According to Barbadian political analyst and pollster Peter Wickham, certain Commonwealth realms may struggle to relinquish the monarchy even if the public and government want it. Barbados was able to become a republic because its constitution allowed the government to take the decision independently. In countries like Jamaica, it can only happen through a referendum with a two-thirds majority. “I don’t believe it will ever happen because the referendum will be manipulated by political parties,” Wickham says, drawing comparisons with the divisions caused by the U.K.’s Brexit referendum.

Why do campaigners no longer want the Queen as head of state?

Although the Queen’s role in Commonwealth realms is largely symbolic, attitudes towards the royal family are varied and complex. Wickham says that although Elizabeth herself is quite popular in many Caribbean countries, she is perceived as “not really relevant.”

“We don’t have a problem with her or even monarchy as such,” he says. “Most of us think she’s all the way in England and there’s no reason why we should maintain her as head of state.”

Some believe that keeping the Queen as head of state undermines independence, and only serves to perpetuate colonial subservience. “Imagine being given independence, and then to be told as an adult nation, that the Queen still had a stake in Jamaica and that the island is not really free. It is still an infant colony,” Jamaican-born British writer and academic Dr. Velma McClymont told TIME.

Calls for republicanism have been growing in Jamaica, which celebrates its 60-year anniversary of independence from Britain this year. According to leader of the Jamaican opposition, Mark Golding, the killing of George Floyd in 2020 and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests reignited conversations around national identity in Jamaica, whose population is over 90% Black.

“There are strong feelings that the royal family should apologize for their involvement with the slave trade and the plantation system which our people went through for a few hundred years,” Golding tells TIME. “I think it would enhance the cohesiveness of the relationship going forward.”

Golding says that although William and Kate’s trip to Jamaica may have been more “fraught” than they expected, he hopes it was a revelatory experience for the couples at the center of the royal family’s future. “I hope that they will realize that a better future can be assured by some introspection and reflection on the past, and the role of the institution of which they are now key members.”

Further to an apology, many campaigners demand compensation for the centuries of human rights violations that still impact former colonies today. CARICOM, an intergovernmental organization of 15 Caribbean countries, unanimously passed a 10-point plan in 2014 calling on European countries to compensate former colonies for centuries of exploitation and slavery. The demands include a repatriation of the descendants of slaves and debt cancellation. The body, which includes Jamaica and Barbados, says that the subjugation of former colonies by European governments is “the primary cause of development failure in the Caribbean.” Golding agrees, attributing issues of economic and healthcare inequality in Jamaica to the legacy of colonialism.

“Today, Jamaicans are still struggling and relying on remittances from relatives abroad, McClymont says. “I’m 65 years old this year, and I’ve been sending remittances [from the U.K.] to rural Jamaicas since I was 17 years old.”

Another issue influencing public opinion in former British colonies is allegations of racism made by Meghan Markle, the first biracial woman to marry into the royal family.

“Suddenly, all of us who before didn’t really take much notice of the royal family began to see what was happening to Markle,” McClymont says. “She was vilified as a Black woman and no statement of support was made by the [royal] family.”

Markle’s allegations were so damaging the royal family was forced to respond. The Queen issued a statement calling them “concerning,” while Prince William defended the monarchy, saying, “We’re very much not a racist family.”

What does the future hold for the British monarchy around the world?

Despite a string of royal controversies in recent months—from Prince Andrew’s settlement in a sexual assault lawsuit to allegations of a cash-for-honors scandal at Prince Charles’ charity—public opinion of the Queen herself remains high. But the same may not be true of her heir. A poll conducted by Ipsos Mori of over 2,000 British adults found that the Queen, who in February tested positive for COVID-19 , is more than three times more popular than her immediate heir, Prince Charles.

Read more: Who’s Paying Prince Andrew’s $16 Million Settlement to Virginia Giuffre? What to Know About Royal Finances

Some royal observers have suggested that the Queen is investing in Prince William and Kate, aged 39 and 40 respectively, as future leaders of the royal family. The couple are twice as popular as Charles who, at 73, may not be on the throne as long as his mother. The Caribbean tour was a crucial test of the monarchy’s relevance in the modern era—the scale of the opposition William and Kate faced may well trouble the Queen.

Ultimately, however, Barbadian political analyst Wickham believes the future of the British monarchy outside the U.K. is less an issue of royal popularity than it is about countries’ national identity. “This is not about Queen Elizabeth herself. It’s not about an individual,” he says. “It’s really about us moving in a different direction.”

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Gaffes and Miscues Mar a Royal Tour of a Republic-Minded Caribbean

The trip by Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the duchess of Cambridge, dramatized how rapidly Queen Elizabeth II is losing her grip on distant dominions where she is still head of state.

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By Mark Landler

LONDON — In Belize, a visit to a cocoa farm was scotched after residents protested. In Jamaica, the prime minister declared his country was “moving on” from the British monarchy. In the Bahamas, the couple arrived to demands from a group calling for slavery reparations that they acknowledge Britain’s economy “was built on the backs of our ancestors.”

For Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge , it has been a turbulent tour of the Caribbean — one that has dramatized, through a pileup of gaffes and miscues, how rapidly Queen Elizabeth II is losing her grip on these distant dominions, even when she sends her most popular proxies.

Barbados cast off the queen as head of state last November, and Jamaica seems emboldened to follow suit, though it would require a referendum to amend the island’s constitution. William, second in line to the throne, got a taste of how the mood toward the monarchy has changed in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and a renewed call for reparations for Britain’s role in the slave trade.

“We intend to fulfill our true ambitions and destiny as an independent, developed, prosperous country,” Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, said on Wednesday as a po-faced William looked on.

On many stops of their tour, the couple was greeted warmly, even jubilantly. But even those encounters were marred by off-key images. During a military parade, William, resplendent in a white dress uniform, rode with his wife, also in white, in the same open-top Land Rover that carried the queen and Prince Philip in 1962. To some locals, it was a caricature of a colonial proconsul inspecting his troops.

In Trench Town, the Kingston neighborhood famous as the home of Bob Marley, the couple tried their hand at reggae and mixed with friendly crowds. But the enduring image of the stop was likely to be them touching the fingers of children stretched through a chain-link fence — the kind of public-relations gaffe that afflicts other members of the royal family but has rarely tarnished this couple.

The dissonance is about more than poor stagecraft, according to scholars and royal watchers. Sentiment toward the royal family has shifted perceptibly in the Caribbean since the killing of Black people by the police in the United States inflamed a long-simmering debate in Britain and its former colonies about the legacy of empire. Barbados’s decision to remove the queen was a tipping point.

“Barbados is seen as the conservative of the Caribbean,” said Richard Drayton, a professor of imperial history at Kings College London, who spent his childhood on the island. “So, when Barbados takes a step like this, it creates space for other Caribbean countries to move in that direction.”

Both major political parties in Jamaica support becoming a republic, though there are legal hurdles that make it more complicated than in Barbados. Guyana led an earlier wave of republicanism in the Caribbean, dissolving its ties to the queen in 1970. Trinidad and Tobago followed in 1976, and Dominica in 1978.

Elizabeth, 96 next month, remains head of state of 15 countries in the Commonwealth. While she has a reservoir of popularity in the Caribbean, particularly among older people, Professor Drayton said many were impatient for a public acknowledgment by the monarchy of its role in the slave trade, which was conducted under royal imprimatur by the Royal African Company in the 17th and 18th centuries.

William’s father, Prince Charles, spoke candidly about the stain of slavery when he was on hand for the ceremony at which Barbados became a republic. By all accounts, William went even further, though he stopped short of a formal apology.

“I want to express my profound sorrow,” he said at a dinner in Jamaica. “Slavery was abhorrent, and it should never have happened.”

Given the charged atmosphere, Professor Drayton said Buckingham Palace miscalculated by choreographing the couple’s visit as a traditional royal tour. The idea was to send William and Catherine, who are among the most popular royals in opinion polls, to represent the queen during her Platinum Jubilee (she stopped traveling overseas several years ago). Catherine, more commonly known as Kate, still got good reviews in the London tabloids.

“This is a very old strategy on the part of the royal household to cement its hold over the dominions, to make the charismatic presence of the crown visible,” he said. “The assumption they could simply send out members of the royal family to press the flesh and charm the crowds reflects a lack of clear thinking.”

The royal family has grappled with questions about race since last year, when the biracial, American-born wife of Prince Harry, Meghan, told Oprah Winfrey in a sensational television interview that a member of the family had expressed concerns about the color of their baby’s skin. Asked bluntly whether his family was racist, William said no.

While the Harry-and-Meghan show did not intrude on the William-and-Kate tropical tour, royal watchers said the repeated references to racial issues served as an illustration of what was lost when Harry and his wife gave up their royal duties and relocated to California. On a visit to Africa before the split, Meghan electrified crowds that had never seen a British duchess who looked like them.

“If this tour had been led by Harry and Meghan, it would probably have gone down a lot better than William and Kate,” said Ed Owens, a historian who has written about the relationship between the media and the monarchy. “Harry and Meghan were, if you like, the monarchy’s silver bullet, making it more palatable.”

Still, given the deeper historical trends, it is unlikely that even they would have kept the queen’s realm from shrinking further. Professor Drayton predicted Jamaica would be a republic in two years, possibly followed by Belize, though its situation was complicated by security concerns about its neighbor, Guatemala.

“The hesitations about doing this are now gone,” he said. “That particular ship has sailed.”

Mark Landler is the London bureau chief. In 27 years at The Times, he has been bureau chief in Hong Kong and Frankfurt, White House correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, European economic correspondent, and a business reporter in New York. More about Mark Landler

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Royal tour ‘in sharp opposition’ to needs of Caribbean people, says human rights group

Legacy of ‘colonial-era ideologies’ is condemned as community leaders demand reparations for imperialism

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent tour was in “sharp opposition to the needs and aspirations of the Caribbean people”, a human rights alliance from the region has said.

The British monarchy’s historic role in the slave trade continues to damage the Caribbean’s society and economy, Jamaica’s Advocates Network said in an open letter published jointly with representatives from Belize and the Bahamas.

Repeating the call for reparations to be paid by the UK government, the alliance said: “We stand united in rejecting this so-called charm offensive tour of the Caribbean undertaken by William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which is in sharp opposition to the needs and aspirations of indigenous peoples and people of African descent in the Caribbean.

“We stand united in condemning Britain’s savagery in enslaving our ancestors, the coarse indecency of colonial exploitation, the brutality of its enforcers and the enduring legacies of impoverishment and colonial-era ideologies that have damaged and continue to damage our people, our society and our economy.”

It was a trip intended to repair relations between the monarchy and the Caribbean people, but Prince William and his wife faced fierce protests in Belize over a land dispute involving a charity of which the Duke is a patron.

The opposition came as the Jamaican prime minister said his country would be “moving on” to become a republic, while a government committee in the Bahamas called on the royals to issue “a full and formal apology for their crimes against humanity”.

William issued a statement after the trip – understood to have not been discussed with the Queen and Prince Charles first – in which he said the visit “had brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future”.

But Cristina Coc, leader of the Maya community in southern Belize , criticised the duke and duchess for not going beyond saying sorry.

“Before they ask us to heal, they must right the wrongs they have caused indigenous people and people of African heritage,” she said. “The powers and systems that continue to foster imperialism must acknowledge the harm done, not merely by an apology but by a true recognition of our inalienable human rights, land rights and true reparative justice.

“We will not continue to remain silent in the face of continued threats to our identity, dignity and agency while privileged royals travel around in desperation to maintain the legacy of colonies.”

Niambi Hall-Campbell, of the University of the Bahamas , lambasted the cost to taxpayers in the country to fund the royal tour.

She said: “Why are we being made to pay again? Why are we footing the bills for the benefit of a regime whose rise to greatness was fuelled by the enslavement, colonisation and degradation of the people of this land, when we should be the ones receiving payments?

“Several hundred thousand dollars in public resources and manpower were dedicated to accommodating the royal visit at a time when thousands of Bahamians are struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation.”

The duke is understood to have also raised questions about whether it would be appropriate for him to be head of the Commonwealth, since the role is not hereditary. In 2018, Commonwealth leaders formally announced that Charles would become the next head after the Queen.

Meanwhile, Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies and chair of the Caricom Reparation Committee, said it was an “embarrassment” that the Queen continues as head of state to a number of Caribbean countries.

He said: “It is now today, at this time to us, an embarrassment, that we should have a head of state who does not live among us, who does not understand the lives and the pain and suffering of the people who are her subjects, who cannot perform any role or functions among the people over who she presides and has to hire someone to do her work … because either she is too busy or unwilling, unable, cannot perform her duty as head of state and delegates that duty to someone else.

“These are part of the embarrassments of colonialism that we can no longer take.”

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William and Kate's Caribbean Tour: What went wrong?

• Duke of Cambridge
• Duchess of Cambridge
• Saturday 26 March 2022 at 12:31am

Royal Editor

ITV News Royal Editor reports on a Royal tour plagued by controversy and criticism

The Duchess of Cambridge joked that she and Prince William had brought the British weather with them to the Bahamas as they arrived at a school in a huge downpour on Friday.

But the weather has been the least of their problems.

They are spending two days in this Commonwealth Realm at the end of a week-long Caribbean tour that’s proved to be more than a little bumpy.

So what went wrong?

William and Kate would have expected some turbulence in Jamaica where there is a heated debate about reparations and slavery and about becoming a republic.

But the couple also suffered the ignominy of listening to a talk from the Jamaican Prime Minister in front of the cameras when he effectively said that he wants Jamaica to ditch the Queen as Head of State.

Then campaigners for becoming a republic said William and Kate were simply evoking images of the colonial past when the duke - in his military tropical uniform - rode on top of a Land Rover with the duchess.

There were protests over land rights in Belize at a cacao farm the Duke and Duchess were due visit.

And they were criticised – although in my opinion unfairly – after a picture showed William and Kate shaking hands with Jamaicans through a wire fence.

Given that Raheem Sterling had done the same – and it was simply a perimeter fence around a football pitch – it showed how context can be totally lost on social media (and they did a walkabout moments afterwards in the street – with no fences).

You can see why this Royal Tour has been far from straightforward.

But what is a straightforward royal tour now? And what place do they have in 2022 when members of the Royal Family, chosen by dint of birth, tour former colonies thousands of miles from home?

The truth is, things have changed since the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh toured the nations of the Commonwealth , when the Monarch was still travelling overseas.

I recall Prince Harry, more than once, looking distinctly uncomfortable as he was forced to sit in the VIP chair, the cameras trained on him, as he watched traditional ceremonies and dancing.

Perhaps it’s a moment to ask what these tours are for and what benefit they bring for either side.

Be in no doubt – the schools or projects or charities which have hosted William and Kate have considered it a great honour.

They’ve enjoyed the attention the visit brings, the support they have given and would have the royal visitors back in a flash.

The family who ran the cacao farm in Belize – which replaced the one with the protest – could not have been happier to host William and Kate and, through them, show the world what they do so well.

A Mayan temple deep in the Belizean jungle might well get the worldwide admiration it deserves after the Cambridges stopped by.

A school which focuses on the early years, was delighted that Kate, who focuses much of her work on the development of children aged 0-5, came to learn about their work, share her knowledge and make a speech to staff.

The barrier reef projects in The Bahamas and Belize would give much the same response about William’s work on these environmental issues.

But there have been moments too when the tour has looked like it belonged to an era most of the world left a long time ago.

“It looks like something from the 1800s”, one campaigner in Jamaica told me of William and Kate’s ride in the Land Rover.

Should William have acknowledged the republic debate and told his audience that he and his grandmother, The Queen, would support Jamaica, or Belize or The Bahamas (which she does) in whatever decision they choose to make about their constitutional futures.

In Jamaica, a country which saw the largest number of slaves in the British West Indies, some questioned the wisdom of William talking about the Windrush generation without acknowledging that, it too, was a stain on Britain’s more recent past.

And when the staff of the Royal Household is almost exclusively white (as I should point out was the media pack covering this tour and the military personnel flying us all around) it gives the impression that this institution has not moved on.

Since the Black Lives Matter campaign, and the pandemic, everyone is looking anew at our relationships with the past and how that impacts the present.

People might forgive The Queen for appearing out of date, or indulging herself on visits of memories of times gone by.

But she is nearly 96 years old and brings with her many, many years of accumulated respect and experience.

Newspapers will write about a “Tour de Farce”, they might call it a “tone-deaf tour”, but when William and Kate debrief this trip with their staff, they will need to examine why some things went wrong and what they can do differently.

Always nodding back to outdated traditions leaves the Monarchy open to the charge that the institution is out of date and backward-looking.

What is the point of royal tours in 2022?

Royal aides will need to find a way to reorientate these visits to Commonwealth countries and beyond, so that they focus overwhelmingly on the future and not the past.

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See All of Kate Middleton’s Outfits from Her 2022 Caribbean Tour

Kate middleton and prince william are on an eight-day tour of belize, jamaica and the bahamas to celebrate the queen's platinum jubilee.

Kate Middleton has mastered the art of giving high-fashion glam and expertly-styled, sporty-casual looks throughout her years in the royal family . Now, she’s showing off just how versatile her fashionable ways are with her 2022 Caribbean tour style.

The Duchess of Cambridge kicked off the first joint tour with Prince William since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with a week-long trip to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee year, which marks 70 years on the throne.

Arriving in Belize on March 19 in a blue skirt suit that pays homage to one of the colors on the country’s flag, Kate has kept her style appropriate for each activity and perfectly tropical for the locale. Below, we’re breaking down each look from Kate’s busy week.

To kick off the royal tour, Kate touched down in Belize sporting royal blue (the color of the country’s flag), in a lace skirt suit by Jenny Packham with matching blue clutch.

Dressed to Dance

On the couple’s first full day in Belize, Kate and William toured a family-run cacao farm , then visited the small village of Hopkins, considered to be cultural centre of the Garifuna community in Belize to experience their traditions . Kate kept things colorful and coordinated, in her printed blue Tory Burch cap-sleeve midi dress, worn with blue statement Sézane earrings and a woven Anya Hindmarch clutch. During the day she swapped between a pair of Stuart Weitzman wedges and Stella McCartney espadrille flats.

Outdoor Excursion

During a visit to see ancient Mayan ruins, Kate made sure to dress for the occasion in a practical (but still stylish) ensemble. She paired a white T-shirt with army green pants, a tan button-down shirt and combat boots for her outdoorsy day, which also included a stop to visit the British Army Training Support Unit (BATSUB) a jungle training facility used by British troops.

Pretty in Pink

To round out their final night in Belize, the couple attended a party hosted by the Governor-General of Belize and Prime Minister Johnny Briceño at the Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Kate went all out for the occasion, wearing a shimmery hot pink gown with flared cap-sleeves by The Vampire’s Wife.

Bye to Belize

Just like when she arrived in Belize wearing blue, she honored the other two colors of the country’s flag (red and white) as she boarded the plane to their next destination, in a belted red YSL jacket, wide-leg white pants, pointy-toe white Aquazzura pumps and a matching top-handle Mulberry handbag.

For the second leg of the royal tour, Kate arrived in Kingston, Jamaica in a sunny yellow midi dress with ruched bow at the shoulder, accessorized with a white clutch, statement earrings, plus the same Aquazzura heels she wore leaving Belize.

Vintage Find

For their first stop in Jamaica, William and Kate visited the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum where Bob Marley lived. They also met with soccer players from Jamaica’s Arnett Gardens and Boys’ Town teams and members of the country’s Olympic bobsledding team. During it all, Kate kept things colorful in a Willow Hilson Vintage dress from the ’50s, with a red, blue and yellow striped design, paired with beige slingback heels and drop earrings.

Pop of Orange

Kate continued wearing the bright colors she’s been sporting throughout the tour with her outfit to meet Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and his wife Juliet Holness. She wore a vibrant orange blouse under her white suit, accessorized with matching orange top-handle bag.

Glittering Gown

Kate arrived at a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica, Patrick Allen, in a sparkling green Jenny Packham ballgown with sheer, ruffle off-the-shoulder neckline and sparkling embellishments across the bodice and skirt. The green gown paid tribute to the color of the Jamaican flag.

Lady in Lace

The royals were front and center at the Commissioning Parade, honoring service members across the Caribbean who completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Programme, in two white looks. William wore the white uniform of the Blues and Royals cavalry regiment, and Kate chose a white lace short-sleeve Alexander McQueen dress with white pumps and Philip Treacy fascinator.

Departure Day

After arriving in Jamaica in yellow and leaving in green (she chose a cap-sleeve Emilia Wickstead dress with a hummingbird brooch, which the people of Jamaica gifted to the Queen when she visited in 2002), Kate honored the colors of the country’s flag in her own stylish way.

Flying in Style

Continuing to color coordinate, Kate matched the flag of the Bahamas in a teal Emilia Wickstead long-sleeve midi dress with wide neckline, paired with a coordinating clutch, when she arrived on the last leg of the Caribbean tour.

The Duchess didn’t let any rain dampen the day visiting a local school and a Junkanoo street festival in a mint green pleated dress, with white pumps and statement earrings.

On Your Marks

The couple attended the Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta, then got in on the action themselves, racing on two different boats. They were both dressed casually for the occasion, with Kate opting for a windbreaker jacket, khaki shorts and white sneakers.

topics: Kate Middleton , British Royal Family , Royal Fashion , kate middleton fashion , featured

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Prince Edward’s Caribbean tour ‘may be one of the region’s last royal visits’, author claims after protests

As the royal tour of eastern caribbean countries has progressed, so too have calls for reparatory justice from campaigners., article bookmarked.

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Prince Edward’s royal tour of Caribbean will be among the last to take place campaigners predict as their trip has been marked by anti-colonial protests and calls for slavery reparations.

The Earl of Wessex and his wife Sophie began a week-long tour of Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia last Friday in celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The couple’s scheduled trip to Grenada was cancelled at the last minute following advice from the country’s government and governor-general.

Though an official reason has not been disclosed, the abrupt change of plan comes hours after reports that Britain directly owned hundreds of enslaved Black people in Grenada during the 18th century.

As the tour has progressed, so too have calls for reparatory justice from campaigners across all three destinations on the itinerary – from open letters demanding reparations to outright monarchial objections on the streets.

By the end of the tour, more countries in the Caribbean had indicated a future desire to divorce the British monarchy – namely Antigua & Barbuda and Saint Kitts & Nevis – just as Jamaica and Belize had, following the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s accursed excursion in recent weeks.

Responding to the Wessexes’ trip, Philip Murphy, author of The Empire’s New Clothes: the Myth of the Commonwealth , said : “It’s now clear that William and Kate’s ill-fated Caribbean tour last month wasn’t an outlier caused by poor planning.

“This is now likely to be the pattern for royal visits to the region and I expect they’ll peter out; 2022 looks like being a pivotal year.”

On Wednesday, Edward and Sophie were met by a group of protesters before a trip to a cocoa plantation in Saint Lucia where people held banners reading “repatriation with reparations” and “Queen say sorry” while playing drums and chanting.

Shortly beforehand, the earl spoke to a road sweeper with a broom standing in front of the small crowd of Black people and joked “I hope you keep this lot in order” while pretending to wave the broom. This remark has been criticised as another “tone-deaf” gaffe.

Republic, a UK-based anti-monarchy pressure group, claimed Edward demonstrated a “contemptible lack of interest” in issues raised by Antigua’s prime minister during a meeting on Monday, in which the leader appealed to the Wessexes to use their “diplomatic influence” to help provide “reparatory justice” for Caribbean countries that were colonised by Britain.

The prince laughed in response and joked that he had not been taking notes during Gaston Browne’s remarks, so could not respond to all the points he had made – much to the disappointment of campaigners. The prime minister did not laugh at the comment.

During this meeting, Mr Browne also signalled the country’s intention to become a republic “at some point” in the future.

Ahead of their visit to Antigua & Barbuda, ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde, chairman of the nation’s Reparations Support Commission, published an open letter about reparations to the royal couple.

The protests followed similar demonstrations in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday , where some held signs saying “compensation now” and “Britain your debt is outstanding”.

The royals faced another high-profile cancellation in this country when its prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves, announced that he would not be receiving the couple because of an overseas medical appointment.

The couple were mocked for gifting the Saint Lucia prime minister Philip J Pierre with a signed photograph of themselves as a gift when kick-starting their visit to the island nation on Friday.

While it has previously been a custom for visiting royals to present world leaders with images of themselves during overseas visits, commentators slammed the gesture as “narcissistic’”, “tone-deaf” and “insulting”, particularly in the context of growing calls for slavery reparations. Some critics claimed that the present would “make a lovely ashtray”.

Commentator Shola Mos-Shogbamimu criticised the royal family and UK government for refusing to apologise for transatlantic slavery and pay reparations to the families of those who were held in captivity by white supremacist slavers.

“Whatever island they end up going to – the point is that the royal family is not ready to do the needful.

“What they’re trying to do with this tour is to recreate and bask in the glory of the British Empire, and these former colonised Caribbean nations are not having any of it,” she said.

“There are three things that need to be focused on, which the royal family and this government is not ready to: truth, reconciliation and justice. If they’re not ready to do that then what the heck are they going there for?”

In a strongly worded article published via Breadfruit News , solicitor Jomo Thomas Chambers gave a blistering assessment of the royal family’s relationship with its former colonies.

“We must not shake hands and smile with criminals. These colonial visitors should be made uncomfortable,” the piece, entitled “Mr Colonialism comes to town”, reads.

“This visit by Edward and Sophie must be the last of its kind to our country ... They must shudder at the thought of returning to these shores until they accede to our just demands to pay reparations for their brutal crimes against indigenous and African peoples.”

Mr Chambers, who is the former chair of the St Vincent & Grenadines Reparations Committee, continued: “The colonials organised and benefitted from the royal charter that allowed English slavers to travel to Africa and kidnap our ancestors.

“Edward and his wife Sophie should be reminded that they have stepped onto a crime scene at every turn.”

The National Council of St Vincent and the Grenadines said: “We as a community feel that the royal family and Buckingham Palace must rethink the future of royal tours following previous visits, given their involvement in the treatment of people of colour.”

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• King Charles III
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Prince William's parting nod to Bob Marley: Duke quotes Jamaican reggae legend as he addresses troops at military parade before he and Kate head off to airport for final leg of Caribbean tour in The Bahamas

• Prince William wears his Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals and proudly displays his military medals 
• Kate Middleton looks glamourous at the military parade in a white McQueen dress and Philip Treacy hat
• Royal couple will later travel in same open-top Land Rover that carried the Queen in 1966 and again in 1994
• William and Kate will later fly to The Bahamas where they will be greeted by prime minister Philip Davis

By Jack Wright and Mark Duell for MailOnline

Published: 10:52 EDT, 24 March 2022 | Updated: 18:37 EDT, 14 July 2022

View comments

Prince William today quoted Bob Marley as he spoke at a military parade in Jamaica on day six of his Caribbean tour with Kate Middleton, saying: 'You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.'

The Duke of Cambridge wore his white Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals and proudly displayed his military medals in Kingston, while the Duchess looked glamourous in a white McQueen dress and Philip Treacy hat.

The couple attended at the inaugural Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on the island nation for service personnel who have completed the Caribbean Military Academy's officer training programme.

And William said: 'You are graduating today as officers into an uncertain world. In your service ahead you will have to contend with climatic, geological, criminal and wider state and non-state threats to our collective safety, security and prosperity.

'Being asked to lead men and women through uncertainty and danger is daunting. "You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice". From here the onus is on you to grow into the leaders you have been taught about in textbooks, watched on your screens and witnessed in your instructors.'

William also quoted the Queen, continuing: 'Good leadership is hard to define, but it's easy to recognise in others. As Catherine and I visit Jamaica in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, I thought I might quote my grandmother on the subject.'

The Duke referred to her address to the United Nations General Assembly in 2010, in which she said: 'I know of no single formula for success, but over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal, and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration, to work together.'

Following today's parade, the Duke and Duchess travelled in the same open-top Land Rover that transported the Queen in 1966 and again in 1994.

Later this afternoon, the couple - whose children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are at home in London - will fly to The Bahamas where they will be greeted by prime minister Philip Davis. 

William and Kate have been visiting the Caribbean to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, but the trip has faced controversy and reignited republican calls in Jamaica for independence.

Jamaican government insiders criticised William for failing to apologise for Britain's historic role in the slave trade – despite calling the evil practice an 'appalling atrocity' and a 'stain on our history' during an address last night.

• Prince William and Kate Middleton: Timeline of a royal romance in photos 

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade in Jamaica today for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ride in Jamaica a vintage Land Rover used by Queen Elizabeth II in 1966 and again in 1994, as they leave a commissioning parade in Kingston on the sixth day of their Caribbean tour

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travel in an open-top Land Rover in Kingston, Jamaica, today for the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel, on what is day six of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen

Prince William and Kate Middleton bow their heads at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today dazzled in white at a military parade in Jamaica

Ben & Jerry's invites ice cream lovers to 'Free Cone Day'

The Duchess of Cambridge meets a newly commissioned officer as she attends the Commissioning Parade in Jamaica today

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel completing the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme

The Duke of Cambridge speaks today at the Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today travelled in Jamaica in the same open-top Land Rover that transported the Queen 

The Queen and Prince Philip travel in a similar Range Rover in Jamaica in 1953 as they are greeted by schoolchildren

The duke denounced slavery as 'abhorrent', saying 'it should never have happened' as he addressed the issue following days of protests calling for reparations from the royal family.

William expressed his 'profound sorrow' at the forced transportation of millions of people from Africa to the Caribbean and North America – a trade which British monarchs either supported or profited from during the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Speaking during his visit to Jamaica with Kate, he echoed the words of his father the Prince of Wales and went on to acknowledge Jamaica's 'pain'.

The Cambridges' tour of Belize, Jamaica and the forthcoming final leg in The Bahamas has prompted demonstrations and statements calling for an apology from the royal family. The future king did not say sorry, just as his father Charles had not during his trip to witness Barbados become a republic.

But he praised the Windrush generation of Caribbeans who arrived in the UK a few years after the Second World War to help rebuild the nation depleted by six years of conflict.

Prince William at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their royal tour today

Prince William wore his Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals and proudly displayed his military medals

Kate Middleton at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their royal tour today

Kate Middleton looked glamourous in a white dress and hat at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade

Prince William and Kate Middleton at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their royal tour today

The Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in all white at a Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean

Prince William and Kate Middleton at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade

Jamaica's prime minister Andrew Holness appeared to suggest his country may be the next country to break away from the monarchy, telling the Cambridges it was 'moving on' and intended to 'fulfil our true ambitions and destiny as an independent, developed, prosperous country'.

The Independent has reported the Jamaican government has already begun the process to transition to a republic, with an official appointed to oversee the work.

Speaking during a dinner hosted by the Queen's representative in Jamaica, Governor General Sir Patrick Linton Allen, the duke said: 'Anniversaries are also a moment for reflection, particularly this week with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.'

Commenting on the sentiment expressed by Charles when he attended the Barbados ceremony that saw it become a republic in November, he said: 'I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history.'

'I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent. And it should never have happened.

'While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude. The strength and shared sense of purpose of the Jamaican people, represented in your flag and motto, celebrate an invincible spirit.

Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean

Prince William arrives to attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel completing the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel completing the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their royal tour

'It is this same spirit that spurred on the Windrush generation, who came to the United Kingdom to help rebuild after the Second World War.

'We are forever grateful for the immense contribution that this generation and their descendants have made to British life, which continues to enrich and improve our society.'

Elizabeth I was involved with one of Britain's first slave traders, John Hawkins, while Charles II encouraged the expansion of the industry and with his brother the Duke of York, later James II, invested their private funds in the Royal African Company, which transported Africans across the Atlantic.

As the slavery abolitionists campaigned they were opposed by the Duke of Clarence, George III's son, later to become William IV.

The royal and the rest of the pro-slavery lobby would eventually lose the battle when William Wilberforce and other abolitionists succeeded in passing the bill banning the slave trade in 1807.

William delivered his speech on Wednesday and for the second day the Cambridges' presence in Jamaica prompted protests, with around a dozen members of Jamaica's Rastafarian community demanding reparations from the royal family when the couple visited a military event near Montego Bay.

Ras Iyah V, a leading member of Jamaica's Rastafari Nyahbinghi community, said: 'We are here to protest against any British monarchy descendant coming to Jamaica without being prepared to apologise for slavery and colonialism.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she attends the inaugural Commissioning Parade in Jamaica today

Soldiers marching as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade in Jamaica today

Kate Middleton at a Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of the royal tour of the Caribbean today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from in Jamaica today

'We can only forgive people who acknowledge that what they did was wrong and are willing to repair the breach of the wrongs they have committed.'

He added: 'And today the British monarchy has a lot of African artefacts in their possession – they still bathe in the wealth that was extracted out of the blood, sweat and tears and lives of our people and we have never been compensated for any form of enslavement.'

During his speech at the black tie event William affectionately paid tribute to the Queen, whose Platinum Jubilee is marked by the Cambridge's Caribbean tour: 'She may be my actual grandmother, but everyone counts her as their grandmother too.'

And he recognised the plight of Jamaicans caught up in the conflict in Ukraine: 'Catherine and I were deeply moved by the plight of the Jamaican students who have recently returned safely from Ukraine.

'Their experiences are a reminder of the terrifying toll and inequality of war and conflicts across the world, which we must never forget.'

Kate was dressed in a green gown by British designer Jenny Packham paired with earrings and a bracelet that were loaned by the Queen and wore the Royal Family Order and her Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order star.

Prince William's speech at military parade in Jamaica

A speech by The Duke of Cambridge at the Inaugural Commissioning Parade of the Caribbean Military Academy

Governor General, Prime Minister, Chief of Defence Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.

I am honoured to be here representing Her Majesty The Queen at the Caribbean Military Academy’s first Commissioning Parade for the Initial Officer Training Programme.

Congratulations to everyone on parade today.

I have stood to attention myself on many parades as you do now, proud of my accomplishments, yet also hoping that the Reviewing Officer keeps the speech short.

This is all the more important today as we bask in the glorious Jamaican sunshine!

You all stand before me as seventy-seven officer cadets: from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname and Uganda.

However you are here today as one unit.

You have formed friendships which will last a lifetime, and built a network of camaraderie and experience to call upon in the future.

I know very well from my own time at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst what a formative experience this year will have been.

Today you mark the successful completion of your training programme in the classrooms, on the parade squares and in the exercise areas.

But remember, this is just the beginning.

Because now the hard work really starts, as you join your units and assume command.

You are graduating today as officers into an uncertain world.

In your service ahead you will have to contend with climatic, geological, criminal and wider state and non-state threats to our collective safety, security and prosperity.

Being asked to lead men and women through uncertainty and danger is daunting.

‘You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice’.

From here the onus is on you to grow into the leaders you have been taught about in textbooks, watched on your screens and witnessed in your instructors.

Good leadership is hard to define, but it’s easy to recognise in others.

As Catherine and I visit Jamaica in celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, I thought I might quote my grandmother on the subject.

In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in 2010, she said:

‘I know of no single formula for success, but over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal, and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration, to work together.’

I think that’s a very good model to follow.

Let me also pay tribute today to the instructors and staff here at the Caribbean Military Academy for running this Initial Officer Training Programme.

Putting on this international course for the first time was never going to be easy.

And then you had to deliver it in the middle of a global pandemic.

You should all be incredibly proud of your achievement, and of the young officers turned out so smartly in front of us today.

I know how pleased the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is to have helped you establish this course, and it’s great to see the Commandant here today.

Your collective collaboration and success is a testament to the continuing excellent defence relationship between Jamaica and the United Kingdom.

And finally, I know how special it is to have your families join this celebration of your achievement.

So I would like to thank all the guests for travelling here today.

Were it not for your support and guidance, particularly given the additional challenges imposed by the pandemic, these cadets would not be here.

I know you are beaming with pride.

Congratulations again everyone.

My Fair Lady: Kate Middleton channels Eliza Doolittle in head-to-toe white as she wears a custom-made lace Alexander McQueen dress and Princess Diana's bracelet for final engagement in Jamaica

By Jessica Green For MailOnline

Kate Middleton has channelled My Fair Lady's Eliza Doolittle in head-to-toe white for her final engagement in Jamaica.

The Duchess of Cambridge , 40, appeared effortlessly elegant in a custom lace Alexander McQueen dress as she joined Prince William at the Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their tour of the Caribbean.

Kate looked every bit My Fair Lady in the ensemble, which was reminiscent of the frilly white gown sported by Cockney flower-seller Eliza Doolittle – played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1965 Hollywood musical - as she accompanies Professor Henry Higgins to Ascot. 

The royal mother-of-three teamed her ensemble today with a stunning pearl bracelet that belonged to Princess Diana , while carrying her essentials in a £395 Anya Hindmarch pearl-embellished satin clutch.  

She completed her look with a sophisticated hat featuring floral details and matching white high heels. 

Kate Middleton (pictured) has channelled My Fair Lady's Eliza Doolittle in head-to-toe white for her final engagement in Jamaica

The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured), 40, appeared effortlessly elegant in a lace Alexander McQueen dress as she joined Prince William at the Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade on day six of their tour of the Caribbean

Kate wore Princess Diana's bracelet (pictured). This isn't the first time the Duchess has opted to wear the piece, having worn it at a summer reception in Germany in 2017 and a G7 summit reception in June 2021

Adding even more glitz to her ensemble, Kate donned a pair of dainty pear earrings to match the bracelet that the late Princess Diana wore in 1989 (pictured) for an engagement in Hong Kong

Adding even more glitz to her ensemble, she donned a pair of dainty pear earrings to match the bracelet that the late Princess Diana wore in 1989 for an engagement in Hong Kong.

This isn't the first time the Duchess has opted to wear the piece, having worn it at a summer reception in Germany in 2017 and a G7 summit reception in June 2021.

Kate, with her hair pulled back, oozed elegance thanks to her radiant dress, which featured a cinched waist thanks to a white belt and a square neckline.

With statement shoulders, the midi-length dress boasted stunning lace detailing along the skirt and top.

Kate finished her look with a smattering of glamorous makeup, including a deep blush and pink lips.

Looking equally sophisticated for the military parade, Prince William wore his Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals and proudly displayed his military medals. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Jamaica Defence Force Commissioning Parade

Kate (pictured) looked every bit My Fair Lady in the ensemble, which was reminiscent of the frilly white gown sported by Cockney flower-seller Eliza Doolittle – played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1965 Hollywood musical - as she accompanies Professor Henry Higgins to Ascot

The royal mother-of-three (pictured) teamed her ensemble today with a stunning pearl bracelet that belonged to Princess Diana, while carrying her essentials in a £395 Anya Hindmarch pearl-embellished satin clutch

Kate (pictured), with her hair pulled back, oozed elegance thanks to her radiant dress, which featured a cinched waist thanks to a white belt and a square neckline

Share or comment on this article: Caribbean royal tour 2022: Prince William and Kate dazzle in white

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Vacation horror as ‘drunk’ son, 20, jumps from royal caribbean cruise in front of family.

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A cruise turned into a nightmare for people aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas when a young man jumped overboard shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday.

The 18-story ship was sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island when the as-yet-unidentified man jumped off one of the decks.

According to onlookers, his father and brother watched helplessly as he leaped over the side.

Some passengers said it appeared to be an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment decision. 

“I had hung out with him and his brother in the hot tub until 3:30,” passenger Bryan Sims tells The Post. ” It was standing room only. He sat right beside me the whole time.”

“He was pretty drunk,” Sims continues.

“As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.” “When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all.” 

“There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately,” another passenger,  Deborah Morrison, told The Post.

“His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”

“It was insane,” says Sims. “It was just surreal.” 

In a statement to The Post, Royal Caribbean said its crew immediately sprang into action following the incident.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search,” the statement reads.

“Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

News of the apparent suicide attempt quickly spread among the guests — and many of them tried to help in any way they could.

“The early morning was definitely somber as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person,” said Amy Phelps Fouse, a passenger on the ship.

“Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day,” Fouse continued. “They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation.”

Overboard incidents on cruise ships are rare.

According to the Washington Post , about 386 people were reported to have gone overboard on the major cruise lines between 2000 to 2020.

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The incidents, whether accidental or intentional, are often deadly.

In the past few years, most cruise lines have enacted onboard safety measures and surveillance systems to help reduce the risk of overboard deaths.

The Coast Guard confirmed to The Post it is still conducting a search and rescue operation in the waters off Cuba. The man has not yet been found.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to  SuicidePreventionLifeline.org .

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Travel alert: Royal Caribbean cancels cruises to this island

• Published: Apr. 25, 2024, 4:57 p.m.
• Alvin Buyinza | [email protected]

Royal Caribbean Cruises has canceled more stops at a popular private resort in Haiti due to safety issues.

Guests who booked on cruises in the summer and early fall are receiving notifications from Royal Caribbean that their cruises to Labadee, a private resort on the northern coast of Haiti, have been canceled, according to royalcaribbeanblog.com , a website that reports on the cruise line.

After Royal Caribbean started to cancel trips to Haiti in March due to civil unrest in Haiti, the cruise line started to cancel more cruises into September, royalcaribbeanblog.com reported. The Royal Caribbean had previously canceled visits to Labadee through the end of this May.

• Read More: Cruise line stops visits to popular Caribbean resort amid U.S. travel advisory

The private resort stop has since been replaced with another port or a day at sea, the royalcaribbeanblog.com reported. The cancellations affect ships such as Adventure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas.

The Royal Caribbean announced in March that it was suspending all calls to Labadee, according to cruiseindustrynews.com . The move came after the U.S. State Department announced a travel alert for people to not visit the country.

“The current security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous,” the U.S. State Department wrote in a press release in March. “We are aware that there are few or no commercial options to depart Haiti safely at this time. As they become available, we urge U.S. citizens to take advantage of them.”

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Meet the Norwegian-owned cruise challenger to Carnival and Royal Caribbean that just raised $1.54 billion

Viking had humble beginnings. 

The now-listed cruise company was once just a venture by “two guys with two mobile phones and four river ships,” as the company’s CEO Torstein Hagen puts it in Viking’s prospectus .

But a lot has changed in 27 years. Now, the Norwegian-owned, Bermuda-based business has a staff of 10,000 catering to guests with a taste for the finer things in life. 

The cruise operator, which made its name in European river tours, launched its initial public offering at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. It raised $1.54 billion , according to Reuters, making it the biggest listing in the U.S. this year. 

Viking rebounded strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated cruise travel and its public listing comes as luxury consumers are spending more on travel and personalization, and less on shopping. Some of Viking’s competitors, such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean, have seen record demand for cruises—opening a world of opportunity for the smaller company.    

Viking’s beginning

Viking was founded in 1997 by Hagen, who controls most of the company with his daughter, Karine Hagen.

From the start it aimed to give travelers an immersive experience in local cultures as they toured in one of its four river vessels. In the last three decades or so, Viking has expanded its fleet to 92 ships offering three types of experiences via rivers, oceans and expeditions.

The company has also benefited from some savvy marketing plays—it sponsored Masterpiece and Downton Abbey and offered themed trips linked to those shows. 

Between 2015 and 2023, Viking’s revenue grew at a compound annual rate of 14.4%, outpacing the rest of the cruise industry in the river and luxury ocean segments during this period, the company said in a public filing .

Viking has carved its strategic niche among older, well-off customers, a group it believes is “underserved.” These are not boozy party boats, and there are no kids allowed. 

“Our target demographic has greater financial stability, which can make them more resilient to economic conditions and more willing to invest in high-quality travel experiences,” Viking said. 

And that’s the space it hopes it can dominate, with the help of its IPO funds.

The Viking founder and road ahead

Hagen didn’t enter the world of cruises till the 1970s. 

A physics major in school, Hagen did his MBA at Harvard University before entering management consulting. He dabbled with entrepreneurship a few times before finally succeeding, Bloomberg reported .

When business for Viking’s river cruises, its first service, began to pick up, Hagen expanded to offer journeys worldwide—from expeditions in Antarctica to river cruises in Vietnam. 

Viking is on an expedition of its own now that its shares are traded. Last year, the cruise line hosted close to 650,000 guests and generated $4.7 billion in revenue, up by almost 50% from 2022. Its underlying profits were $1.1 billion for the same period, according to Viking's prospectus.

The cruise company is still much smaller than rivals like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. But it’s a global leader in some segments, such as luxury ocean cruises. 

Following a strong open, Viking’s market valuation is over $10 billion, putting Hagen’s wealth at $5 billion.

As the appetite for luxury travel builds , Viking is ready to ride the wave. 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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