He added: “Harry has happy memories of Jamaica – we remember him ‘winning’ a dash against Usain Bolt – and clearly the couple felt at home.
“But it’s sending out a message that they support that country when they haven’t found the time to make a public show of support for the King and the Princess of Wales.
“They may have done so in private, but they are certainly not going out of their way to say they want a reconciliation and this appearance emphasises yet again the different world they now live in.”
Mr Dampier admitted that the royal stance on independence and referendums was always that it should be up to each country to decide if they want to remain affiliated with the monarchy or not.
But he said he felt it was a shame that Barbados, a Caribbean neighbour of Jamaica’s, chose to remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state in 2021, so close to the end of her life.
The ceremony marking the swearing in of Dame Sandra Mason as the president of Barbados, replacing the late Queen as head of state, was attended by then-Prince Charles as guest of honour to demonstrate the mutual respect between the two nations.
A source close to the Queen at the time said: “The Queen knows the world changes and moves on, Barbados is a symbol of that and she rolls with it. But there will be a tinge of reflection and sadness, as it is severing another link with the past.”
Mr Holness has said that now is a good time for his country to reconsider the monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth, as he explained: “I think there was always a strong love and respect for the Queen in Jamaica. The appropriate time to do it would have been on a transition.
“The truth is the recent polls have shown there is a tendency towards Jamaica becoming a republic. So over time the position has evolved.”
