The Princess and Princess of Wales embarked on their official tour of the Caribbean in March 2022. They visited Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas during an eight-day trip to mark the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Almost immediately, the royal visit became shrouded in controversy, with protests and calls for reparations often overshadowing the couple’s outings, and, as Professor Maclaran noted, the tour was largely deemed as a “PR disaster”.
Their trip marked the first time William and Kate had faced significant backlash on an official tour. It also pulled the focus to republican sentiment bubbling in the Commonwealth realms, with some expected to break ties with the monarchy in the near future.
In an unprecedented address to mark the end of the tour, the Prince of Wales reflected on the future governance of the Caribbean countries. “I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. In Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon,” he said.
“Catherine and I are committed to service. For us, that’s not telling people what to do. It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have.”
