For the first time since the start of the pandemic, Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to undertake an official overseas visit together. On the trip they will travel and meet with the communities of three Caribbean countries. The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Belize are all Commonwealth realms—nations where Queen Elizabeth serves as monarch and head of state.
The Royal couple expressed their excitement for trip through the couple’s joint Twitter account earlier in the year. They wrote, ‘We are so excited to visit Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas next month as we mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.'
Kate Middleton and Prince William in Jamaica
This week on the the second leg of their tour, William and Kate have travelled to Jamaica for two nights. Activities 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.
William and Kate headed to Trench Town, the birthplace of reggae music in the heart of Kingston. This neighbourhood was also home to superstar Bob Marley.
They were guided around by Babsy Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Mark Golding, leader of the opposition and MP for Trenchtown and a vocal supporter of the campaign for reparations to be paid for slavery. Ahead of the royal visit he said he would be raising the issue with the second in line to the throne. There has been a mixed reaction to their arrival amid protests - there have been reports of 'cheers' and 'jeers.'
The royals also met some of Jamaica's top sports stars - they were even joined by England and Manchester City football star Raheem Sterling, whose parents are Jamaican, and Aston Villa player Leon Bailey. They also chatted with Jamaica's Olympic gold and silver medal-winning sprinters Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelley Ann Fraser-Price. Images of the Duke playing football with none other than Raheem has also made headlines.
Kate and William in Jamaica
1 of 6Kate and William's first stop in Jamaica
The Duke and Duchess meet with the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness and Dr Joy Spence.
2 of 6Kate and William meet the Jamaican community
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge shake hands with people during a visit to Trench Town. Trench town is a historic village and neighbourhood of superstar Bob Marley.
3 of 6Kate and William meet Jamaican sports stars
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meet The Jamaica National bobsleigh team during a visit to Trench Town,
4 of 6Prince William takes part
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge plays football as he visits Trench Town.
5 of 6The Duke and Duchess play some music
Kate Middleton and Prince William play music during a visit to Trench Town Culture Yard Museum.
6 of 6Kate and William at the Jamaica Defence Force
Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge smile as they attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme.
Kate Middleton and Prince William dance in Belize
This weekend the Duke and Duchess arrived at their first stop on the royal Caribbean tour - Belize. They were captured dancing with the local community upon arrival which is now going viral across social media. Watch the video for yourself here:
On the last night of their stay in Belize Prince William made an announcement. He stated, 'Ladies and gentleman, I am honoured to convert the warmest wishes from my grandmother, The Queen of Belize, on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee,' he said. 'She always speaks so fondly of her visits to Belize, which of course included a memorable stop here at Cahal Pech in 1994. And she may have mentioned something about a gibnut.'
The Duke also spoke fondly of his wife, saying: "Catherine and I have been deeply touched by the warm welcome Belizeans have given us. We only wish we could have stayed longer."
When does the royal tour of the Caribbean begin?
Their trip across the Caribbean Sea will be a seven-day venture, and will take place between 19 March to 26 March.
Where will Kate Middleton and Prince William go in the Caribbean?
The tour will start in Belieze on 19 March where according to the Kensington Palace, the Royal couple ‘will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community as well as exploring the country’s biodiversity.’ Visiting Belieze will be a walk down memory lane for William, who trained the Welsh Guards regiment there in 2000. Next in Jamaica, the pair will meet with the Jamaica Defence Force and celebrate up and coming musicians - including the seminal legacy of Bob Marley. The trip will end in the Bahamas where they will experience the ‘famous junkanoo parade,’ a street parade full of dancing and live music celebrating Bahamian culture.
What is the time difference in the Caribbean?
The Caribbean region, like Central America, has two time zones. UTC-5, observed in Central Time Zone and Eastern Time Zone, and UTC-4, used as Eastern Daylight Time and Standard Eastern Time Zone. Bahamas, and Jamaica are some of the countries that use UTC-5, while most eastern Caribbean countries use UTC-4. So, when the Duke and Duchess are in Bahamas and Jamaica, they are four hours behind us in the UK.
Where is Belize?
Belize is a Caribbean country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It borders Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. T Belize considers itself part of both the Caribbean and Central America.
What will the royal tour of the Caribbean entail?
The Royal Caribbean visit will also be a time for the Duke and Duchess to focus on causes close to their heart and themes connected to The Earthshot Prize, 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.'
What can we expect Kate Middleton to wear on the royal tour?
As with previous royal tours, we expect to see Kate wearing designs from local brands, as well as re-wearing items from previous royal tourdrobes.
Are there any other royal tours happening?
In April, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, will also visit other commonwealth countries in the Caribbean. They will visit Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines from 22 to 28 April. This is part of a larger plan of royal tours in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year. This includes visits by Prince Charles and Camilla to Ireland 23 to 25 March, and Princess Anne to Papua New Guinea 11 to 13 April.
The Royals' overseas visits will take place ahead of Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the UK, which will be celebrated across the first week of June. 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.
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