AMP in the post
The Caribbean tour is part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration and not everyone welcomed the couple with grace and open arms.
The visit is also designed to boost connections while republican sentiment simmers and it got off to a bumpy start due to perceptions of “colonialism.”
Royal Family News – Colonist Past In the Present
The royal couple intended to tour the Akte’iL Ha cacao farm in the foothills of the Maya mountains, an example of sustainable farming. But, according to the Daily Mail, “the village of Indian Creek has been in open conflict with Flora and Fauna International, a charity which owns an adjoining, contested property. William has been FFI’s patron since 2020, the latest in a line of royals stretching back to George VI.”
As a result, “Villagers are involved in a highly emotional fight against the state and FFI, which works to protect ecosystems worldwide, over the rights to lands lost in the colonial era.”
AMP in the post
Apparently the indigenous Q’eqchi Maya people say they were not asked about William and Kate’s visit and so they held a protest the day before their arrival.
Despite the bruhaha, the gracious couple smiled as they descended their RAF Voyager jet, Kate in a gorgeous blue outfit and William in a coordinating light-blue suit. They were given a 21-gun salute and William then inspected a guard of honor.
The couple were greeted on the tarmac by Governor-General Froyla Tzalam and later met with Belizean Prime Minister Johnny Briceno.
Royal Family News – William And Kate Land In Belize
AMP in the post
The couple are on an eight-day tour that includes Jamaica and the Bahamas. Their entourage of 15, includes a hairdresser, private secretaries and press team.
As the protest showed, the good will once enjoyed by the royals is stretched thin in some places. In January, Barbados formally removed the queen as its head of state. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said he plans to follow suit, leaving William and Kate in a potentially awkward situation.
William was in Belize 20 years ago as part of his Army jungle training in the Army. A Palace spokesman said the tour would be, “a trip down memory lane,” for the Duke.
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with the royal family. Come back here often for royal family news and updates.