Kate Middleton is still feeling the effects of her and husband Prince William’s recent – and somewhat controversial – eight-day Caribbean tour, which saw them visit Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. During their tour – their first one since the start of the pandemic – they faced criticism for the royal family’s past link to slavery and colonization, which Prince William briefly touched upon in a speech during the tour. Both Belize and Jamaica have recently announced their plans to remove The Queen as their head of state, following in the footsteps of Barbados who made the decision to become a republic at the end of last year. Prior to Barbados, Mauritius was the last nation to remove The Queen as head of state, which it did back in 1992.
Interestingly, Prince William referenced Belize and Jamaica’s intentions in a statement when he and his wife returned, almost giving his blessing for their decisions. “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,” the Duke of Cambridge’s statement began. “But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them.” He also said that who Commonwealth countries choose to lead in the future “isn’t what is on my mind. What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can.”
Royal correspondent Christina Garibaldi said that both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been "overwhelmed with remorse" since returning from their "eye-opening" Caribbean tour. "Prince William and Kate's first tour since the start of the pandemic was met with political friction and left the couple feeling remorse," Garibaldi told US Weekly.
"The couple were looking forward to travelling to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas but it was certainly more challenging than expected given the protests. They obviously knew the history but being there during the protest was a real eye-opener."
"The couple were met by protests and an open letter in Jamaica which called for the Royal Family and the British government to apologize and pay reparations for subjecting the island to colonial rule and slavery," she concluded.
Another source told the pub: "The Cambridges are overwhelmed with remorse, they can't change what has happened in the past so they are focusing on the future by working closely with former colonies and members of the Commonwealth to strengthen their relationship that will go further than the tour. Obviously, William and Kate want the former colonies to remain part of the Commonwealth but will support whatever decision they make, including becoming independent. Regardless of the outcome, we'll be seeing William and Kate take on additional overseas humanitarian work including the Caribbean Islands."
