Prince William Breaks Royal Tradition With Address on Caribbean Tour Controversy

Prince William made a rare political statement on Sunday after finishing his eight-day royal tour of the Caribbean with his wife, Kate Middleton. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were met with protests during their visits to Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. In his comments, William said the royal family would support the citizens there deciding their own future. Protesters in each country called for independence from the British royal family and the couple was forced to cancel some events in Belize at the start of the tour due to protests over the U.K.’s role in colonialism there.

“Foreign tours are an opportunity to reflect. You learn so much. What is on the minds of Prime Ministers. The hopes and ambitions of school children. The day-to-day challenges faced by families and communities,” William wrote. “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. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries understanding more about the issues that matter most to them.”

Foreign tours are an opportunity to reflect. You learn so much. What is on the minds of Prime Ministers. The hopes and ambitions of school children. The day-to-day challenges faced by families and communities. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/HbTCc1IWQs

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 27, 2022

“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,” William’s statement continued. “It is why tours such as this reaffirm our desire to serve the people of the Commonwealth and to listen to communities around the world. Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family 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.”

Although Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas are independent, all three are members of the Commonwealth of Nations; a group made up mostly of former territories of the British Empire. Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas all have Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state. Throughout the tour, William recognized the criticism of this arrangement. “We support with pride and respect your decisions about your future. Relationships evolve. Friendship endures,” William said during a speech at the Governor General’s reception in Nassau Friday, notes Entertainment Tonight.

During a speech in Jamaica, William said he “strongly” agrees with his father Prince Charles’s remarks in Barbados last year about Britain’s role in the slave trade. “I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent, and it should never have happened,” William said during a dinner hosted by the Governor-General of Jamaica. “While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage, and fortitude.”

The royal tour was planned as part of Queen Elizabeth’s year-long celebration of her 70th year on the throne, but William and Kate faced protests throughout the tour. It came four months after Barbados successfully became a republic, cutting ties with the Queen but remaining a member of the Commonwealth. The first stop was in Belize, where some events were canceled because of “sensitive issues” with the Indian Creek community, Reuters reports.

Last week, The Independent reported that some Jamaican politicians have already started following in Barbados’ footsteps and removing the Queen as their head of state. Campaigners reportedly sent an open letter to William and Kate about their plans. However, some campaigners have little confidence they could transition to a republic soon since Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently joined the Queen’s Privy Council.