Search icon

News

22nd Mar 2022

Prince William and Kate face ‘unsettled few days’ during ‘controversial’ Royal tour

Kieran Galpin

‘If Harry was coming people would be reacting differently – but William… we don’t want him here’

As Prince William and Kate Middleton journey to Jamaica as part of their Caribbean tour, trials and tribulations lie ahead as the region grapples with its colonial history and the Royal family’s connections to the country’s past.

Good Morning Britain’s America correspondent Noel Phillips said that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would undoubtedly get a “warm welcome” from Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. However that isn’t to say it will be warm welcomes and hugs from everyone, as Phillips predicted an “unsettled few days” ahead for the Royals.

“You talk to people here on the island and they tell you that they no longer want to be associated with the British monarch,” he explained, drawing comparisons to Barbados which recently removed the Queen as its head of state. “The message is simple: you are not welcome here.”

In what Phillips describes as a “surreal moment,” Jamaica is having “its own Brexit moment.” The journalist also argues that as Will and Kate arrive, they will be plunged into a “divided” nation.

“The symbolism of the Queen is that of oppression,” one unnamed Jamaican told reporters – but another stipulates that he “loves the Queen.”

In an exclusive interview, the Countess of Wessex argued that the commonwealth is the Queen’s “life’s work” and that “she should be really proud of what she’s achieved.”

Jamaica’s “king of dancehall music,” Beenie Man, also commented on the situation, stating: “If Harry was coming people would be reacting differently – but William… we don’t want him here.

“We are just here, controlled by the British, ruled by the British,” he added.

Ahead of their visit, 100 leaders from the Jamaican community signed a letter condemning the Monarchy, reports ABC. 

“We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind,” it read.

Related links: