On Thursday, February 24th, it was officially announced that Belize would be one of three Commonwealth nations the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, and wife Kate Middleton will visit in their upcoming Caribbean tour starting March 19th. The Royal Highnesses are making these visits on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee. The other countries they will visit include Jamaica and the Bahamas.
Belize will be their first stop, where they will stay until March 22nd. According to an official note from the Government of Belize, the Duke and Duchess will have an opportunity to see Belize’s pioneering work in coral reef restoration. The royal couple will also visit the southern part of the country, visiting with Maya and Garifuna communities. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared via Twitter that they are excited to visit Belize and the other Caribbean countries next month. They can’t wait to meet the people of these countries and celebrate their local culture. Further details of their visit were not shared for security reasons. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Immigration coordinate the visit.
As per a release from the Kensington Palace Press Office in London, England, following the visit to Belize, the Duke and Duchess will then travel to Jamaica where their stay 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. Their tour will come to an end in the Bahamas, where they will spend time with communities across several islands and experience a world-famous junkanoo parade.
COVID-19 is also a component of the Duke and Duchess’s program. Their Royal Highnesses are keen to understand more about the pandemic’s impact across the Caribbean and how communities have pulled together to respond to the challenges they have faced.
The last time Belize hosted a member of the British Monarchy was in March 2012 when William’s brother Prince Harry visited. He also toured Jamaica and the Bahamas. That tour was part of the celebration commemorating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
