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The start of Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s royal tour in the Caribbean was marred by controversy after protests about colonialism forced the couple to cancel their first stop in Belize.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will no longer visit a cacao farm in Belize as planned, the country’s government said in a statement Friday. The stop was scrapped because of local opposition.
According to local reports, a protest was staged on Friday opposing the royal visit to Akte ‘il Ha cacao farm in Indian Creek village in the foothills of the Maya Mountains. Belize news outlet Channel 7 reported that there is a dispute between village residents and Flora and Fauna International, a conservation charity William supports as patron.
The royal couple’s Kensington Palace office said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “due to sensitive issues involving the community in Indian Creek, the visit has been moved to a different location.”
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Artist Alex Sanker, 51, paints a picture of Britain’s Prince William and his wife Catherine, in a street of Belize City, on March 18, 2022, the day ahead of their visit.
(JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP)
The government of Belize said “another venue has been selected to showcase Maya family entrepreneurship in the cacao industry.”
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There were also concerns over the plan to land the couple’s helicopter on a local football field, according to reports.
The couple, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, also are due to visit Jamaica, where they are due to celebrate the legacy of Bob Marley and island’s rich musical and sporting heritage. They will end the trip in the Bahamas, where they’ll compete in a sailing regatta in honor of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The trip, taken at the behest of William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, is intended to strengthen the U.K.’s ties with Commonwealth countries as the queen marks 70 years on the throne.
Although the queen is highly regarded across the region, Britain is accused by many of — at best — a callous attitude towards its former colonies. That feeling has been heightened by the U.K.’s treatment of many Caribbean immigrants who came to Britain after World War II, helping to rebuild a war-shattered country.
In recent years, some people from the Caribbean who had lived legally in Britain for decades were denied housing, jobs or medical treatment, and in some cases deported, because they didn’t have paperwork to prove their status. The British government has apologized and agreed to pay compensation, but the scandal has caused deep anger, both in the U.K. and in the Caribbean.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the 1st Battalion Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge at Mons Barracks on March 17, 2022 in Aldershot, England.
(Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, 95-year-old Elizabeth has stopped making international trips and has dramatically cut back on her public duties. She sometimes uses a walking stick, was ordered by her doctors to rest after spending a night in hospital in October and recently recovered from a bout of COVID-19.
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There are also questions over the future of the Commonwealth, an association of 54 nations, most of them former British colonies. A loose alliance of countries large and small — from vast India to tiny Tuvalu — held together by historic ties and respect for the queen, the organization has struggled to carve out a firm place on the world stage.
The survival of the Commonwealth owes much to the commitment of the queen, who has visited almost every member country, often multiple times. Some question whether the organization can continue once the queen is succeeded by Prince Charles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
