William and Kate arrive in Jamaica: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge begin latest leg of royal tour

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Kate bid to woo Jamaica by wearing the yellow of the country’s flag as she and Prince William touched down in the face of protestors who say the couple should apologise for benefiting from the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ of the Caribbean people.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge greeted dignitaries and were met by members of the military as they touched down at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

The couple will celebrate the culture and history of the island during a two-day visit to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee before flying onto the Bahamas on Thursday.   

However, Jamaican human rights advocate Opal Adisa organised a protest outside the British High Commission building in Kingston hours before their arrival amid calls for the monarchy to pay reparations for slavery and human rights abuses.

The Advocates Network coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians has written an open letter detailing 60 reasons why the monarchy should compensate Jamaica to mark the country’s 60th anniversary of independence. 

Demonstrators were today pictured holding signs reading ‘Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales… not in Jamaica’ and ‘apologise’ while holding copies of the open letter.

Ms Adisa, a retired professor in her 60s, said: ‘Kate and William are beneficiaries, so they are, in fact, complicit because they are positioned to benefit specifically from our ancestors, and we’re not benefitting from our ancestors.

‘The luxury and the lifestyle that they have had and that they continue to have, traipsing all over the world for free with no expense, that is a result of my great, great grandmother and grandfather, their blood and tears and sweat.’

She joined calls for an apology, saying the monarchy should provide ‘economic social reparation’, such as ‘building us proper hospitals, providing and making sure that our children are educated through college level, and making sure land is equally distributed’.

Ms Adisa said an apology would be the ‘first step towards healing and reconciliation’.

She continued: ‘You know, we don’t have anything personally against Kate and Prince William, and even the Queen, for that matter, but we’re simply saying you’ve done wrong, and it is way past time that you admit that you’ve done wrong and when you do, redressing it.

‘The fact that our government is spending money to help provide security and finance for the duke and duchess, who are wealthy, is outrageous, it’s criminal.

‘Because the Caribbean is fed up, the same thing happened in Belize. We’re just saying enough is enough, we’ve been quiet, we have been nice.

‘Enough is enough, let’s deal with this racism and this discrimination.’ 

The protest began ahead of the Cambridges’ arrival in Jamaica on Tuesday, where they will stay until Thursday when they depart for the Bahamas. 

The open letter, quoted by The Independent newspaper, says: ‘We note with great concern your visit to our country Jamaica, during a period when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and bracing for the full impact of another global crisis associated with the Russian/Ukraine war.

‘Many Jamaicans are unaware of your visit as they struggle to cope with the horrendous fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, exacerbated by pre-existing social and economic hardships inherited from our colonial past.

‘We also note that your visit is part of the celebrations to mark the 70th Anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) of the coronation of your grandmother – and the 60th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence. 

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

Also today, dancehall musician Beenie Man – real name Anthony Moses Davis – said Jamaicans do not want Prince William to visit because they are still ‘controlled by the British’ and the royals are ‘not doing anything for us’. 

The Jamaican artist told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘We are just here, controlled by the British, ruled by the British law when you go in the court, it’s all about the Queen and the Queen serve and the Queen this and that.

‘But what are they doing for Jamaica? They’re not doing anything for us. If Harry was coming people would react different, people are going to meet Harry, but William… we don’t want to see that.’ 

Kate and William will arrive in Jamaica today on what is the next stop on their eight day tour of the Caribbean, and receive a official welcome into the country.  

They will then travel to King’s House for a meeting with the Governor General of Jamaica Sir Patrick Linton Allen and later celebrate the sporting and musical heritage of Jamaica. 

The Cambridges will stay in Jamaica until Thursday when they depart for the Bahamas. Opposition in Jamaica comes after the couple’s tour began in controversial circumstances in Belize. 

Kate and William were forced to pull out of their first major engagement following protests from villagers who were angry at being told they had to tidy up their football field to allow the couple’s helicopter to land in it so they could visit a nearby cocoa farm. They accused the visit of perpetuating colonialism.

The engagement was replaced with a visit to a chocolate producer before the royals travelled to the cultural centre of the Garifuna community in Hopkins. 

The demonstrators are involved in a long-running row with state officials over what they say was communal land taken from them during the British colonial era which has now been bought by a conservation charity that William is patron of.   

It comes as William said yesterday that the ‘vigilance’ needed to safeguard democracy was being tested in Ukraine as he reiterated his pledge to ‘stand with them in solidarity’.

The Duke’s words of support came as his tour of Belize with the duchess drew to a close, and he quoted from the Queen’s 1994 address to the country’s parliament which highlighted how individuals needed to work together to safeguard freedoms.

And in a lighter moment the duke revealed his son Prince George keeps up with his parents’ international trips by sticking pins in a map.

Speaking in the shadow of the Maya ruins at Cahal Pech, near San Ignacio, at a reception hosted by the Governor General Froya Tzalam, William quoted from the Queen’s 1994 speech.

He told the guests: ‘She said ‘I am proud to associate myself with your determination that social justice and personal freedom should flourish under the rule of law. 

‘It is always dangerous, however, to be complacent and to assume that democratic values will look after themselves. Vigilance in protecting them is needed’.’

In his speech delivered in the early hours, he added: ‘Her Majesty went on to say that ‘Most of all, democracy is safe-guarded by teamwork – the individual wills of all citizens, each pulling together towards the same objective’.

‘Sadly, elsewhere in the world, that vigilance is being tested today in Ukraine. Belize has joined many others in condemning the invasion and standing up for the principles of international law, peace and security.

‘Today we think of those struggling in Ukraine and we stand with them in solidarity.’

William, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have all spoken out in support of Ukraine in recent weeks, as the country battles Russian forces after President Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded the country almost four weeks ago. 

The duke also passed on the ‘very warmest wishes from my grandmother, the Queen of Belize’, on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee’.

Speaking about his son George during the reception held to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the duke said ‘We let them know where we are and he finds us on the map and puts a pin in it and shares with the others.’

The duchess wowed the guests wearing a stunning vibrant metallic pink dress designed by Vampire’s Wife with a Maya embroidered bag.

The couple met community leaders, well-known Belizeans, and members of Government, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Johnny Brienco.

In his speech William also highlighted Belize’s fight against Covid telling the guests: ‘The last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic have been hugely challenging but it is reassuring to have heard from so many people that things are on the up.’