royal visit jamaica

Prince William and Kate’s Tour Was Meant to Secure the Monarchy in the Caribbean. Instead, It’s Raising New Questions About Its Future

T he British royal family is facing embarrassment on the international stage this week as protests disrupt Prince William and Kate Middleton’s tour of former British colonies in the Caribbean. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge began their week-long visit to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas March 19.

Officially, the trip was meant to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years on the throne. Many observers say the trip was meant to persuade the three countries to keep the Queen as head of state, and not to follow Barbados, which transitioned to a republic last November. But growing calls to cut formal ties with the Queen and campaigns for slavery reparations have ignited a reckoning with the region’s colonial past.

How is Prince William and Kate’s visit sparking controversy?

Prince William and Kate arrived in Jamaica, the second stop of their trip, on March 22. Only a day later, The Independent reported that the Jamaican government had begun the process of transitioning the island nation—which is the largest English speaking country in the Caribbean—to a republic.

The news arrived at a difficult moment for the royals. The day before the couple’s arrival in the country, one hundred Jamaican academics, politicians, and cultural figures signed an open letter calling for the royal family and British government to apologize and pay reparations for subjecting the island to colonial rule and slavery.

“We are of the view an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialization is necessary to begin a process of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation,” the letter said.

The letter’s consignatories describe Prince William and Kate as “direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the royal family…from the trafficking and enslavement of Africans”. In reference to the Queen’s Jubilee, the letter reads: “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, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind.”

The group, called the Advocates Network, staged a protest March 22 outside the British High Commission in Kingston to coincide with the couple’s arrival. Demonstrators held banners reading “#SehYuhSorry and make REPARATIONS.”

The following day, Prince William stopped short of an apology, instead expressing “profound sorrow” for the “appalling atrocity of slavery” during an address to Jamaica’s prime minister March 23.

“Slavery was abhorrent and it never should have happened,” he said . “I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history.”

The Advocates Network issued a statement in response, calling the Prince’s words “unacceptable,” adding: “There was no responsibility taken! No call out of centuries of British bloody conquest and plunder.”

Events in Jamaica weren’t the only controversy for the couple on their tour. They canceled their first major engagement the day before touching down in Belize, the first stop on the trip. William and Kate were due to visit a cocoa farm March 20 but locals staged a protest against the visit, objecting to the couple’s plans to land their helicopter on a nearby football pitch without consultation, the Daily Mail reported .

The protests were part of a wider land dispute between indigenous communities and Flora and Fauna International (FFI), the conservation charity that William supports as patron. Locals allege that the charity controls their communal ancestral lands, lost in the colonial era, as “private property,” according to the report. Demonstrators carried banners reading ‘Prince William leave our land’ and ‘Colonial legacy of theft continues with Prince and FFI’.

Why is the Queen still head of state in 14 independent countries?

Queen Elizabeth II is not only the monarch of the U.K., but also of 14 other countries , including Canada, Australia, and Papua New Guinea, known as the Commonwealth realms. They are distinct from the Commonwealth of Nations , a group of 54 countries that were once part of the British Empire—the majority of which no longer recognize the Queen as sovereign.

The nations of the Commonwealth realms are constitutional monarchies—the Queen is a symbolic head of state but the countries are ruled by elected governments. The Queen is not involved in governing but she does still have some constitutional duties, such as approving new governments and legislation, which are carried out by a royal representative.

Although the Queen’s position in these nations is mostly symbolic, the U.K. government noted that the monarchy forms part of Britain’s outsized influence on the world.

In November, Barbados became the first country to remove the Queen as head of state since Mauritius in 1992. Dame Sandra Mason, the island’s governor-general since 2018, was named as president-elect of the nation. “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” she said .

Debates about abolishing the monarchy have rumbled on for decades in other Commonwealth realms. Both Australia and the Caribbean nation St. Vincent and the Grenadines held failed referendums on becoming republics, in 1999 and 2009 respectively. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Arden, told the Guardian in 2018 that she expected the country to transition to a republic in her lifetime.

According to Barbadian political analyst and pollster Peter Wickham, certain Commonwealth realms may struggle to relinquish the monarchy even if the public and government want it. Barbados was able to become a republic because its constitution allowed the government to take the decision independently. In countries like Jamaica, it can only happen through a referendum with a two-thirds majority. “I don’t believe it will ever happen because the referendum will be manipulated by political parties,” Wickham says, drawing comparisons with the divisions caused by the U.K.’s Brexit referendum.

Why do campaigners no longer want the Queen as head of state?

Although the Queen’s role in Commonwealth realms is largely symbolic, attitudes towards the royal family are varied and complex. Wickham says that although Elizabeth herself is quite popular in many Caribbean countries, she is perceived as “not really relevant.”

“We don’t have a problem with her or even monarchy as such,” he says. “Most of us think she’s all the way in England and there’s no reason why we should maintain her as head of state.”

Some believe that keeping the Queen as head of state undermines independence, and only serves to perpetuate colonial subservience. “Imagine being given independence, and then to be told as an adult nation, that the Queen still had a stake in Jamaica and that the island is not really free. It is still an infant colony,” Jamaican-born British writer and academic Dr. Velma McClymont told TIME.

Calls for republicanism have been growing in Jamaica, which celebrates its 60-year anniversary of independence from Britain this year. According to leader of the Jamaican opposition, Mark Golding, the killing of George Floyd in 2020 and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests reignited conversations around national identity in Jamaica, whose population is over 90% Black.

“There are strong feelings that the royal family should apologize for their involvement with the slave trade and the plantation system which our people went through for a few hundred years,” Golding tells TIME. “I think it would enhance the cohesiveness of the relationship going forward.”

Golding says that although William and Kate’s trip to Jamaica may have been more “fraught” than they expected, he hopes it was a revelatory experience for the couples at the center of the royal family’s future. “I hope that they will realize that a better future can be assured by some introspection and reflection on the past, and the role of the institution of which they are now key members.”

Further to an apology, many campaigners demand compensation for the centuries of human rights violations that still impact former colonies today. CARICOM, an intergovernmental organization of 15 Caribbean countries, unanimously passed a 10-point plan in 2014 calling on European countries to compensate former colonies for centuries of exploitation and slavery. The demands include a repatriation of the descendants of slaves and debt cancellation. The body, which includes Jamaica and Barbados, says that the subjugation of former colonies by European governments is “the primary cause of development failure in the Caribbean.” Golding agrees, attributing issues of economic and healthcare inequality in Jamaica to the legacy of colonialism.

“Today, Jamaicans are still struggling and relying on remittances from relatives abroad, McClymont says. “I’m 65 years old this year, and I’ve been sending remittances [from the U.K.] to rural Jamaicas since I was 17 years old.”

Another issue influencing public opinion in former British colonies is allegations of racism made by Meghan Markle, the first biracial woman to marry into the royal family.

“Suddenly, all of us who before didn’t really take much notice of the royal family began to see what was happening to Markle,” McClymont says. “She was vilified as a Black woman and no statement of support was made by the [royal] family.”

Markle’s allegations were so damaging the royal family was forced to respond. The Queen issued a statement calling them “concerning,” while Prince William defended the monarchy, saying, “We’re very much not a racist family.”

What does the future hold for the British monarchy around the world?

Despite a string of royal controversies in recent months—from Prince Andrew’s settlement in a sexual assault lawsuit to allegations of a cash-for-honors scandal at Prince Charles’ charity—public opinion of the Queen herself remains high. But the same may not be true of her heir. A poll conducted by Ipsos Mori of over 2,000 British adults found that the Queen, who in February tested positive for COVID-19 , is more than three times more popular than her immediate heir, Prince Charles.

Read more: Who’s Paying Prince Andrew’s $16 Million Settlement to Virginia Giuffre? What to Know About Royal Finances

Some royal observers have suggested that the Queen is investing in Prince William and Kate, aged 39 and 40 respectively, as future leaders of the royal family. The couple are twice as popular as Charles who, at 73, may not be on the throne as long as his mother. The Caribbean tour was a crucial test of the monarchy’s relevance in the modern era—the scale of the opposition William and Kate faced may well trouble the Queen.

Ultimately, however, Barbadian political analyst Wickham believes the future of the British monarchy outside the U.K. is less an issue of royal popularity than it is about countries’ national identity. “This is not about Queen Elizabeth herself. It’s not about an individual,” he says. “It’s really about us moving in a different direction.”

More Must-Reads From TIME

• The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
• How Far Trump Would Go
• Why Maternity Care Is Underpaid
• Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
• Saving Seconds Is Better Than Hours
• Why Your Breakfast Should Start with a Vegetable
• Welcome to the Golden Age of Ryan Gosling
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

Jamaicans call for reparations as British royal couple arrives

Jamaican leaders demand apology and slavery reparations as Prince William and Kate visit as part of Caribbean tour.

Jamaican activists, as well as prominent professors, politicians and other leaders, have rejected a visit by the duke and duchess of Cambridge, calling on the United Kingdom to apologise and pay reparations for hundreds of years of slavery.

Britain’s Prince William – the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II – and his wife Kate landed in the capital Kingston on Tuesday afternoon as part of a wider, week-long Caribbean tour.

Keep reading

Photos: parades, picnics mark juneteenth celebrations across us, can slavery reparations dismantle systemic racism, barbados becomes a republic, renouncing british queen.

The royal couple’s trip coincides with the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence and the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It also comes at a time of growing scrutiny of colonial-era British conduct in the Caribbean and elsewhere.

In an open letter published on the weekend, 100 Jamaican leaders said they saw “no reason to celebrate” the Queen’s coronation “because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind”.

We’ve arrived in Jamaica 🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/aMiNV8hY7B — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2022

“During her 70 years on the throne, your grandmother has done nothing to redress and atone for the suffering of our ancestors that took place during her reign and/or during the entire period of British trafficking of Africans, enslavement, indentureship and colonialization,” the letter read.

Dozens of people also gathered on Tuesday outside the British High Commission in Kingston, singing traditional Rastafarian songs and holding banners with the phrase “seh yuh sorry” – a local patois phrase urging Britain to apologise.

“I am a descendant of great African ancestors, I owe it to them to be here,” customer service worker Hujae Hutchinson, 27, said at the rally, where activists read out 60 reasons for reparations.

“I want to make the British crown recognise that they have committed a great crime against the African people and that they must apologise and give back what they have taken from the ancestors.”

The royal couple’s visit to Jamaica comes just months after Barbados in November officially became a republic , replacing the British monarch as its head of state and severing its last remaining colonial bonds nearly 400 years after the first English ships arrived at the Caribbean island.

While the country remains a republic within the Commonwealth, experts said its decision to break ties with the Queen could fuel republicanism in other countries, especially in Jamaica, where the two main political parties support breaking away from the monarchy completely.

Hundreds of thousands of enslaved African people toiled in Jamaica under more than 300 years of British rule and faced brutal conditions.

There were numerous bloody rebellions, with one woman called “Queen Nanny” leading a group of formerly enslaved Africans known as Jamaican Maroons, whose tactics became renowned and battered British forces. “Queen Nanny” remains the sole woman of Jamaica’s eight national heroes.

In their letter on Sunday, the Jamaican leaders said they would be celebrating 60 years of freedom from the United Kingdom – but stressed that an apology was “necessary to begin a process of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation”.

Jamaica lawmaker Mike Henry, who has long led an effort to obtain reparations, also told The Associated Press news agency that an apology is only the first step for what he described as “abuse of human life and labour”.

“An apology really admits that there is some guilt,” he said.

Prince William and Kate first visited Belize during the weekend, and after two days in Jamaica they will travel to the Bahamas.

Even before the pair left the UK, a protest by a few dozen villagers at a planned Belize tour stop prompted organisers to change Sunday’s itinerary in the country, known until 1973 as British Honduras.

On Monday, they visited a British military training camp in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in central Belize, and Prince William later pointed out that the country had joined others in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Today, we think of those struggling in Ukraine and we stand with them in solidarity,” he said during a formal dinner on the grounds of the Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve with Belize’s prime minister.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Kate Middleton and Prince William's Caribbean Royal Tour Details Revealed!

The couple will set off on their eight-day tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas this weekend

Kate Middleton and Prince William are following in Queen Elizabeth 's footsteps with their upcoming tour of the Caribbean.

During the couple's eight-day tour, which kicks off on Saturday, the couple will visit Jamaica, echoing the Queen's first visit to the island country when she was a new Queen almost 70 years ago.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour will start in Belize on Saturday. They will stay for three nights and then move on to Jamaica on March 22, followed by the Bahamas from March 24 to the 26th.

The tour — their first joint official overseas tour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — is being conducted on behalf of William's grandmother the Queen and will see them bringing sentiments from the monarch to the people of the Caribbean, a royal source says.

And the Queen will be watching with interest from her home at Windsor Castle. William has been talking with his grandmother about their upcoming trip, and she's shared some of her memories of visiting the Caribbean countries, a source confirms.

As they embark on their international tour, the couple's thoughts are also with the people of Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine was very much front of mind for the couple and their staff as they planned the tour — especially as they made a visit to the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in London last week.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their staff are keeping a close eye on developments in Ukraine and will make adjustments to their tour schedule accordingly if the situation warrants it, PEOPLE understands.

As the tour begins in Belize, William will "take a trip down memory lane," as the palace puts it, when he takes Kate to see an army training unit in the jungle, where he spent a period of time alongside the Welsh Guards when he was in the army.

During their visit to the Bahamas, the competitive couple will take part in The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta at the Royal Sailing Club in Nassau, a place — and a sport — that was close to the heart of William's late grandfather Prince Philip .

The couple will also champion some of their favorite causes. Zeroing in on environmental issues, they will visit one of William's Earthshot Prize winners, Coral Vita, on Grand Bahama Island, and see their ground-breaking ideas for restoring and preserving reefs . It will be the first time that the couple has visited an Earthshot finalist.

Kate will bring the work on behalf of early childhood development to Jamaica when they head to Shortwood Teacher's College, where they hope to highlight the country's work on behalf of children. The college conducts research in the field and trains students to become early childhood education practitioners. It is the second time that Kate has brought the work of her R oyal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood abroad, after her trip to Denmark last month.

In Jamaica, William and Kate are set to celebrate the "seminal legacy of Bob Marley," the palace says.

"These are three countries with which Her Majesty has had an extremely warm relationship following multiple visits throughout her reign," a palace spokeswoman says. "Those trips have helped to provide inspiration for many of the engagements that Their Royal Highnesses will carry out during their tour."

"As well as thanking the people of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas for their support, across this eight-day tour, the Duke and Duchess's program will focus on celebrating the rich cultures that are unique to these three countries," the spokeswoman adds.

There will also be glittering evening receptions in each country — though no tiaras for Kate — as the couple meet prominent locals and take part in community markets, such as the quintessentially Bahamian "Fish Fry." The Duke and Duchess will meet vendors who will be preparing local cuisine, including a conch salad.

The couple hopes to "meet as many local people as possible," the spokeswoman shares. "Over the course of their time in the Caribbean, Their Royal Highnesses will meet a wide variety of groups, including children, young people and families, frontline workers, service personnel, leaders from government, business and the charity sector as well as inspiring conservationists and early years professionals."

Can't get enough of PEOPLE 's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton , Meghan Markle and more!

The trip through the Bahamas will also take them to see the effects of climate change on the fragile eco-system and extreme weather. They'll see firsthand how people in Abaco coped in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

On Monday, the royal couple joined Prince Charles , Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Queen Elizabeth 's cousin Princess Alexandra at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

Related Articles

Prince William and Kate Announce a Major Caribbean Tour

The Cambridges will spend a week in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Belize in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to undertake an official overseas visit together. Prince William and Kate Middleton will visit Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, on a week-long tour in late March. This will be their first official visit to the Caribbean.

The tour will begin in Belize on March 19 and end in Jamaica on March 26. Per Kensington Palace, in Belize, the Cambridges "will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community as well as exploring the country’s biodiversity." In Jamaica, they will meet with the Jamaica Defence Force and celebrate Jamaican musicians, and in the Bahamas, they will travel across numerous islands are experience a "famous junkanoo parade," a street parade celebrating Bahamian culture.

The Caribbean visit will focus on causes that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge care about, including mental health and early childhood education. According to Kensington Palace, "Their Royal Highnesses are keen to understand more about the impact that the pandemic has had across the Caribbean, and how communities have pulled together to respond to the challenges they have faced."

In April, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, will undertake a visit to other commonwealth countries in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. This is part of a larger plan of royal tours in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year—including a visit of Prince Charles and Camilla to Ireland and Princess Anne to Papua New Guinea.

Barbados severed ties with the British monarchy in November 2021, becoming a republic after almost 400 years of various forms of British rule—Prince Charles attended the ceremony . In the wake of that decision, the debate over whether or not to remove the Queen as head of state has reignited across many Commonwealth realms. And it's not just Caribbean nations— polling in Australia and Canada shows removing the Queen as head of state is popular.

Calls for Jamaica to become a republic especially intensified after Barbados left the Commonwealth. Jamaica's prime minister Andrew Holness declared in December 2021 that "Jamaica has to become a republic." Holness added , "We have put together a plan to move towards that in a way that is meaningful and substantial in function and form. That is what we are going to do."

Belize's leader, too, has spoken about the need for a change in government structure. Prime Minister John Briceño said in July 2021: "Probably one of the things we will be talking about in the near future [is] whether we want to stay with the parliamentary system, or do we want to go to a republican system, or find a hybrid between a parliamentary system and a republican system?"

The last senior royal to visit the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Belize was Prince Harry in 2012 as part of a Diamond Jubilee Tour. In addition, Princess Anne visited Jamaica and the Bahamas in 2015 and Prince Edward and Sophie visited the Bahamas in 2016.

Last summer, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle acknowledged the "uncomfortable" history of the Commonwealth in conversation with youth leaders involved in the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

"When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past," Prince Harry said, urging the United Kingdom to work to "right the wrongs" of its colonial history.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} Royal Family News @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

Palace Announces Major Review of Royal Patronages

Selena Gomez Carries a Kate Middleton Favorite Bag

Frederik & Mary's First Interview Since Accession

Lionel Richie Says Charles Is "Doing Fantastic"

King Charles at Royal Windsor Horse Show 2024

The Duchess of Edinburgh Channels Queen Elizabeth

Get to Know All of King Charles's Grandchildren

The Most Iconic Photos of Princess Charlotte

How Will & Kate Share Images of Their Kids

Princess Charlotte Turns 9! See New Photo

Prince William Gives Rare Update on Kate Middleton

• Middle East
• Global development

‘The monarchy is a relic’: Protests in Jamaica over royal visit – video

Protesters have gathered outside the British high commission in Kingston, Jamaica, hours before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived for a visit to the island. The demonstrators expressed opposition to the idea that Jamaica should continue to retain ties with the British crown. 'Who are these two young white people now? Why are they here? ... The monarchy is a relic,' Stayceyann Chin, one of the protesters, said. The royal visit is aimed at strengthening links with Commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, as some nations within the group debate removing Queen Elizabeth as their head of state

• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge accused of benefiting from slavery
• William and Kate cancel Belize village trip due to protests

Wed 23 Mar 2022 07.30 GMT Last modified on Wed 23 Mar 2022 15.58 GMT

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Prince William
• Catherine, Princess of Wales

Most popular

News | World

Why are people protesting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s visit in Jamaica and will the country become a republic?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been accused of benefiting from the “blood, tears and sweat” of slaves as they arrived in Jamaica and were met by protests calling for reparations from the British monarchy.

There have been calls from Jamaican politicians in recent years for the country to drop the Queen as head of state and become a republic, and for a formal acknowledgment of slavery.

Earlier in the tour, the couple’s first engagement on the Caribbean island of Belize was pulled at the last minute after local residents protested about the royal family’s colonial ties.

Why are people in Jamaica protesting the royal visit?

At least 350 people gathered outside the British High Commission in Kingston, the Jamaican capital, on Tuesday to protest the couples’ visit, holding placards with messages such as: “reparations now” and “apologise”. One little girl held a sign reading: “Kings, Queens and Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales not in Jamaica!”

The protest was organised by the Advocates Network coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians. They also wrote an open letter detailing 60 reasons why the monarchy should compensate Jamaica, to mark the country’s 60th anniversary of independence.

“During her 70 years on the throne, your grandmother has done nothing to redress and atone for the suffering of our ancestors that took place during her reign and/or during the entire period of British trafficking of Africans, enslavement, indentureship and colonization,” the Advocates Network wrote.

Opal Adisa helped to organise the protests, and called for the UK monarchy to pay reparations for slavery and apologise for human rights abuses.

Ms Adisa 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.”

Longlist of 12 announced for Walter Scott book prize

France becomes first country in the world to make abortion a constitutional right

Malaysia backs new 'no find, no fee" hunt for missing flight MH370

Meet the fitness influencer defying stereotypes about ageing

She joined calls for an apology, and said 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”.

She added: “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.”

Royal sources say Prince William and Kate are acutely aware of the debate raging in Jamaica about the dark chapter of Britain’s history, and William was expected to condemn the abhorrence of slavery in a speech on Wednesday.

Why are the protests happening now?

Anti-colonial sentiment has long brewed in the Caribbean, but it has recently gained momentum amid worldwide Black Lives Matter protests against racism, and calls for Britain to atone for the legacy of colonialism.

While a decade ago, polls in Jamaica suggested 60 per cent support for the Queen, polls now suggest 55 per cent want to sever ties with her and for the country to become a republic.

In November, Barbados celebrated 55 years of independence by becoming the first Commonwealth realm in three decades to declare itself a republic — the culmination of a debate dating to the 1970s, when several Caribbean nations drew inspiration from the Black Power movement and abolished the monarchy.

Relations between Britain and Jamaica further soured after the revelations of the Windrush scandal in 2018, which saw Caribbean people who had long lived in Britain legally denied jobs, housing or medical care, with some deported because they didn’t have the required paperwork. Britain has since apologised and pledged compensation.

Will Jamaica remove the Queen as head of state?

Jamaica has already started the process of removing the Queen as head of state and will continue to work on this once the royal visit is over, according to reports.

A senior figure within the Jamaican government has been appointed with the primary aim of seeing the nation transition to republic status, sources told The Independent.

It is understood that Jamaica’s uncoupling from the UK has been discussed at the “highest levels” in government and will begin in earnest once Kate and William leave.

“The government has had to start the process; the road to becoming a republic is not an easy one but they have long been coming under significant pressure to do it,” another political source told The Independent.

This transition has been in the works for a while. Back in 2003, Prime Minister at the time P. J. Patterson called for Jamaica to abolish the monarchy by 2007.

In 2012, then Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller expressed her intention to make Jamaica a republic to coincide with the country’s 50th anniversary of independence that year, but did not follow through with the proposed change which would require the support of two-thirds of both houses in Parliament.

What is the historic relationship between Britain and Jamaica?

Britain seized Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655 and started a plantation economy based on sugar and cocoa – farms on which slaves from West Africa were forced to work.

The British empire controlled Jamaica for more than 300 years and forced hundreds of thousands of African slaves to toil the island under brutal conditions. The death rate on slave plantations was high, a result of overwork, poor nutrition and work conditions, brutality and disease.

By 1800, there were over 300,000 slaves in Jamaica. There were numerous bloody slave revolts on the island which were brutally crushed, resulting in the deaths of countless slaves.

Even after the formal ending of slavery in Jamaica in 1834, the Caribbean island was not totally free. The Slavery Abolition Act stipulated that all slaves above the age of six on the date abolition took effect, were bound (indentured) in service to their former owners under what was called the “Apprenticeship System”. On top of this, former enslaved people received no compensation and had limited representation in the legislatures.

Jamaica gained independence from Britain on 6 August 1962 but the Queen remained Head of State.

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Jamaicans shun UK royal visit, demand slavery reparations

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of well-known leaders in Jamaica including professors and politicians are demanding an apology and slavery reparations as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare for a trip to the former British colony.

The group is rejecting the visit of Prince William and Kate scheduled for Tuesday, part of a larger trip to the Caribbean region that coincides with the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence and the 70th anniversary of the accession to the throne by Queen Elizabeth II.

“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,” read a letter published Sunday ahead of the couple’s visit and signed by 100 Jamaican leaders.

The weeklong royal tour of Central America and the Caribbean that began on Saturday was taken at the behest of the queen, who is William’s grandmother. The trip aims to strengthen Britain’s ties with Commonwealth countries, but it’s off to a rocky start and comes as some countries consider cutting ties to the monarchy like the eastern Caribbean island of Barbados did in November.

Local opposition forced the royal couple to cancel a visit to a cacao farm in Belize that was planned for Saturday, while the upcoming trip to Jamaica has angered some who say they are still waiting for an apology and slavery reparations.

Jamaica lawmaker Mike Henry, who has long led an effort to obtain reparations that he estimates at more than 7 billion pounds, told The Associated Press in a phone interview that an apology is only the first step for what he described as “abuse of human life and labor.”

“An apology really admits that there is some guilt,” he said.

Hundreds of thousands of African slaves toiled in Jamaica under more than 300 years of British rule and faced brutal conditions. There were numerous bloody rebellions, with one woman called “Queen Nanny” leading a group of formerly enslaved Africans known as Jamaican Maroons whose guerrilla warfare became renown and battered British forces. “Queen Nanny” remains the sole female of Jamaica’s eight national heroes.

During their two-day stay in Jamaica, Prince William and Kate are expected to celebrate Bob Marley’s legacy, a move that also has riled some Jamaicans.

“As a Rastafarian, Bob Marley embodied advocacy and is recognized globally for the principles of human rights, equality, reparations and repatriation,” stated the letter of those demanding an apology.

The group said that it would be celebrating 60 years of freedom from Britain, adding that it is saddened “that more progress has not been made given the burden of our colonial inheritance. We nonetheless celebrate the many achievements of great Jamaicans who rejected negative, colonial self-concepts and who self-confidently succeeded against tremendous odds. We will also remember and celebrate our freedom fighters.”

Recommended Stories

Timberwolves coach chris finch calls jamal murray's heat-pack toss on court 'inexcusable and dangerous'.

Murray made a bad night on the court worse during a moment of frustration on the bench.

Former NBA guard Darius Morris dies at 33

Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.

The FDIC change that leaves wealthy bank depositors with less protection

Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan says he’s not voting for Trump : 'Character is too important'

Ryan says he would be writing in a Republican candidate instead of voting for Donald Trump.

Ranking the best situations for the rookie quarterbacks: Start with Michael Penix in Atlanta at No. 1

It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.

Phil Mickelson on the majors: 'What if none of the LIV players played?'

Phil Mickelson hints that big changes could be coming to LIV Golf's rosters, and the majors will need to pay attention.

Blockbuster May trade by Padres, MVP Ohtani has arrived, Willie Mays’ 93rd birthday & weekend recap

Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.

Heat's Pat Riley unhappy with Jimmy Butler's remarks on Celtics and Knicks, implies he needs to play more

Miami Heat president Pat Riley rebuked comments Jimmy Butler made about the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, while also implying that his star needs to play more.

NBA playoffs: Officials admit they flubbed critical kick-ball call in controversial final minute of Pacers-Knicks

Tuesday's last-2-minute report should be interesting.

Social Security just passed Medicare as the government's most pressing insolvency risk

An annual government report offered a glimmer of good news for Social Security and a jolt of good news for Medicare even as both programs continue to be on pace to run dry next decade.

No one was airing Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso's WNBA preseason debuts, so an X user livestreamed it

The quality was choppy, but it was better than what the WNBA had.

The Scorecard: Andy Pages looks set to go down as one of the best fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups of 2024

Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don delivers his latest batch of hot takes as we enter Week 6 of the season.

NBA playoffs: Predictions for Celtics-Cavaliers and every second-round series

Our NBA staff makes its picks for Knicks-Pacers and every second-round series.

Ex-Ole Miss QB and Denver Broncos draft pick Chad Kelly suspended at least nine games by CFL

Kelly allegedly harassed a female strength and conditioning coach who sued him and the Toronto Argonauts in February.

Dwayne Johnson is difficult to work with, report claims. The star has 'mountains of public goodwill' to offset negativity, expert says.

Once named the “Most Likable Person in the World,” the actor is under fire in a new report, accused of showing up to work late on the film “Red One,” irritating the crew and causing the budget to balloon.

NFL Power Rankings, draft edition: Did Patriots fix their offensive issues?

Which teams did the best in the NFL Draft?

Daryl Morey vows 'a lot of change' around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey: Who will 76ers target this offseason?

The window for Philadelphia is now, and it's up to Morey this offseason to maximize it.

Edmunds bought a Fisker Ocean, warns others not to make the same mistake

Edmunds bought a Fisker Ocean and details the highs and lows of ownership while warning others not to make the same mistake.

NFL Draft fashion: Caleb Williams, Malik Nabers dressed to impress, but Marvin Harrison Jr.'s medallion stole the show

Every player was dressed to impress at the 2024 NFL Draft.

Formula 1: Miami Grand Prix sends cease and desist letter to prevent Donald Trump fundraiser during race

Race organizers say they'll revoke a Trump fundraiser's suite license if he holds an event for the former president on Sunday at the race.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

The Americas

As british royals visit jamaica, protesters demand slavery reparations.

The Associated Press

People protest to demand an apology and slavery reparations during a visit to the former British colony by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday. Collin Reid/AP hide caption

People protest to demand an apology and slavery reparations during a visit to the former British colony by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Protesters in Jamaica raised their fists Tuesday as they donned T-shirts emblazoned with a pair of shackled Black wrists surrounded by the phrases "Seh Yuh Sorry!" and "Apologize now!" as they demonstrated just hours before Prince William and Kate arrived.

The protest in front of the British High Commission in Kingston comes a couple of days after dozens of prominent leaders in Jamaica publicized a letter demanding that Britain apologize and award its former colony slavery reparations. They also decried the weeklong Central American and Caribbean tour that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge embarked on Saturday, which coincides with Jamaica's 60th independence anniversary and the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.

"Kings, Queens and Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales, NOT in Jamaica!" read one poster held aloft by a young girl who joined the protest.

The Indicator from Planet Money

The u.k.'s most famous family firm in crisis.

The royal couple's trip, which began with a stop in Belize followed by scheduled visits to Jamaica and the Bahamas, was organized at the queen's behest as some countries debate cutting ties to the monarchy like Barbados did in November.

Mike Henry, a veteran Jamaican lawmaker, said in a phone interview that while the topic has been discussed, he worries that demands for an apology and reparations would be rendered moot if the island stopped pledging allegiance to the queen.

Maziki Thame, a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, noted that Jamaicans have been seeking reparations for decades.

"This is not a new cause," she said in a phone interview as she prepared to join the protest. "The question is whether it will get any traction...whether the British are ready to contend with their history."

The British empire controlled Jamaica for more than 300 years and forced hundreds of thousands of African slaves to toil the island under brutal conditions. Sugar replaced tobacco and cocoa as the main crop, with some 430 sugar estates reported by the mid-1700s, up from 57 nearly a century prior, according to Jamaica Information Services, a government agency.

The group protesting the royal visit noted in its letter that the British raped and killed thousands of slaves as it sought an apology for 60 reasons, including "for refusing to acknowledge the historic trade in Africans as a crime against humanity," and for "pretending that the British led the abolition movement, when our ancestors worked, prayed and fought hard for this."

Thame, the university professor, said she and many other Jamaicans are not celebrating what is known as the queen's Platinum Jubilee.

"That doesn't speak to us in the way they might imagine that speaks to us," she said. "In the 20th century, Jamaicans have moved beyond celebrating the crown."

Prince William and Kate are scheduled to spend two days in Jamaica, where they're expected to meet with government officials and tour Trench Town, the gritty birthplace of rocksteady and reggae where Bob Marley grew up.

Ahead of their trip, Jamaican singer Beenie Man told TV show Good Morning Britain that the U.K. still controls the commonwealth of Jamaica: "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."

The monarchy has said that Britain and Jamaica have a strong trade relationship, with the island exporting goods including rum and raw cane sugar to the U.K. It also noted the creation of programs targeting poverty, security, natural disaster management, social issues and the economy.

An estimated 55,000 British citizens live in Jamaica, while some 800,000 people of Jamaican descent live in the United Kingdom. The relationship between the two countries soured in recent years after some Caribbean people who had long lived in Britain legally were denied jobs, housing or medical care, with some deported because they didn't have the required paperwork. Britain has since apologized and pledged compensation.

• Prince William

Riu Palace Jamaica

View prices for your travel dates

• Excellent 3,144
• Very Good 920
• Average 288
• Terrible 84
• All languages ( 4,522 )
• English ( 4,246 )
• French ( 76 )
• Dutch ( 72 )

" The palace is more expensive but if you are older it’s worth it, depending on what you enjoy, we still did the foam parties!! "

" Don’t come here way over price for what u get "

" Book a la carte restaurants the minute you arrive to avoid disappointment "

" The pools close at 6pm so get out early in the sun "

" Make sure you check out the resorts next door too wonder around. Eat all the curry oxtail becisee you’re going to crave it when you leave "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

RIU PALACE JAMAICA - Updated 2024