The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge canceled their first official event on their Caribbean tour after local residents protested their visit
Photo: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage Well, this is awkward. Prince William and Kate Middleton just arrived in Belize to kick off their Caribbean tour in celebration of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and already things are not going as planned. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge canceled their first official event after local residents protested their visit.
William and Kate were reportedly scheduled to visit the Akte’il Ha cacao farm in Indian Creek this weekend, but the event was suddenly called off on Friday, March 18. The royal couple were apparently planning on taking a helicopter to Indian Creek, but residents and the local Q’eqehi Maya people reportedly took issue with their landing site, claiming they had not been consulted.
The land itself is also a point of contention. It is technically owned by Flora and Fauna International , which The Guardian described as “a conservation charity Prince William is a patron of.” The organization reportedly bought the land from private owners in December of 2021, and claimed it wants to preserve local wildlife and protect local residents.
The Caribbean tour is reportedly part of an effort by the monarchy to strengthen Commonwealth ties in the region after Barbados voted to remove the queen as head of state and become a republic. Following Belize, William and Kate will tour Jamaica and the Bahamas.
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