Following the example of Barbados, which seceded completely from the United Kingdom at the end of last year and declared a republic, there are also voices in Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas to continue fully on its own two feet. A good reason for Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate to take a diplomatic trip.

But not everyone likes it. Official censuses of 772 residents of Little India Creek prevented the royal couple from visiting their village. Indian Creek is home to the Maya, one of the oldest indigenous tribes in Central America. They took to the streets to protest the arrival of William and Kate:

They are angry that William’s Nature Trust has taken land from them. So the association with the colonial past is made on the protest banners. Until 1981 Belize was a British colony. The country now has its own government, but officially the head of state remains Queen Elizabeth.

Great Britain Correspondent Anne Senen: “The colonial past is a sore point for the royal family. Which is why it’s so surprising that it had to be canceled at the last minute. A trip like this has been prepared for months and so carefully planned. This matter “.

So the royal family can’t use exactly another scandal. I’ve been under heavy criticism lately. After the entire Meghan and Harry affair, Prince Andrew had to settle an abuse case.

However, this is different, Sain believes: “The British see William and Kate separate from Prince Andrew. They are actually very popular and there are hardly any scandals. I don’t think this will affect them much.”

According to local media, Indian Creek residents were also outraged that William and Kate’s helicopter would land on a football field in the village. According to the villagers, they were not consulted on the matter.

“So it really does seem like a very local problem,” says Sainen, who doesn’t expect the accident to have many consequences for the rest of the trip. “But of course it’s annoying that things really go wrong on the first visit.”

Jamaica is important to the British

Now, especially in Jamaica, the royal couple’s second destination, many voices are rising to follow Barbados’ lead. Are the British worried? “I wouldn’t call it that,” Senin says. “But they don’t want to lose the partnership.”

Many Jamaicans have lived and worked in Great Britain for years. Since 2020, they have also played an important role in the health system, which has lost many Eastern European employees to Brexit.

Reporter Seinen: “William and Kate want to beat the Jamaicans, without trying to do it too clearly. They planned to meet Usain Bolt. They are sports fanatics and are looking to connect from there.”

But if Jamaica finally decided to break free, the British would not stop it. “They’ll be very sorry,” Saen predicts. But in principle they left the countries there freely.”