Prince William has opened the door to a future diminishment of the role of the British monarchy in the Commonwealth, after a tour of the Caribbean, some images of which have been criticized for their hints of colonialism.
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“I know this tour has brought questions of the past and future into even greater focus,” the 39-year-old prince, second in line to the throne, said in a statement on Saturday evening. “In Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas”, independent countries, but of which Queen Elizabeth II is head of state, “it is up to the people to decide on this future”, declared the grandson of the sovereign.
During this tour as part of the celebrations of the 70 years of reign of the queen, the princely couple saw resurgent links with slavery and demand for apologies, while Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness considered the transition “inevitable” of his country to a republican regime, as Barbados did last November.
“We really enjoyed spending time with the people of these three countries and better understanding the issues that are most important to them,” continued Prince William at the end of this trip with his wife.
“Catherine and I are committed to serving. For us, it’s not about telling people what to do’, but about ‘serving and supporting them in whatever way they think is best, using whatever platform we are blessed with. to have”.
The prince also opened the door to a change in the direction of the Commonwealth, provided by the queen, very attached to this association of 54 countries, most of which were part of the British colonial Empire.
“What matters to me is not who the Commonwealth will choose to lead their family in the future,” Prince William said, “what matters to us is the potential of the Commonwealth family to create a better future for the peoples who make it up, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can”.
Some images of the princely trip shocked, like those of these children’s hands through a fence in Jamaica to greet the couple, or the parade of Kate and William, in military uniform, aboard a Land Rover , criticized for its colonialist connotation.
The couple also had to cancel a visit to a village in Belize due to the hostility of some locals.