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.
“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.
Jamaica's 'inevitable' transition
During this tour as part of the celebrations of the seventieth year of the Queen's reign, the princely couple saw resurgent links with slavery and demand for an apology, while Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness considered "inevitable" his country's transition to republican rule, 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 service.
For us, it's not about “telling people what to do”, but about “serving and supporting them in the way they think is best, using the platform we are blessed with. to have ".
A visit to a village in Belize canceled
The prince also opened the door to a change in the direction of the Commonwealth, ensured 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,” said Prince William, “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 had also had to cancel a visit to a village in Belize due to the hostility of some residents.
People
Slavery: Prince William apologizes on behalf of the monarchy during his visit to the Caribbean
People
Kate Middleton is going viral with her (almost) affordable Caribbean wardrobe
prince william
Queen Elizabeth II
Culture
Kate Middleton
Commonwealth
0 comment
0 share
Share on Messenger
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Flipboard
Share on Pinterest
Share on Linkedin
Send by Mail
To safeguard
A fault ?
To print