Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have begun their official visit to the Caribbean.
The trip began this weekend with a two-day stop in Belize, where the Duke and Duchess visited historic Mayan sites and explored Belize’s biodiversity.
That’s followed by a stop in Jamaica, which includes a visit with the Jamaica Defence Force and a tribute to the legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley.
The trip concludes later this week with a visit to The Bahamas, which will include stops in several different islands — and feature a traditional Junkanoo parade.
“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,” the Royal Family said in a statement. “Throughout their visit, The Duke and Duchess will take the opportunity to commemorate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.”
That includes a focus on the work of the Royal Foundation, including mental health and early childhood, according to the agenda.
It’s the pair’s first official overseas trip since the onset of the pandemic.
“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 the early years workforce,” the Family said in a statement.
Members of the Royal Family have made a number of official visits to the Caribbean in recent years, most notably Prince Charles’ visit in 2017, which included the opening of the Cayman Islands’ new airport, and then again to the region in 2019.
Queen Elizabeth’s last trip to the Caribbean was in Trinidad in 2009.