Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Jamaica amid calls for slavery reparations and an apology
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Jamaica where they face a confrontation over slavery reparations and calls for them to apologise for the British monarchy’s role in financing and perpetuating the slave trade.
The couple flew to Kingston from Belize for the second leg of their Caribbean tour but landed amid protests.
On arrival at Norman Manley International Airport, they were due to meet a host of local government officials.
Among them was expected to be Mark Golding, the opposition leader, who will also attend a state dinner alongside the royal couple on Wednesday night, and has indicated that he will convey a message from many Jamaicans who want an apology for the role the Royal family played in slavery in the island.
His party believes an apology would be an appropriate way for the monarchy to begin the process of atonement and has called for Jamaica to become a republic.
Mr Golding told the Jamaica Gleaner: “I would hope that I get the opportunity during the events that I will be attending to have that dialogue with them and to bring it to their attention in a courteous and respectful way that this is the view held by many Jamaicans, and that I think it would be helpful both to the Royal family and Jamaica for them to consider this as a means of starting to move forward to a new future.”
Mike Henry, a Jamaican politician who has long called for more than £7 billion in reparations, said an apology was only the first step for what he described as “abuse of human life and labour”.
During their visit, the Duke and Duchess will also meet Andrew Holness, the prime minister, who has said there is “no question that Jamaica has to become a republic”.
Just last week he told a parliamentary debate that an advisory committee was being established to guide the government on the way forward on plans to dispense with the Queen as head of state.
Separately, campaigners who staged a demonstration near the British High Commission in Kingston accused the Queen of perpetuating “the greatest human rights tragedy in history”.
The protest, organised by the Advocates Network, a human rights coalition of activists and equalities organisations, called for an apology and compensation from the crown in keeping with Jamaica’s upcoming 60th anniversary of independence.
The protesters listed 60 reasons for “apologies and reparations” from the UK and the Royal family. They include human trafficking and deaths on “slave ships”.
Nora Blake, co-organiser, said they were not against the Duke and Duchess as individuals.
But she added: “What they represent as members of the monarchy and what the monarchy means for us as we reflect in our 60th year, (means) we cannot join in any celebration of them and the Queen.
“So the message of thanks they are bringing from the Queen as thanks for our support, that is actually for us a deep embarrassment to have the Queen think that we are supportive of her and her family.”
Ms Blake added: “It’s not about William and Kate as people but they represent the future of the monarchy, so it is of course opportune to let them know that we do need an apology and we do need to consider reparations because he is going to be the king.
“It is William the future king we are addressing, not just William as a visitor to the island.”
She said that if she were to sit down with the Duke she would ask him to apologise to the people of Jamaica “so we can begin to move forward for future”.
The Duke and Duchess are aware of the protests, a royal aide said.
The Duke is expected to address the issue of slavery in a speech at a state dinner on Wednesday evening.
In 2015, then Prime Minister David Cameron ruled out making reparations for Britain’s role in the historic slave trade during a visit to Jamaica and urged Caribbean countries to “move on”.
The royals’ three-day visit will include a celebration of the legacy of Bob Marley as well as visits to a teacher training college, allowing the Duchess to discuss her work on early childhood, and Spanish Town Hospital, founded in the year the Queen ascended the throne.
It came after the couple’s first major engagement in Belize on Sunday, at Akte il HA Cacao Farm in the village of Indian Creek, had to be cancelled at the last minute as a result of protests about indigenous rights.
While still in Belize the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge swam with nurse sharks during a diving trip.
The couple were invited to witness the conservation work being undertaken at the Belize Barrier Reef, the second biggest in the world.
They donned wetsuits and scuba equipment to jump off a boat and into the South Water Kaye, directly above the reef, finding themselves immediately swimming above a one-metre long nurse shark.
A royal source said they had a “wonderful” time and saw an impressive array of colourful fish in the reef which they could tell was being kept in excellent condition.
The couple were hosted on Sunday afternoon by diving instructors Edward Betancourt and his daughter, Marisha.
They were told that the aim was to protect 30 per cent of the reef by 2030.
The experience was captured by photographer Matt Porteous who is documenting their eight-day Caribbean tour, his costs met privately.
The couple later met England striker Raheem Sterling, the Jamaican bobsleigh team and Jamaican football player Leon Bailey, who plays for the Duke’s beloved Aston Villa, in Trench Town.
Sterling, who was born in Jamaica to Jamaican parents, moved to the UK when he was five.
The footballer has been named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the match against Switzerland on Saturday.
He was given special dispensation to fly to Jamaica to meet the royals during their Caribbean tour.
