The Dukes of Cambridge, Prince William, and Kate Middleton, have had some embarrassing moments. During a tour to a foreign country, representatives of the British Royal House objected. The two couples were not well accepted by the locals, and photographs of them circulated throughout the globe. Villagers took to the streets, waving placards requesting that they go.
Prince William and Kate Middleton expressed their displeasure.
After an indigenous group held a protest over a long-running land rights dispute, Prince William and his wife Catherine Middleton have postponed a planned visit to a Belarusian village. The first day of the Duke of Cambridge’s one-week visit of Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas was marred by turmoil as residents of Indian Creek, a settlement at the foot of the Maya Mountains, expressed their displeasure with the royals’ presence.
The duo was scheduled to tour a local family’s Akte ‘il Ha cocoa farm. The two had to be flown in by helicopter. The plane was supposed to land on a nearby football field, which enraged the residents. The demonstration was part of a larger debate over indigenous land rights that were lost during the colonial period.
Images travel the globe.
“Colonialism and theft (no – land) continues with Prince William,” “This is not the Crown’s property,” and “It is neither your land nor your decision,” said protesters from the indigenous Mayan hamlet.
The protest by the villagers is part of a long history of grievances and protests over communal land rights. Indian Creek has been at odds with Flora and Fauna International (FFI), a neighboring charity whose owner is Prince William. People are claiming ownership of the land. According to the Daily Mail, Kensington Palace has confirmed that the Duke of Cambridge’s visit to the village has been canceled owing to protests.
“We don’t want them to land in our nation,” Sebastian Shol, president of Indian Creek Village, said. “That’s the message we want to send; they could land anywhere, but not in our country.”
Itinerary to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
The Duke of Cambridge is on an eight-day journey to the Caribbean on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II to improve Britain’s ties with Commonwealth countries as part of Her Majesty’s Jubilee celebrations. Belize is one of the 14 realms outside the United Kingdom where the Queen still reigns supreme.
On their first trip outside of the United Kingdom since the outbreak, William and Kate were greeted by Belize Prime Minister John Briceo, who declared last year that it was “time” for the country’s governance structure to be reassessed.