Prince William and Kate Middleton visit Mayan ruins at Caracol

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Prince William, 39, and Kate, 40, are embarking on a spate of royal engagements in Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. The tour has been regarded by some as an attempt to bolster support for the monarchy after Barbados removed the Queen as head of state in November last year.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cancelled a trip to a village in Belize that was scheduled to mark the start of their Caribbean tour as local residents protested against their arrival.

But royal commentator and journalist Victoria Arbiter discounted fears that this showed deepening opposition to the monarchy, tweeting that “protests during royal tours are nothing new”.

She wrote: “It’s an opportunity for those demonstrating to exercise their right to do so as they capitalise on the global press in attendance.

“Equally, there are others glad for a chance to highlight the beauty of their countries and their culture.”

The royal couple was set to visit the Akte’il Ha cacao farm in Indian Creek, but a dispute between Flora and Fauna International – of which Prince William is a patron – and residents of the Toledo district led to the trip being axed.

The Duke and Duchess’s helicopter was scheduled to land on a football field in the area.

Sebastian Shol, chair of Indian Creek village, told the Daily Mail: “We don’t want them to land on our land, that’s the message that we want to send.

“They could land anywhere, but not on our land.”

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: “We can confirm that due to sensitive issues involving the community in Indian Creek, the visit has been moved to a different location. Further details will be provided in due course.”

The Belize government added: “Indian Creek was one of several sites being considered.

Due to issues in the village, the government of Belize activated its contingency planning and another venue has been selected to showcase Maya family entrepreneurship in the cacao industry.”

The eight-day tour of the Caribbean is the Duke and Duchess’s first overseas trip since the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

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They were welcomed by the Governor-General of Belize after an 11-hour flight from the UK to Belize City.

They then met with Belize’s Prime Minister Johnny Briceno to kick off the trip marking the Queen’s Jubilee year.

Mr Briceno told the Duke and Duchess: “We’re so happy you’re here.”

However, not all those in the Caribbean shared Mr Briceno’s conviction, with a number of campaigners in Jamaica saying the couple were “not welcome” in Jamaica.

The Duke and Duchess will touch down in Jamaica on Tuesday.

A group of politicians, activists, musicians and business leaders put their names to an open letter that called on the monarchy to apologise for slavery and pay reparations.

The letter said: “We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind.”

The letter, penned by the group known as the Advocates Network, called William and Kate “direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the Royal Family over centuries”.

They added the Duke and Duchess should seek to “redefine the relationship between the British monarchy and the people of Jamaica”.

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