Prince William: Commonwealth links to crown up to the people
ABC News
Prince William says he will support and respect whatever decision the people make as Caribbean nations debate their relationship with the British crown
LONDON -- As Caribbean nations debate their relationship with the British crown, Prince William says he will support and respect whatever decision the people make.
William, second in line to the throne, made the comments after an eight-day tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas during which he and wife Kate were celebrated but also criticized as being “tone deaf” for perpetuating images of Britain’s colonial rule. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the royals his country intended to become a republic, removing the British monarch as its head of state.
“I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future,” William said in a statement reflecting the end of their tour on Saturday. “In Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon.”
The young royals visited the three nations as representatives of Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrates the 70th anniversary of her reign this year. During those seven decades she has been the head of state for the United Kingdom and 14 “realms” that were once colonies of the British Empire and are now independent countries.
