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They came, they saw, they smiled, they laughed, they danced, they dazzled. They were, in fact, pretty faultless – especially Kate, who just seems to get more and more gorgeous.
It’s virtually impossible for lesser mortals to look good in scuba diving gear but there the duchess was, hair floating dreamily in warm Caribbean waters, legs perfect in flippers, cheeks dimpling in the deep.
William must thank his lucky stars every day that he didn’t let Kate go for good all those years ago when he had a wobble and broke up with her briefly.
It's hard to imagine a better future queen – she’s beautiful, gracious, down-to-earth and kind. She also knows how to read a room most of the time and is cognisant of mood and atmosphere.
But this tour hasn’t been all music and magic and cacao tasting and shaking hands. An undercurrent of tension has cast a bit of a dark cloud over the island sunshine and things have been a bit awkward at times.
The Cambridges had to cancel the first stop on their tour of Belize after villagers staged a protest, holding banners that read, “Prince William leave our land”. They also objected to the fact the royal helicopter was going to land on a field in their village and that they were told to “clean up the town” for the visit.
Things also appeared awkward when the tour moved to Jamaica and Kate stood next to Lisa Hanna, a former Miss Jamaica and Miss World and now a politician with the People’s National Party, at the official welcoming ceremony in Kingston.
Lisa’s party is in favour of removing the queen as head of state and lobbying the UK for reparations. The former beauty queen appeared to shun Kate, clad in a bright yellow dress and clearly trying to make an effort.
There were protests in
Trench Town too amid growing calls for independence from the UK and apologies
from Britain for slavery.
William addressed the issue in his speech at an official state dinner, saying slavery was “abhorrent” and a “stain on our history”.
“It should never have happened,” he said. He also referred to his grandmother as “the queen of Jamaica” which was somewhat uncomfortable given the rumblings.
Kate was there of course, listening attentively to her husband, making small talk, sipping her wine, nibbling her four-course dinner. And she looked great as always, her slim figure silhouetted in a green Jenny Packham gown.
Dripping from her ears and encasing her wrist were diamond earrings and a bracelet borrowed from the queen’s Emerald Tassel Parure. They looked fabulous – but was the jewellery a smart choice to wear in a country that wants out of the monarchy?
If it were anyone but
Kate, we might be tempted to say it was a bit of an up-yours to critics in a
tour fraught with tension. But it’s unlikely: if there’s one thing we know
about Kate, it’s that rocking the boat isn’t her style.
Yet the fact remains: William and Kate might be royal rock stars but this is a complicated world. If they’re going to lead The Firm into the future – and let’s face it, with Charles in his 70s the younger people are really going to be front and centre – they need to ensure they are sensitive to every sensitivity.
