The Duke of Cambridge has reaffirmed his message of support for Commonwealth countries as he issued a statement at the end of his royal tour to the Caribbean.
In an unexpected missive, released as he and the Duchess of Cambridge left the Bahamas at the end of a week long visit taking in three countries, Prince William said that their latest tour had ”brought into even sharper focus, questions about the past and the future”. And he added ”that future is for the people to decide upon”.
The Duke also spoke of his commitment to the Commonwealth, ‘‘who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn’t what’s on my mind. What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it.”
It follows a week in which debate about the role of the Monarchy in the three nations visited in the tour – Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas – intensified. In his last major speech of the visit, William also addressed the issue, saying ”We support with pride and respect your decisions about your future. Relationships evolve. Friendships endure.”
The Duke of Cambridge’s statement in full reads:
”Foreign tours are an opportunity to reflect. You learn so much. What is on the minds of Prime Ministers. The hopes and ambitions of school children. The day-to-day challenges faced by families and communities.
I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. In Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them. Catherine and I are committed to service. For us that’s not telling people what to do. It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have.
It is why tours such as this reaffirm our desire to serve the people of the Commonwealth and to listen to communities around the world.
Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn’t what is on my mind. What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can.”
The statement was later shared on their official social media with more images of the couple during their visits to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned from their tour on March 27th 2022.
