'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton have head home to the United Kingdom after a packed eight-day tour of the Caribbean.
After wrapping up their trip to The Bahamas, the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge boarded their RAF VIP Voyager jet on the evening of March 26.
Just prior to their departure, William released an unprecedented statement regarding the controversy that has surrounded them during their tour of Belize, Jamaica, and The Bahamas.
The royal couple faced significant backlash for the first time during an official tour. Even though they received warm welcomes in many places, they encountered mounting tensions in the Caribbean nations where William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, remains head of state.
Following anti-colonial protests in Jamaica and Belize at an earlier point during the tour, the 39-year-old Prince, expressed his "sorrow" over the "abhorrent" history of slavery that shames the United Kingdom, though some felt he did not go far enough and actually apologized.
The protests are the latest signs of a historic shift taking place in the Caribbean: Barbados having broken ties with the monarchy in November 2021 following its first elections as a republic, and Jamaica following suit soon.
Prince William said the future of the Caribbean nations with the UK is for people to decide
In his official statement, The Duke of Cambridge reflected on the future governance of the Caribbean nations, stating that his tour to the Caribbean has brought into "even sharper focus questions about the past and the future."
He further added that people in Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas will decide upon the future of the nations. He said:
"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."
Prince William said that tours such as the one they took "reaffirm" their desire to work for the people of Commonwealth and hear from communities around the globe. Concluding, he said:
"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 rise of social and economic justice movements - including calls for slavery reparations and indigenous rights - are rapidly reshaping contemporary views of the monarchy. While Elizabeth (95) celebrates the 70th anniversary of her throne, Prince William and Kate are increasingly seen as the modern face of the royal family.
