Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year for serving 70 years as the monarch and counting. Members of the royal family have represented her in various Commonwealth countries, but on her birthday something not-so-pleasant came up about the Earl and Countess of Wessex's Caribbean tour.
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Her Majesty turned 96 years old Thursday. However, on the same day, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Edward and Sophie have pulled out of visiting one of their destinations in their Caribbean tour, Grenada. The change in the itinerary was due to a dispute over the planned program.
"In consultation with the government of Grenada and on the advice of the Governor-General, The Earl and Countess of Wessex’s visit to Grenada has been postponed. The Earl and Countess hope to visit at a later date," Buckingham Palace announced, per Express.
According to unnamed sources, officials in the country were not happy because the royal couple would only spend a few hours in their place during their week-long tour. So, they decided to just postpone it.
"There were concerns it was going to be very expensive for taxpayers in Grenada and they were only coming for eight hours," one anonymous insider said.
Due to their supposed short stay in Grenada, others felt that they would not achieve their twin objectives — to celebrate Queen's Platinum Jubilee and showcase the islands.
Queen Elizabeth, Wessexes Receive A Warning Against Slavery Ahead Of Caribbean Tour
Prince William and Kate Middleton also did a Caribbean tour in March. On their eight-day trip, they visited three Caribbean nations Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. However, it was met with protest and criticism because the nations want to be free from the monarchy. Several called for reparations and apologies for slavery and colonialism.
The Queen and the Wessexes received a stern warning from the chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission, Dorbrene O'Marde, who spoke about the issue during an interview on a local radio station.
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"Everyone in your family continues to live in the splendour, pomp and wealth attained through the proceeds of the crime. It has become common for members of the Royal Family and representatives of the government of Britain to come to this region and lament that slavery was an 'appalling atrocity,' that it was 'abhorrent', that it should not have happened," O'Marde was quoted by Daily Mail as saying.
"We hear the phony sanctimony of those who came before you that these crimes are a "stain on your history. For us, they are the source of genocide and of continuing deep international injury, injustice and racism. We hope you will respect us by not repeating the mantra. We are not simpletons."
The Earl and Countess of Wessex's Caribbean tour kicked off Friday in Saint Lucia. They will then visit Saint Vincent and Antigua and Barbuda.
Stay tuned for more news and updates about the royal family.
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