With all the talk of dumping the monarchy, the military parade attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the blazing Jamaican sun had the feeling of a handover.
But William and Kate did their best to put on a first-class performance on Thursday - one that had echoes of the Queen’s visits of a bygone age.
The couple, on the last day of the visit to Jamaica before heading to the Bahamas, enjoyed a ride in the Queen’s Jamaican Land Rover on their last engagement in the country.
Prince William - looking dashing wearing his No 1 Tropical dress of the Blues and Royals for the first time - and Kate, elegant in cream Alexander McQueen with a Philip Treacy hat, stepped into the vehicle that transported the Queen and Prince Philip on their visit to the Caribbean Island in 1962.
The Cambridges were attending the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Programme.
As his wife took her seat in the stands alongside the Governor General, Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, the duke received the Royal Salute before inspecting the Parade.
William stood to attention in a dais as the newly-qualified soldiers marched past him, as Kate watched on with pride.
The Commissioning Parade was comprised of seventy- nine officer cadets from across the Caribbean including from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Guyana St Kitts.
A series of march pasts took place starting with one from The President’s Platoon, with the duke standing to attention for each one.
Once the marches concluded he took to the microphone to make a speech.
In his address William said he was honoured to be representing the Queen and told the graduates: “I have stood to attention myself on many parades as you do now, proud of my accomplishments, yet also hoping that the Reviewing Officer keeps the speech short.
“This is all the more important today as we bask in the glorious Jamaican sunshine.
“I know very well from my own time at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst what a formative experience this year will have been.
“Today you mark the successful completion of your training programme in the classrooms, on the parade squares and in the exercise areas.
“But remember, this is just the beginning.
“Because now the hard work really starts, as you join your units and assume command.
“You are graduating today as officers into an uncertain world.
“In your service ahead you will have to contend with climatic, geological, criminal and wider state and non-state threats to our collective safety, security and prosperity.
“Being asked to lead men and women through uncertainty and danger is daunting.
“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.
“From here the onus is on you to grow into the leaders you have been taught about in text books, watched on your screens and witnessed in your instructors.
“Good leadership is hard to define, but it’s easy to recognise in others.”
He added: “You should all be incredibly proud of your achievement, and of the young officers turned out so smartly in front of us today.
“Your collective collaboration and success is a testament to the continuing excellent defence relationship between Jamaica and the United Kingdom.”
Both William and Kate presented awards of excellence to several of the mosh outstanding cadets, as well as Swords of Honour.
A final Royal Salute took place before they departed on the Ceremonial Land Rover for a reception with the newly commissioned officers and staff at the Jamaica Officers’ Club.
Kate gingerly walked up into the back of the vehicle via three red velvet steps with her husband’s help because of her heels.
William then joined her and they stood holding handle bar as the vehicle slowly moved off work a motorcycle escort.
As they did, the crowd was told that the pristine Land Rover was acquired by the Jamaican Defence Force in 1962, the same year it was a first used by the Queen.
It has just 2342 kilometres on the clock since it was built in 1958.
After freshening up they walked to the officers’ club, Kate hanging into her hat in the gusty weather.
Inside they split up to talk to several different groups of soldiers and their families.
William chatted to a group of officers from Sandhurst who have been helping to organise the officers’ training programme for the last 18 months.
“I thought their drill was pretty good,” he said. “Really impressive.”
Among those he spoke to was Captain Matt Tiley who had worked as a groom in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace for four years before going into the military and passing out at Sandburg. He is now an instructor there with Marne Company.
He said: “It’s been such an honour to work with them. They have all been so enthusiastic. The duke clearly has fond memories of Sandhust.”
William told another group that they should take time to enjoy the day with their families like he did. “They should be very proud of you,” he said.
He and the duchess signed a visitors book before they left to change for their official departure from Jamaica.
