Prince William and Kate Middleton's Caribbean tour could be marred by further protests in Jamaica, as campaigners accuse the Queen and her predecessors of perpetuating slavery.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive on the island tomorrow from Belize on the next leg of their three-country visit before going to The Bahamas on Thursday.
As the country marks its 60th anniversary, a coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians have called in an open letter for the British monarchy to pay slavery reparations.
The letter reads: "We note with great concern your visit to our country Jamaica, during a period when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and bracing for the full impact of another global crisis associated with the Russian/ Ukraine war.
"We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind."
The group Advocates Network, a human rights coalition of Jamaican activists and equalities organisations, will stage a protest outside the British High Commission in Kingston at 10.30am just hours before Prince William and Kate arrive.
Co-organiser of the protest Nora Blake told The Independent: “It is important as we turn 60 years old as an independent nation that we stand as “adults” on solid ethical, moral and human justice grounds to say to Britain, who was once our “parent”, that you have done wrong in enriching yourselves off of chattel slavery and colonialism.
“Morally this requires an apology, and it is only just that reparations be made.
“Many precedents have been set for this.
“Today we are setting the conversation of our future generations, for them to have something to build a brighter future.”
Numbers willing to participate in the protest have not been confirmed but organisers say it is backed by 100 figures from a wide cross-section of industries including politics, business, the clergy and arts.
Signatories also include iconic reggae artist Big Youth and Mike Henry - one of Jamaica’s longest-serving MPs.
Directly addressing Prince William, who with wife Kate is undertaking the tour to firm up relations with the Caribbean realms and celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the letter states: “We will not participate in your Platinum Jubilee celebration!"
It adds: "We are of the view that an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to, the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialisation, is necessary to begin a process of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation.”
In sync with Jamaica’s 60th independence later this year, the protest group has issued the royals with a 60-point breakdown detailing reasons why this is warranted.
The apparent opposition in Jamaica comes after the tour began in controversial circumstances when opposition from villagers in Belize, who cited a range of issues including objections to the Cambridges' helicopter landing site, forced a royal trip to a farm on Sunday to be scrapped.
It was replaced with a visit to a chocolate producer before the royals travelled to the cultural centre of the Garifuna community in Hopkins.
The Cambridges are today (Monday) due to visit stunning ancient Maya ruins deep in the heartland of Belize.
William and Kate will be given a tour of the site and have the chance to take in Caana, or sky palace, which remains the tallest man-made structure in Belize.
The duke visited Belize as a teenager in 2000, when he reportedly learned jungle survival techniques with the Welsh Guards who were receiving training from the British Army Training Support Unit as part of Exercise Native Trail.
William was beginning a gap year before university at the time and while in the jungle, the then 18-year-old duke learned his A level results.
The last engagement of the day will see the couple attend a reception hosted by the Governor-General of Belize at the Maya ruins at Cahal Pech, near San Ignacio.
This special reception will be held in celebration of the Queen's Platinum and William will give a speech.
During their first full day in Belize on Sunday, the couple toured a cocoa farm and danced during a cultural visit to a nearby village.
