The Duchess of Cambridge arrives to attend a special combined school assembly at Sybil Strachan Primary School, in Nassau
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)The Duchess of Cambridge joked about bringing the English weather with her as she visited a primary school in the Bahamas amid torrential downpours.
Kate clutched a brolly as she arrived at the Sybil Strachan Primary School in Nassau, where she acknowledged the challenges faced by schoolchildren in the Bahamas during the pandemic.
“Oh my gosh. The weather, sorry, we’ve brought England’s rain with us,” she said as she arrived on Friday.
The duchess told pupils who were taught online for two years: “The pandemic has taken you away from your classrooms and your friends and learning from home has had its challenges.
“That is why it is so wonderful that after nearly two years away, you have recently returned to school and been reunited with your teachers and friends again,” she said.
The Duchess, who addressed an assembly at the school, said: “One of the hardest things that so many of us found about the pandemic was being separated from the people we love.
“We have rediscovered how important our families are, and just how important our friends are.
“I always think it is the simple things in life that bring the most joy: playing together, chatting to your friends at school, eating meals together, listening to each other’s stories.
“These are the things that bring us together and give meaning to our lives,” she said.
Kate, who was wearing jewellery by Bahamian designer Nadia Irena and a dress by Self Portait, went on: “The connections, the relationships and friendships that you make during school are so special. So please look after them, cherish them and take time for them. And be kind, understanding and loving to yourself and others.”
William and Kate were joined virtually for the event from across the Bahamas with a big screen on the main stage.
The duchess added: “We are so thrilled to be here in the Bahamas, a country that made us feel at home as soon as we set foot on its soil.
“If you are a child growing up in this country today it feels to me like you are very blessed indeed.
“The spectacular natural environment of the Bahamas is just one of those blessings - I only wish we were able to visit all of your 700 islands during our stay!
She said: “Our three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, all love being by the sea, so I hope they will be able to experience your clear waters and beautiful beaches before too long.
“However, as much as you have these natural wonders to enjoy, I know that the last few years have not been easy for many of you.
“I also wanted today to say a big thank you to your parents, guardians and teachers. They, I am sure, have found the pandemic hard too, but they are doing one of the most important jobs out there.
“Nurturing your young minds and helping to shape your futures,” she said.
The duchess, who has carried out pioneering work on early learning and development, added: “We all owe them a debt of gratitude – our future society depends on it. So a big thank you to them for all they do.
“You have a wonderful proverb in your country – ‘When the moon is not full the stars shine more brightly’.
“I see all of you as the stars of this country, and I hope these difficult experiences have given you the motivation, empathy and compassion to become fully engaged citizens of tomorrow, who will continue to make the Bahamas the vibrant, life-affirming and soul-enriching place it is today,” she said.
The school, which started in 1989 and has over 700 students stretching from pre-school to Grade 6 – was closed for nearly two years as a result of Covid-19, along with other schools.
Children had to undertake their lessons virtually from March 2020 until January 2022.
Upon arrival the couple were greeted with a ‘Guard of Honour’ of schoolchildren alongside the Minister of Education, Glenys Hanna-Martin, and the principal of the school, Ricardo Rolle.
They then joined the outside assembly where the school choir performance and a traditional ‘Rake n’ Shake’ band.
Rake n’ Shake music originates from the musical traditions of the Turks and Caicos Islands, whose people brought it to the Bahamas between the 1920s and 1940s.
It is characterised by a saw tool as the primary instrument and is used to accompany dances such as the Bahamian Quadrille and the heel-toe polka.
They then went to a classroom to meet pupils and teachers to hear about their experiences of teaching and learning during Covid-19.
The couple then planted a tree in the Peace Garden at the school, both to mark their visit and Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
