The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Caracol on Day 3 of their Caribbean tour
(Picture: PA)The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge turned jungle explorers on Monday as they climbed Belize’s most spectacular Mayan ruins.
And there was only one reaction on Kate’s lips as she surveyed the landscape stretched out before her when she and William stopped to take in the view: ‘Wow.’
The couple were visiting 3,000 year-old Caracol, a sprawling ancient archaeological site, located in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, close to the border with Guatemala.
The site is situated deep in the heart of Belize’s Chiquibul National Forest.
The highlight of their trip was the chance to view the Caana, or ‘sky palace’, which stands 141 feet high and was built by hand.
Wearing a white t-shirt tucked into khaki trousers and sensible white Superga plimsoles, Kate wore sunglasses and her hair down.
William also sported sunglasses and a matching khaki shirt and trousers.
The couple were guided by the country’s director of architecture Allan Moore, who accompanied the couple as they walked into a clearing where the palace was contained.
He told them: “It’s like looking at the inside of Buckingham Palace. This is just a small fraction of what we have here.”
The original settlement dates back to 400BC, developing into a more prosperous city by 200AD.
Once home to 100,000 people, it measures a staggering 75 square miles and is five times larger than even the country’s biggest modern inhabitation, Belize City.
Its name derives from the Spanish for snail shell because of the spiralling access road that led to the site.
Mr Moore showed the couple some ancient Mayan carvings, with the couple pointing out lizards, fish nibbling on water lilies and a feline shape which he explained could have been a jaguar, a resident of the jungle area surrounding them.
He also walked them round to an area where the ancient Maya used to play ball games.
The couple happily posed for photographs with the palace behind them briefly taking their sunglasses off in the 31 degree heat.
Then it was time to start the long trek to the top, walking up a side path at first with a wooden handrail.
At the first stop off point they stopped to peer into the remarkably well preserved ruins of ancient homes and peppered their guide with questions.
They were then invited to stand on their own in a gap in the terrace to pose for pictures surrounded by the historic site.
As they caught a glimpse of the vista the couple marvelled at what they saw. “Wow,” Kate said.
William got the giggles when, as he turned back away from the view - which was being captured by a group of photographers - to find another set of snappers the other side of them.
“We got one [group] one side and another the other. You are in each other’s photographs,” he laughed.
The couple then continued on their climb accompanied by their own personal photographer.
Mr Moore told them as they climbed the steep steps up: “People often like to try and run up here.’
“What, they race?’ exclaimed William.
“You must be very fit if you are doing this three times a week Allan!”
Caracol was discovered by a Belizean logger in 1937 when the country was then British Honduras.
Archaeologists spent several decades excavating it, discovering monuments, tombs and extensive terrace systems.
One of the highlights is the Caana, or ‘sky palace’ - towering 141 foot tall - which is not just the highest building in Caracol but still the tallest man-made structure in Belize.
An impressive pyramidal structure, it sits at the heart of Caracol’s ceremonial centre.
The ancient builders are believed to have erected the structure so that its high priests and rulers could be closer to the sky.
Mr Moore described Caana as a ‘residential temple palace’, adding: ‘This is flagship Maya site. ‘
He explained how the Maya people were the early destructors of the jungle as they burnt down much of the vegetation in the area to create Caracol.
The Duke and Duchess Cambridge today visited Belize’s amazing Mayan ruins, the 3,000 year-old Caracol, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, close to the border with Guatemala.
— Robert Jobson (@theroyaleditor) March 21, 2022
The site is situated deep in the heart of Belize’s Chiquibul National Forest. pic.twitter.com/N1TYkYNbRM
After they eventually left Caracol the jungle grew back and surrounded the structures, which meant they weren’t discovered until the late 1930s.
Asked what he hoped William and Kate would take away from their visit, he said: “I want to emphasise the spectacular being of the Maya structure. It shows the historic potency of our civilisation to build these kind of structures.”
Asked about what Belize felt about the British monarchy, he said: “It’s as relevant here as it is in the UK. It’s symbolic and we respect that. And some people like having a monarchy far, far away.
“As an archaeologist I cherish what is rare. As a good Belizean I welcome the prince and his wife. We are known to be a hospitable nation. They will enjoy this.”
