Email

Print

Cherisse Halsall has a full report on the Real couple's final two days of activities here in Belize:

When we left William and Kate they'd wrapped up a conservation conversation and headed back to Jaguar reef for a Scuba adventure that the press didn't get to see.

This morning via Instagram they shared the underwater wonder of Belize's barrier reef with the world.

Voice of: Prince William
"Its fantastic to see the under water environment here in Belize and what wonderful work they've been doing to protect the coral and the fish life. Belize welcome marine protection is world leading which is crucial when you are protecting the world second largest barrier reef and a UNESCO world heritage site and the Belizeans value their environment whether its the marine or the land environment. We should support them and value their efforts to protect both marine and land environments."

But the next day it was back to the official itinerary, a visit to Belize's most magnificent Mayan structure, with guidance from archeologist Dr. Allan Moore.

Dr. Allan Moore, Institute of Archeology
"They were so they were to taken back a bit aww, they couldn't believe the massiveness of this structure and it's almost an illusion because when you get to the midpoint it seems so high and yet it's so low and when you get way up top it's even more grandeur, you know impressive, impressive, impressive. He was so impressed with it that he was like how many people come back here, how many people get back here? And I said well with COVID we never had that many but even without COVID we didn't have many because most of our market our tourism market is steered toward the cruise ship that has to get back by evening and I could see him going in his mind like let's keep it that way."

And from the top of the Sky Palace, the couple could see the deforestation already visible on the fringe of the horizon. Upon descending they learned more about those issues from BATSUB and the FCD's Rafael Manzanero.

Rafael Manzanero, FCD
"I did describe to them the issues that we have as relates to illegal wildlife trafficking as relating to the scarlet Macaw issuer in the area so that was the part of the presentation. The second one you know Cherisse where we got involved was the unveiling of the plaque that occurred with BATSUB up at New Maria camp in that activity as we all know the Chiquibul is known as the queen's commonwealth canopy."

And later at the Platinum Jubilee reception hosted by the Governor General, it was time to party, the royal couple once again received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Briceno.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I've seen the pictures, they're wonderful. In the case of Prince William I would say welcome back he came to Belize many years ago when I was not yet Prime Minister and he did not say Hi to me."

Central to the GG's reception was a royal feast cooked up and coordinated by Belize's own celebrity Chef, Sean Kuylen. 7News got a tour of his 5 food stations on our Livestream last night.

Sean Kuylen, Chef
"This is relleno blanco, why relleno blanco, it's a special dish only eaten around Christmas and New years. A lot of Belizeans won't eat this everyday because it's an expensive dish the reason it's expensive it s because of the ingredients, capers, safron, raisins, almonds. Atole, corn, panella, is like a molasses, you put some of that in there, this whole station is all corn ---this one is regular tamales, Brazo de reina translates to the arm of the queen."

And this was the occasion in which William and Kate had the chance to mingle with prominent Belizeans who attended this A-List social.

Ever the diplomats, they left glowing impressions on everyone in attendance.

At the end of the evening, Prince William took the podium to express warm wishes and gratitude from the Queen of Belize. He also promised that this was far from his last visit to Belize.

Prince Willam, The Duke of Cambridge
"Catherine and I have been deeply touched by the warm welcome that Belizeans have given us. Now we know why Belize is so lovingly referred to as the Jewel. We hope to return again soon and to show our children this wonderful country. They are rather jealous that they're not here with us now."

And this morning they were off, walking a red carpet through a guard of honor back to The RAF voyager bound for Jamaica.

And just in case you're wondering, last night's local delicacies did not include the Royal Rat - the famed gibnut served to Queen Elizabeth when she visited in 1985.

William and Kate departed Belize this morning on the Royal Jet and headed to Jamaica where they were met by a protest in Kingston demanding reparations by a group called the Advocates Network.

There's also an open letter to the monarchy, which says, quote "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, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind."