Kate and William swim with sharks during scuba dive at the Belize Barrier Reef

22 March 2022, 20:43

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took a dive to admire the underwater wildlife in Belize as the country is praised for its work looking after the marine environment off its coast.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have praised the people of Belize for their work to look after the marine environment off its coast, as the royal couple took a dive to see the underwater wildlife for themselves.

William and Kate donned scuba gear to swim alongside sharks and explore the second-largest barrier reef in the world.

The pair were seen giving the OK hand signal as they viewed the coral and marine life.

William said it had been "really fantastic" and hailed the "wonderful work" of those helping to ensure the coral and fish are protected, in a video posted to the official Kensington Royal Twitter account.

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He said: "(It's) really fantastic to see the underwater environment here in Belize, and what wonderful work they've been doing to protect the coral and the fish life.

"Belize's work on marine protection is world-leading, which is crucial when you're protecting the world's second largest barrier reef, and in fact it's a Unesco World Heritage site.

"And it's clear to see the Belizeans value their environment, whether it's the marine environment or the land environment.

"It's great to see that their commitments are going further and further, and we should support them and value their efforts to protect both the marine and the land environments."

In a tweet accompanying the post, it was noted that the effects of climate change "are evident", but also that the government of Belize and communities there "deserve huge recognition" for committing to protect 30% of its marine environment by 2030.

The video was posted at the end of the couple's visit to Belize, as they travel to Jamaica, the next stop on their eight-day tour of the Caribbean.

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But their next visit has been met with controversy after a Jamaican human rights advocate has said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are directly benefitting from her ancestors' "blood, tears and sweat" and called for an apology amid protests.

Opal Adisa helped to organise activists outside the British High Commission building in Jamaica's capital Kingston during the visit by William and Kate, to call for the UK monarchy to pay reparations for slavery and apologise for human rights abuses.

The Advocates Network coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians wrote an open letter detailing 60 reasons why the monarchy should compensate Jamaica, to mark the country's 60th anniversary of independence.

Demonstrators were holding signs reading "Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales... not in Jamaica" and "apologise", and holding copies of the open letter.

Ms Adisa, a retired professor in her 60s, is a gender specialist and human rights advocate who works with the coalition, and was keen to call the gathering a meeting of an advocacy network rather than a protest.

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In line with protocol and coronavirus restrictions, Ms Adisa said she requested space for 60 people, but the Advocates Network said 350 people attended Tuesday's event.

A copy of the open letter was handed over by representatives from the Advocates Network to someone from the British High Commission, the group said.

Ms Adisa said: "Kate and William are beneficiaries, so they are, in fact, complicit because they are positioned to benefit specifically from our ancestors, and we're not benefitting from our ancestors.

"The luxury and the lifestyle that they have had and that they continue to have, traipsing all over the world for free with no expense, that is a result of my great, great grandmother and grandfather, their blood and tears and sweat."

She joined calls for an apology, and said the monarchy should provide "economic social reparation", such as "building us proper hospitals, providing and making sure that our children are educated through college level, and making sure land is equally distributed".

Ms Adisa said an apology is the "first step towards healing and reconciliation".

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She added: "You know, we don't have anything personally against Kate and Prince William, and even the Queen, for that matter, but we're simply saying you've done wrong, and it is way past time that you admit that you've done wrong and when you do, redressing it.

"The fact that our government is spending money to help provide security and finance for the duke and duchess, who are wealthy, is outrageous, it's criminal.

"Because the Caribbean is fed up, the same thing happened in Belize. We're just saying enough is enough, we've been quiet, we have been nice.

"Enough is enough, let's deal with this racism and this discrimination."

The protest began ahead of the Cambridges' arrival in Jamaica on Tuesday, where they will stay until Thursday when they depart for the Bahamas.