Prince Harry Tours the Caribbean

British Royalty arrives in Paradise!

The much anticipated official visit to the Caribbean by His Royal Highness Prince Harry is now underway with the Prince touching down in Antigua last Sunday. Prince Harry will enjoy a visit to seven Caribbean countries during his two-week tour, taking in Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados and Guyana. This year is a huge year in Caribbean history when Antigua and Barbuda celebrate 35 years of independence and Barbados celebrates the big 50, and Prince Harry’s visit has been organized to tie in with these very special events. The Prince’s trip is hailed as a formal but fun visit where he will meet not only many of the island’s officials but also many members of the public too, particularly from the younger community. A statement from the royal family said that “Prince Harry is honored to be visiting the Caribbean in the year of the Queen’s 90th birthday and to continue to develop the Royal Family’s strong bonds with the people of these important Commonwealth countries.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
Antigua & Barbuda
Following his touchdown in Antigua on Sunday Prince Harry attended a welcome reception in the beautiful Clarence House in English Harbour, hosted by Governor General His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams. His Royal Highness even managed a quick visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Nelson’s Dockyard. The next part of the visit takes Prince Harry to the Youth Sports Festival in the grounds of Government House in the capital St John’s, where cricket legends Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Curtly Ambrose and Sir Andy Roberts will host. The beautiful island of Barbuda isn’t forgotten either with Prince Harry visiting some of the island’s schools and young people before taking in a boat trip through the mangroves to view the amazing Frigate birds. On his return to Antigua, he will unveil a dedication towards The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy Project in the Victoria Park Botanical Gardens in St John’s.

 
 
 
 
 
 
St Kitts and Nevis
St Kitts and Nevis is the second country to receive a visit and for his first engagement Prince Harry will attend a youth rally at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Brimstone Hill Fortress where traditional dances, and poetry recitals will be performed by inspiring young people of the country. Prince Harry will present his second dedication from the Queens Commonwealth Canopy Project to all forest over 1000 feet high within the Central Forest Reserve National Park in St Kitts.
Prince Harry then heads over to Nevis to visit Lovers Beach and its amazing sea turtles. He will hear all about the fantastic work the Sea Turtle Conservation Programme carry out in order to conserve and protect these incredible creatures. Returning to St Kitts, Prince Harry ends his St Kitts and Nevis visit with a reception at Government House where he will meet various young leaders from the islands.
St Lucia
Prince Harry has plenty to look forward to as he moves onto the stunning island of St Lucia where he will attend a glittering reception at Government House in Castries followed by an exhibition cricket match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Pigeon Island, a national landmark of St Lucia is his next destination where an exhibition of conservation projects by young people will be held. The third dedication from the Queens Commonwealth Canopy Project will be awarded during this St Lucia visit, dedicated to the Castries Water Works Reserve and surrounding rainforest. The beautiful town of Soufriere is the next location of the Prince’s visit, nestled between the spectacular Pitons, and HRH will receive a real St Lucian welcome here with traditional street dancing and music and the chance to meet the wonderful St Lucian public.
St Vincent and the Grenadines
The next stop on Prince Harry’s tour is the picturesque twin island nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Kingstown Botanic Gardens of St Vincent, the oldest tropical gardens in the western world dating back 250 years, is the first port of call followed by a trip to the southern interior and the Vermont Nature Trail. Here, Prince Harry will unveil the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy dedication, the fourth and final dedication of his trip to the Caribbean.
Grenada
The fifth destiantion in Prince Harry’s tour of the Caribbean takes him to the beach paradise of Grenada where he will attend a sporting event in the Queens Park Grounds before heading on to the spectacular Grand Anse Beach. However, there will be no soaking up the sun for the Prince whilst there, instead he will meet with environmental groups to hear about the work they do to protect and repair their eco-system, including rebuilding of the coral reef to encourage plants and coral to flourish and replanting the mangroves following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan.
Barbados
It is a very special year for the Caribbean island of Barbados this year and Prince Harry’s visit is perfectly timed for the 50th anniversary of independence of celebrations. After an important visit to the wonderful Nightingale Children’s Home where care is offered to children from birth to the age of 18, Prince Harry will unveil the 50th Anniversary of Independence National Monument at the Garrison Savannah. A military parade will be held there the following day followed by a gathering at the Officer’s Mess of St Ann’s Fort where the Prime Minister of Barbados will address the nation and raise a toast to independence. That evening the Golden Anniversary Mega Concert will be held with super star and “Queen of Barbados” Rihanna topping the bill along with a host of singers, dancers, orchestras and icons from the island. After a glittering celebration Prince Harry will spend his final day in Barbados with a visit to the countryside to meet the team at the amazing Nature Fun Ranch in St Andrew, a sanctuary for the island’s troubled youth, offering a rural setting where they can get involved in various activities to promote a more positive way of living.
Final Words
As representatives of travel to the Caribbean, we are truly thrilled that the Royal family are dedicating so much time to this wonderful part of the world – and rightly so. The Caribbean is such a diverse and exciting destination with every island boasting its own special character and unique set of landscapes. We hope that Prince Harry’s visit serves as an inspiration and that many more people decide to pay a visit to the beautiful Caribbean. Book with SN Travel, your Caribbean travel experts, where you’ll enjoy competitive prices on both flights and hotels and the kind of personalized service that only an independent business can offer.