Prince Harry Diamond Jubilee Tour: Belize, Bahamas & into Jamaica [Photos]
The Island-hopping Prince Harry continues his 10-day Diamond Jubilee tour through the Caribbean in Jamaica this week after stops in Belize and the Bahamas over the weekend in honor of the Queen's 60th year on the throne.
With his brother Prince William off the market, Britain's most eligible bachelor proved that he's at total ease gallivanting through foreign lands and delighting his adoring fans.
The third in line to the British throne began his first official overseas trip on behalf of Queen Elizabeth in Belize Friday with a festive night out in Belmopan, the Central American nation's capital. After unveiling the newly named Queen Elizabeth II Boulevard, Harry donned a traditional Belize shirt, put on his dancing shoes, and joined locals for a street party where he appeared more than happy to test out several flavors of locally brewed rum and beer.
Harry toured the abandoned Maya city of Xunantunich Saturday where British tabloids couldn't help but point out a certain Lion King moment on the rocks overlooking the lush forest below. To get to the site, Harry was forced to ditch his Belize government cavalcade and ride a rudimentary pontoon that was hand-winched across a river.
The 27-year-old top gun army Apache helicopter pilot then attended a festival of food, music, arts and crafts held in the ancient palace court.
Proving to be a skilled diplomat with the common touch that characterized his late mother Princess Diana, Harry favored solo interviews with the local press and spent a great deal of time with the everyday people of the former British Honduras.
The prince laid a wreath for British soldiers at Price Barracks in Belize City before departing the English-speaking Central American nation for the Bahamas.
The young royal caused quite a stir in Nassau Sunday when he appeared in public for the first time ever in his crisp white ceremonial uniform, also known as the No. 1 Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals. His uniform was punctuated with the first public reveal of the Diamond Jubilee medal.
Throngs of fans lined the streets as Harry made his way to the Christ Church Cathedral to meet and greet. Though he mingled with several dignitaries in his special outfit, his encounter with Miss Bahamas, Anastagia Pierre, got tabloids buzzing.
I'm here to fall in love with Harry, Pierre told reporters on Sunday. He's hot! He is single now so I would marry him, yes.
Harry brushed the comments aside and addressed the people of the Bahamas to offer a message of good wishes from the Queen.
The Bahamas holds a special place in Her Majesty's heart, he said. Her love for this realm and you, the Bahamian people, stretches back over the decades, right to that first visit in 1966.? I am greatly looking forward to the next 24 hours and the chance to explore and meet more of the people of these stunning islands. I hope, for me, that this is the first of many visits.
I'll certainly be showing off about it to my brother and sister-in-law when I return home, he added.
Harry called at Government House in Nassau to pay his respects to the Governor General of the Bahamas and other members of the cabinet. The iconic pink-painted house is where his late great-great uncle the Duke of Windsor lived during the Second World War in his role as Governor General of the region.
Earlier in the day, Harry was meant to join the crew of a Royal Bahamian Defense Force patrol boat on a naval exercise but had to move to a media boat after the military vessel broke down. He eventually landed on tiny Harbor Island where he was greeted by crowds of tourists and locals.
Harry is the first of several senior royals to be dispatched across the globe to the 15 countries other than the UK where the Queen is head of state, along with some other Commonwealth nations.
Other royal tours include a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Far East and the Pacific. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, while the Duke of York will travel to India and the Princess Royal will visit Mozambique and Zambia.
Harry will continue his Diamond Jubilee tour with a stop in Jamaica beginning Monday and end in Brazil where he will help launch a government trade mission in Rio. Interestingly, Harry is taking over many of the responsibilities that would normally have fallen to his uncle, Prince Andrew, who was forced to formally give up his journeying UK industry role last year after a series of gaffes.
Serious as Prince Harry's tour may be, the fun-loving prince has been typically enthusiastic about his engagements thus far. Press Start to have a look:
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.