Kate Middleton and Prince William have canceled a scheduled trip to Akte ‘il Ha cacao farm in the indigenous Maya village of Indian Creek in Belize following protests by residents, according to Reuters. The royals were scheduled to visit the village on March 20, but had to make alternate plans after residents were “upset that the royal couple’s helicopter had been granted permission to land on a local soccer field without prior consultation.” The villagers, according to the outlet, have been engaged in a dispute with Flora and Fauna International (FFI), a conservation group of which William is a patron and has British colonial ties.
In a statement to Reuters, Kensington Palace confirmed that William and Kate’s visit had to be canceled because of “sensitive issues” pertaining to the village and that more information about their schedule would be provided at a later time. Meanwhile, People reported that villagers in Indian Creek were seen holding signs saying, “Prince William leave our land,” prior to the royal couple’s arrival.
The controversy comes after William was accused of harboring colonialist views following his comments about the war in Ukraine, according to Newsweek. “It’s really horrifying. The news every day, it’s just, it’s almost unfathomable. For our generation, it’s very alien to see this happen in Europe,” William said during a visit with Kate to the Ukrainian Cultural Centre on March 10. Kensington Palace has yet to respond to these incidents.
Nicki
