The royal family will tour the globe in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be among those carrying out overseas trips this spring to mark the monarch’s 70 years on the throne.
Among the tours will be a visit by heir to the throne Charles with Camilla to the Republic of Ireland from March 23 to 25.
William and Kate will travel to the Caribbean, touring Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas from March 19 to 26.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines from April 22 to 28, and the Princess Royal will visit Papua New Guinea from April 11 to 13.
The Queen, who currently has Covid, reached her Platinum Jubilee on February 6, becoming the first British monarch in history to do so.
She called time on her overseas travel a number of years ago, leaving the duties to other family members.
Jubilee tours abroad have long been carried out in celebration of the Queen’s milestone anniversaries.
Kensington Palace said William and Kate were particularly looking forward to their first joint tour since the start of the pandemic, and have asked to meet as many local people as possible.
They will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community in Belize, as well as exploring the country’s biodiversity.
In Jamaica, they will engage with the Jamaican Defence Force and celebrate the legacy of Bob Marley and other ground-breaking Jamaican musicians alongside potential stars of the future.
In the Bahamas, the Cambridges visit a number of islands and experience a world famous junkanoo parade.
A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: “Throughout their visit, the duke and duchess will take the opportunity to commemorate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
“Their programme will also touch on a number of themes that are close to Their Royal Highnesses’ hearts and a key focus of their work with The Royal Foundation, including The Earthshot Prize, mental health and the importance of early childhood to lifelong outcomes.”
She added: “Their Royal Highnesses are very much looking forward to the visit, which will be their first joint official overseas tour since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020.”
The Cambridges are also keen to learn more about the impact of the pandemic on the Caribbean and how communities coped.
The spokeswoman added: “As with previous overseas visits, the duke and duchess have asked that this tour allows them to meet as many local people as possible.”
The monarch’s Jubilee is being celebrated with national festivities in the UK on a four-day bank holiday weekend in June.
