[imagesource: Sleek Jamaica media]
There are some who would like to believe that Kate Middleton was ‘blanked’ by Jamaican beauty queen and politician Lisa Hanna.
The Duchess (and Duke) of Cambridge arrived in Jamaica just as protests calling for slavery reparations from the British monarchy were taking place in Kingston.
The demonstration was in light of the country making moves to drop the Queen as head of state and become an independent republic. Many feel that the Royal Family has benefitted from the “blood, tears and sweat” of slaves in Jamaica.
Within this hostile context towards the royals, it makes sense that news of the Duchess getting the cold shoulder from the politician with the People’s National Party would spread.
The Express reported on the video that started all of this. It shows the ceremonial welcome at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport where Kate sat next to Hanna.
The video in question:
“Move yu bloodclaat” murdaaa 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/29rjDPzSov
— Berrryyy🍓🇯🇲 (@super_blessed21) March 22, 2022
People reacted based on that short snippet:
Twitter user Euen Herbert wrote: “Lisa Hanna snubs Kate Middleton in protest of reparations. Sorry, Kate but if you, William, Charlie of Lizzy can’t say sorry or talk bout de money you owe, don’t chat to me.”
Gavin added: “My heart must weak because the second hand embarrassment just broke me.”
But really, there was a lot of this, too:
Per Hello Magazine, Hanna actually “insisted she had enjoyed a ‘very interactive and pleasant conversation’ with the royals and that she welcomed them ‘wholeheartedly’ to Jamaica”.
Hanna also cleared the air on Twitter:
We had a very interactive and pleasant conversation throughout the proceedings as we talked about family, our cultures and our people. pic.twitter.com/Neb8zCpkMU
— Lisa Hanna (@LisaHannamp) March 23, 2022
She added that the country and its people hope to “seek our true independence” by moving systematically and strategically towards being “free from the monarchy”.
Hanna ended off by confirming that she did indeed “welcome them wholeheartedly” with some trademark Jamaican “warm hospitality”.
Meanwhile, Prince William’s highly anticipated slavery speech commenced last night during a state dinner hosted by Patrick Allen, governor-general of Jamaica, at King’s House in Kingston, reported The Independent:
“I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history,” Prince William told attendees at the state dinner.
“I want to express my profound sorrow – slavery was abhorrent and it should never have happened. While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage, and fortitude.
While William admitted his “profound sorrow” over the “abhorrent” history of slavery, he missed the actual apology everyone was waiting for, instead opting for Bob Marley’s phrase “one love” to end off.
[sources:express&hellomagazine&independent]
