Beenie Man Shuns Prince William, Kate Middleton’s Royal Visit To Jamaica, Prefers Harry And Meghan Instead

King of the Dancehall Beenie Man has been getting much support on Twitter after he declared during an interview with Good Morning Britain, that he and his Jamaican compatriots do not want the Queen to remain Head of State of the island, and are not enthusiastic about Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton’s visit.

“Jamaicans don’t want di Queen.  Mi can tell yuh dat.  We don’t want be controlled by nobaddy,” Beenie Man said in the interview.  “We are just here, controlled by the British, ruled by the British law when you guh inna di court, is all about the Queen and the Queen serve and the Queen dis and di Queen dat – but what they’re doing for Jamaica? They’re not doing nothing,” he said.

William and Kate are set to arrive in Jamaica today, for a three-day stay, amid a protest and expressed resentment over Britain’s role in the TransAtlantic Slave Trade.

However, Beenie said that while Jamaicans are not interested in seeing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, if it were William’s younger brother Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who were coming, then the reaction would be different, as the 37-year-old is well-liked by Jamaicans.

“If Harry did deh yah now, people woulda react different.  People woulda guh meet Harry.  But William, nobaddy nuh want see dat,” Beenie said.

According to a news release from the couple, they are expected to, among other things, “celebrate the life and legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley with future music stars”, as they mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.

Jamaica is one of three Caribbean countries, including Belize and The Bahamas, which the Duke and Duchess are visiting on the 2022 Royal Tour.  A news release from King’s House a few weeks ago, said that the visit is part of the celebrations to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and the 60th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence.

In Jamaica, a protest has been planned by the  Advocates Network and is set to take place in the precincts of the British High Commission, to demand that Great Britain apologises for its role in the slave trade and pays reparations to the descendants of those enslaved.

William and Kate had earlier cancelled a visit to a village in Belize following a protest by residents over the royal family’s ancestors’ ties to slavery.

On Tuesday morning the comments on the Metro UK’s Twitter page, where a link to the full story regarding Beenie Man’s views was carried, were caustic.

“Well done to Beanie man. Hope the Jamaicans show them they are not wanted there. This imperial/colonial rubbish has to stop,” Fauzia said.

“It’s such an embarrassment that the Royals still do these age of empire victory tours of the colonies. Why on earth would they expect a warm welcome? Massive cringe and heartfelt apologies to the ‘ungrateful natives’,” Judyweb said sarcastically.

“They should protest against their government for issuing the invitation,” CEpe Smith said.

Queen Elizabeth has visited Jamaica on six occasions, the last being in 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee, and was warmly received.

Her son, Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, also visited the island back in 2000 and 2008.

In 2000, Charles visited the cradle of Reggae music, Trench Town, where he put on a Rasta hat and danced to Reggae beats.   Eight years later, he returned to Jamaica where he visited the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road with his wife Camilla Parker Bowles. They also joined a group of Rastafarians in a ceremonial beating of drums.

Then a bachelor, Prince Harry had arrived in Jamaica on March 5, 2012 for a four-day official visit, as part of activities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of his grandmother, which had marked 60 years since her ascension to the throne.

Members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) gave him a 21-gun salute, as the plane entered the Jamaican airspace.   He was then transported to King’s House, which is his official residence while in Jamaica.

Harry had also visited the Usain Bolt Track at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, where he met the Olympic sprint champion who presented him with an autographed portrait of himself to Britain’s Prince Harry, after they both ran a mock race.

He had also visited The University of the West Indies’ Law Faculty, where he, among other things unveiled a plaque there in honour of his grandmother’s Diamond Jubilee before paying a visit to the Bustamante Hospital for Children, where he also unveiled another plaque in honour of Queen Elizabeth.

Harry made headlines after he was spotted dancing Reggae with a group of girls during his visit to the Rise Life Management Services, an independent non-governmental organisation dedicated to youth and community building.

He had also been treated to a State Dinner where he gave a toast to the government and the people of Jamaica.

Harry, who rose to the rank of captain in the British Army, had also donned his military uniform for a visit to Up Park Camp, headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force, where he had breakfast and then went to the  30 metre range at Up Park for a live firing exercise using an M-4 rifle.

Prince Harry also co-piloted a helicopter from the JDF Air Wing to the William Knibb Memorial High School playing field in Trelawny, from where he undertook a tour of Falmouth in the company of the Governor-General and Lady Allen encompassing the Falmouth Pier, Good Hope Great House, and the William Knibb Baptist Church.

Later that evening, Harry was treated to a Jamaica Night event on the Sandals Cay in Montego Bay, before departing the following day from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.