Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, will visit the Cayman Islands this month.
The royal couple will arrive on Monday, 20 Feb. and depart on Wednesday, 22 Feb., the government confirmed this morning.
Countess Sophie is scheduled to officially open the annual Agriculture Show on Ash Wednesday, by ringing the cow bell, a statement announcing the royal couple’s visit noted.
The couple’s first engagement will be a meeting at Government House with Governor Martyn Roper and Premier Wayne Panton. This will be followed by a reception with invited guests, hosted by the governor and his wife Elisabeth Roper at Government House.
Prince Edward, youngest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has been a longstanding patron of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute, and he will visit the organisation on Little Cayman in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his patronage, and to launch CCMI’s Coral Fund, a government statement on his visit noted.
The premier will host a lunch for Prince Edward on Little Cayman to discuss climate change and sustainability in the Cayman Islands.
Later, the prince will spend time with the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, observing their maritime capabilities, inspect a guard of honour from the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, and see the Cayman Islands Regiment demonstrate their disaster resilience response.
The Countess of Wessex, as global ambassador of local charity 100 Women in Finance, will support its causes during the visit.
After opening the Agriculture Show on 22 Feb., she will take a tour of the showgrounds, accompanied by the premier.
She is also scheduled to visit the YMCA Field of Dreams in George Town to meet children attending the mid-term break camp.
The Earl and Countess will congratulate Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awardees before departing on the next leg of their trip.
Roper said in the statement that the royal couple is visiting the Cayman Islands “not only to support two excellent charities that enjoy their patronage, but to also spend time meeting our community”.
He added, “The Agricultural Show will be an opportunity for Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex to talk to people from different districts and learn more about Caymanian culture. I am pleased that His Royal Highness will spend time on Little Cayman as well as Grand Cayman, supporting CCMI and also hearing about the Cayman Government’s sustainability and climate resiliency plans.
“I know the real affection that Caymanians feel towards The Royal Family and the visit is an opportunity to celebrate our links with the UK and showcase what our islands have to offer.”
Roper, who is in his last weeks as governor of the Cayman Islands, noted that his tenure in Cayman began with the visit by the former Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, “and it is fitting that my time here in Cayman should end with a visit from his brother, HRH The Earl of Wessex. I look forward to welcoming the Royal couple to the Cayman Islands. ”
Panton, in the statement, welcomed the upcoming royal visit.
“This is also a special time as we celebrate the 54th year of the Cayman Islands Agricultural Show,” he said. “We are honoured that Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, is interested in learning about Caymanian agriculture and our youth development initiatives. We also thank His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex, for supporting CCMI and his openness to hearing about our climate resiliency framework.
“His Royal Highness will also observe our hardworking, uniformed personnel who diligently serve this country. We look forward to welcoming Their Royal Highnesses, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, to our shores on 20 February. I am confident this time will be forever cherished and fondly remembered.”
This will be Prince Edward’s sixth visit to the Cayman Islands. Prior to the 2016 visit, he flew to Cayman Brac to examine the damage caused by Hurricane Paloma, which devastated the island in 2009.
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