Expressing his sentiments, Holness shared that he felt unexpectedly involved in matters pertaining to the United Kingdom following the couple's visit to Jamaica. The timing of Harry and Meghan's trip coincided with King Charles' impending hospitalization for an enlarged prostate. Speaking to local newspaper The Gleaner, Prime Minister Holness expressed his pleasure and happiness at having members of the royal family participate in such a significant event. However, he acknowledged that he had unwittingly become entangled in internal UK matters, which had brought additional publicity to Jamaica.
It is worth noting that Andrew Holness had previously met Prince William and Kate Middleton during their visit to the Caribbean in 2022 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee. During that visit, Holness delivered a public speech in front of the royal couple, expressing his desire to end the British monarchy's role as Jamaica's head of state.
Royal author Phil Dampier, in a conversation with the Daily Mail, commented on Harry and Meghan's visit to Jamaica, noting that attending a film premiere would generally be deemed unproblematic. However, he considered their timing to be somewhat insensitive, given Prince Charles' medical situation and Jamaica's vocal discussions about severing ties with the monarchy.
During their visit, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interacted with actors, posed for photographs, and had the opportunity to meet notable individuals such as Ziggy Marley, the son of Bob and Rita Marley.
In contrast, Kate and William's visit to Jamaica in 2022 had a more serious tone, as they engaged in discussions surrounding topics like slavery and encountered protests against the monarchy.
During the trip, Prince William delivered a speech where he expressed profound sorrow for the appalling atrocity of slavery, emphasizing this sentiment to Jamaica's Prime Minister.
