Prince William and Kate Middleton Showed Their Support to the British Caribbean Community on Windrush Day

They attended a monument unveiling.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to a girl as they attend the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station in London on June 22, 2022
(Image credit: Photo by John Sibley / Getty)

Prince William and Kate Middleton marked a very symbolic day for the British Caribbean community on June 22.

The occasion was Windrush Day, which commemorates the arrival to the U.K. of the ship MV Empire Windrush on June 22, 1948, carrying hundreds of Caribbean people who were called upon to join the British workforce. Caribbean people who arrived in Britain from that day until 1971 are known as the "Windrush generation."

Later, in 2018, the Windrush scandal broke out, which saw the British government tell members of the Windrush generation that they were in the U.K. illegally, despite having been residents for decade and having arrived from a Commonwealth country, according to the BBC.

To mark Windrush Day, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge first visited a youth program, ELEVATE, in the historically Caribbean London neighborhood of Brixton, where, per Hello!, they met young people who were in the process of honing their photography and filming skills. The duchess, of course, is a keen photographer herself, so she no doubt had plenty to talk about with the program participants.

The Cambridges then attended the unveiling of a monument to Windrush in London's Waterloo Station, a statue of a man, a woman, and a child created by Jamaican artist Basil Watson. Windrush passengers Alford Gardner and John Richards also attended the unveiling.

Britain's Prince William (3rdL), Duke of Cambridge, Britain's Catherine (2ndL), Duchess of Cambridge, Baroness Floella Benjamin (R), Windrush passengers Alford Gardner (C) and John Richards (4thL) and children pose for a picture with the National Windrush Monument created by Jamaican artist Basil Watson (L) at Waterloo Station in London on June 22, 2022

(Image credit: Photo by John Sibley / Getty)

For the occasion, Middleton wore a white Alexander McQueen blazer which she first wore in Jamaica, according to the Daily Mail. She paired it with tailored white pants from the same brand and a small Mulberry bag.

Britain's Prince William (R), Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by Baroness Floella Benjamin (L) arrive to attend the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station in London on June 22, 2022

(Image credit: Photo by John Sibley / Getty)

The Cambridges' recent visit to the Caribbean came with a great deal of controversy, because it was a stark reminder of the British Royal Family's historical role in perpetuating colonialism and slavery. The three nations they visited, Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, are all reportedly considering leaving the Commonwealth following the visit.

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.