

Marie Claire reported yesterday that the future of the British monarchy belongs with the Cambridges—and, as the couple concluded their eight-day, three-country Caribbean tour yesterday, it seems a new way of doing things is already underway.
As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge departed the Bahamas yesterday for home in the U.K., Prince William released an unprecedented, landmark statement about the future governance of Commonwealth nations like Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, from where he and wife Kate Middleton just visited. “Foreign tours are an opportunity to reflect,” he began. “You learn so much.”
It is rare, if not unheard of, for a member of the royal family to reflect in this way on a royal tour, let alone so soon after its conclusion.
“I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future,” the statement read, per PEOPLE. “In Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them.”
He continued that the couple is committed to service, which “for us, that’s not telling people what to do,” William wrote. “It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have.”
The statement concluded that who the Commonwealth countries choose to lead in the future “isn’t what is on my mind. What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can,” he wrote.
The statement showed William and Kate were not only aware of the controversy surrounding the tour but were listening and willing to address it. It’s the Duke of Cambridge giving the world a first glimpse of what a monarchy will look like when he is king someday, wrote Richard Kay of The Daily Mail.
While Kay wrote that, in reading the statement, he could sense the “unhappiness certainly at the criticism that has been levelled at him and Kate for the public relations missteps that marred their Caribbean tour,” but, at the same time, Kay continued, “he has given us a glimpse of the kind of thoughtful man William, at 39, is turning into and, crucially, what sort of king he will be. When was the last time—if ever—a senior member of the royal family went on record to acknowledge mistakes?”
It harkens back to the royal family’s famous “never complain, never explain” mentality, but, in this statement, Kay wrote, William acknowledged the tour’s missteps and was willing to engage with criticism. “He wants us to see that he and Kate will not turn away from censure, but rather learn from it,” Kay wrote.
“It is highly unusual for a statement to be issued at the conclusion of a tour and when the cheers of the crowds in the Bahamas were almost still audible,” Kay continued.
“And he showed that, when trouble does come along, he is prepared to take the initiative and that he is listening,” Kay wrote.
Both William and Kate will certainly be reflecting on the tour in the days to come, as they head home to their three children and Mother’s Day in the U.K., which is today.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Selena Gomez Has a Total Kitchen Fail In Her Forthcoming Holiday Cooking Special
Hey, it happens to the best of us.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Will Probably Only See One Another for One Occasion Henceforth
And it’s not an occasion anyone relishes.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Kate “Felt Like a Caged Animal” While Living in Kensington Palace
Her family of five relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in September 2022.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Will Probably Only See One Another for One Occasion Henceforth
And it’s not an occasion anyone relishes.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Apparently King Charles and Prince William Aren’t as Close as We’ve Assumed They Were Since Queen Elizabeth’s Death
Instead of working together for the good of the Crown, Omid Scobie writes that the two are more interested in individual success.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
In Between a Rock and a Hard Place, King Charles Might Have the Solution to See Both of His Sons Over the Holidays
Here’s what we know about Prince William, Prince Harry, and Christmas at Sandringham.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Showed How in Love They Are With Affectionate Moment During State Visit
So beautiful.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William Just Dethroned This Celebrity for the Title of “World’s Sexiest Bald Man 2023”
The methodology to choose this winner is truly mind-blowing.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
A Very Bold 11-Year-Old Boy Asked Prince William How Much Money Was in His Bank Account
William’s response was nothing if not interesting.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William is “Furious” About This Claim in Omid Scobie’s Latest Book, Commentator Says
“He’s just saying it’s absolutely not true.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Prince Harry’s Relationship is Over for Good, Royal Biographer Writes: “There’s No Going Back”
In his new book “Endgame,” Omid Scobie writes that William is convinced Harry has been brainwashed by an “army of therapists.”
By Rachel Burchfield