Royal visit for TT, Caribbean at month’s end

Port-of-Spain: Trinidad and Tobago is preparing to once again welcome royalty, one week after Carnival.

Prince Edward, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth the second and his wife Princess Sophie.

It's part of a Caribbean tour to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the schedule only announced Tuesday by Buckingham Palace.

It's even more significant given that it would be the first tour of any the royals to any countries worldwide for these celebrations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan has confirmed the royal couple will disembark a British naval vessel, the Fort Rosalie at 10 am on Tuesday February 28th, exactly one week from Carnival Tuesday and will pay courtesy calls on President George Maxwell Richards and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

They will also be the honoured guests at a cocktail reception at the British High Commissioner's residence in Maraval that evening and will depart the next day, February 29th.

There is word that in addition, they will go to the Princess Elizabeth Centre, which was built with funds given to the Queen as a wedding present but Dr Rambachan says that as of now, he has no official correspondence on it.

Prince Edward and Princess Sophie who carry the titles, the Earl and Countess of Wessex
will spend a total of two weeks also visiting St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda.

They begin in St Lucia on February 21st and would still be in the Caribbean by the time Prince Harry arrives on March 2nd.

Prince Harry will not be coming to Trinidad and Tobago.

The boat to be used by the royal couple, Fort Rosalie, is part of the fleet that  replenishes warships of the Royal Navy and allied navies with food, stores and ammunition, whilst underway.

It currently provides the UK Government’s presence in the Caribbean, strengthening regional ties and in support of Counter Narcotics Operatives.

When Prince Charles and Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall visited in March 2008 they also used a yacht, The Leander, as part of Prince Charles' efforts to reduce carbon emmisions.