ST. KITTS-NEVIS READY TO WELCOME THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 21, 2019 (SKNIS): The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is ready to welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall today, March 21, 2019.

Chair of the Local Organizing Committee for the Royal Visit, His Excellency the Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis, Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton, GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, said that all plans are in place to welcome Their Royal Highnesses to the warm hospitality and rich cultural heritage of the people of the twin-island Federation.

Their Royal Highnesses will arrive at the Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw (RLB) International Airport around midday and will be met and greeted by Sir Tapley and presented to dignitaries including the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, and his Cabinet. A ceremonial Guard of Honour will be mounted at the Sir Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport for the arrival of and departure of His Royal Highness (HRH).

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall come to St. Kitts and Nevis having already visited Saint Lucia, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines on their seven (7) island tour spread out over 12 days.

The Prince of Wales hasn’t been to Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada since 1973. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in 2018, Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth The Second, confirmed that her eldest child, Charles, Prince of Wales, will be the next head of the Commonwealth.

While in St. Kitts, Their Royal Highnesses will visit historic Brimstone Hill National Fortress Park, a 17^th century British fort built by African slaves. At Brimstone Hill, HRH will unveil a plaque at the Prince of Wales Bastion. A cultural extravaganza will be put on for Their Royal Highnesses at Brimstone Hill as well.  They will also visit the Berkeley Memorial (The Circus) and the National Museum, housed in the Old Treasury Building on the Bay Road, Basseterre, which is celebrating 125 years since it was built.

Additionally, Their Royal Highnesses will visit Nevis by boat and be treated to a reception at Government House. They will meet the Deputy Governor-General, Her Honour Hyleta Liburd, and Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Mark Brantley and Mrs. Brantley, along with Members of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA). A visit will also be paid to The Hermitage, A Great House of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, which is today a plantation inn that offers traditional island hospitality and lifestyle for up to 35 guests.

After their visit to St. Kitts and Nevis, The Prince and The Duchess will visit Grenada on the 23^rd of March, where Their Royal Highnesses will learn more about local agriculture and the importance and history of cocoa and spice production on the island. The Prince of Wales will attend a meeting on the importance of the blue economy and meet organizations involved in marine protection and conservation.

After Grenada, Their Royal Highnesses will arrive in Cuba on Sunday 24^th to an official ceremony where they will lay a wreath at the Memorial of Cuba’s national hero-the essayist and poet, José Julián Martí Pérez. The Prince and Duchess will highlight cultural and academic connections, links between the people of the UK and Cuba, and explore key themes, such as the arts, youth entrepreneurship, heritage restoration and sustainable agriculture. The President of Cuba, Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, will officially welcome Their Royal Highnesses before hosting an official dinner on March 25. Also, the British Ambassador will host a reception for Their Royal Highnesses. After other engagements, including roundtable discussions on environmental conservation and those affected by domestic violence, their stay in Cuba will end on March 27.

Their Royal Highnesses will culminate their 12-day tour by visiting the Cayman Islands, where they will attend a meeting with the Premier and The Governor. They will visit all three of the Cayman Islands and will meet members of the local communities from each island and attend a series of engagements focusing on sustainability and marine conservation. The Duchess will visit a crisis centre for young people and their families who have been affected by domestic abuse, as well as a new hospice providing end of life palliative care for those in need. Her Royal Highness will also attend a cultural performance at a local primary school. The Prince of Wales will have the chance to meet hurricane relief personnel based on the islands and end their visit with a reception and celebration showcasing local music and culture.