Erling Countess of Wessex Receives Warm Welcome in St Vincent and the Grenadines

The Earl and Countess of Wessex received a royal welcome upon their arrival in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday.

This was their second red carpet reception and guard of honour during their seven-day Caribbean tour.

Scouts, girl guides, and cadets waved the national flag as steel drums played Bob Marley’s One Love.

The Countess of Wessex looked radiant in a stunning floral dress, while Prince Edward looked dapper in a double-breasted grey suit.

Sophie and Edward met with Governor-General Susan Dugan and Acting Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel, and the Countess’ white dress complemented her simple accessories.

She looked stunning for a busy day of meetings and sightseeing in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The floral item paired with her bun hairstyle really worked well on Sophie and could certainly feature in her appearances in the days ahead.

As the royal couple arrived at Argyle International Airport, Sophie greeted groups of excited scouts and girl guides who lined each side of the red carpet, all waving the colourful flag of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

However, the Earl and Countess had received a warning from another Caribbean country to avoid phony sanctimony over slavery.

In an open letter to the pair, Antigua Ambarbuda, Repatriation Support Commission said, “We hear the phony sanctimony of those who came before you that these crimes are a stain on your history.

For us, they are the source of genocide and of continuing deep international injury, injustice and racism.

We hope you will respect us by not repeating the mantra.

We are not simpletons.”

The tour was organised to mark the Queen’s 70-year reign, and it comes shortly after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were criticised for some elements of their recent Caribbean tour.

But the reception for the Wessexes was overwhelmingly friendly, and they were presented with a bouquet of flowers by primary school pupil Ashley Church upon arrival by airplane.

Throughout the day, the couple carried out separate engagements as part of their one-day trip to the island.

Sophie visited a community college, where she was welcomed by the La Garcia Dance Company.

The Countess met with representatives from persons with disabilities and the Society of and for the Blind in order to promote the need for support and equality for blind and partially sighted individuals.

She also met with women’s groups to learn about their contributions to the community’s response to the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano, which occurred last year.

Meanwhile, Prince Edward paid a visit to the island’s primary stadium, where he spoke with athletes who were practising for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

He was in attendance at two sprint races held in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.

After having lunch with the Governor-General and the Acting Prime Minister of the islands in the afternoon, the pair visited the botanical gardens.

The couple planted a tree to commemorate the Queen’s 70th year as Queen before hearing about the country’s reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex received a warm welcome in St Lucia as it rolled out the red carpet at the delayed start to their Caribbean tour.

Things got off to a smooth start as the Earl and Countess of Wessex exchanged gifts with the Prime Minister of the island.

Sophie and Edward presented Prime Minister Philip Perrier with a photograph of themselves and a jubilee box as a token of appreciation when they met him at his residence.

In return, St Lucia’s Prime Minister gave the couple a painting of one of the island’s turtles rolled up in a long black tube, and before discovering what the gift inside the tube was, Edward joked, “it’s not a fishing rod.”

The couple then signed the guestbook to complete their first day of engagements.

In conclusion, the Earl and Countess of Wessex received a warm welcome in St Vincent and the Grenadines as part of their seven-day Caribbean tour.

Despite receiving a warning from Antigua Ambarbuda, Repatriation Support Commission to avoid phony sanctimony over slavery, the reception for the Wessexes was overwhelmingly friendly.