His comments marked the first time a heated debate over moves toward republicanism had been recognized. The Duke is considered to have wanted to tackle the highly controversial issue at some point during his tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, having “fought” with him for months before. A source close to him said that he had thought about it a lot and was well aware that as a future king, it was an issue that would be on the agenda for years to come. He is very willing to “have his own voice” and express his views in his own words, the source added. The belated addition to the speech came after a series of high-level briefings on Friday as the Duke and his team at Kensington Palace discussed the best way to respond to the consequences. The Duke said: “Next year, I know you are all looking forward to celebrating 50 years of independence – your Golden Anniversary. “And with Jamaica celebrating 60 years of independence this year and Belize celebrating 40 years of independence last year, I want to say this: we proudly support and respect your decisions about your future. “Relationships are evolving. Friendship endures. “
