KATE Middleton has helped the Monarchy reconnect with parts of the Caribbean and Africa during her tour
KATE Middleton has helped the Monarchy reconnect with parts of the Caribbean and Africa during her tour with Prince William, a leading Royal expert has claimed.
Author Rafe Heydel-Mankoo said although there was “great hope” among these communities when Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, Kate had proved she was more than capable of bringing about change on her own.
In an interview with GB News, Mr Heydel-Mankook said: “There was a great hope when Meghan Markle married into the royal family that you would have this great duo with Meghan Markle with her biracial ancestry able to reach parts of the Caribbean and Africa in the Commonwealth and re-engage with the monarchy.
“That didn’t quite work out – but Kate seems to be fully capable of doing that job all on her own.”Mr Heydel-Mankoo, is a royal author and one of North America’s leading royal commentators.
He made his comments during an interview with Colin Brazier on GB News.
He added the protests seen in Jamaica are part of a trend of countries leaving the Commonwealth and opting for independence.
He said: “You have to remember this is just the latest stage in a long process that’s happened since the end of the Second World War.
“The Commonwealth has over 50 nations in it, only 15 of them are still Commonwealth realms and the monarchy has always said that it is a decision up to the people of those nations whether or not they wish to remain with the monarchy and the monarchy has facilitated the transition peacefully.
“The Queen herself, or in the case of Jamaica, for example, when it became an independent country, Princess Margaret her sister came for those independent ceremonies so the monarchy had never stood in the way of any of this.”
His comments come a day after the Queen’s Royal biographer told GB News she is on top form mentally though she has “mobility issues”.
Robert Hardman said she was in “very good spirits” amid recent reports she was now largely confined to a wheelchair.
Speaking on GB News, Robert, the author of a new book on the Queen’s life, said: “Mobility is something of an issue now…I’m told by those very close to her that she’s in very good spirits, you know – absolutely pin sharp as ever.
“But, but there is a mobility [issue] inevitably when you’re coming up to your 96th birthday and also dignity, I think it’s terribly important.
“She is the Queen, she wants to be seen as the Queen, she wants to look the part.”
Hardman is the author of the new book “Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II” published by Macmillan.
The Monarch personally granted him rare access to the usually private Royal archives at Windsor Castle to help with the research.
In an appearance on Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel on GB News, he said: “I was very lucky in researching this and I was given access to the royal archives which are atop Windsor Castle in the big tower.
“Under lock and key there are the King’s wartime diaries, all 11 volumes of them, and the Queen gave me access to have a look at those
“They are fascinating because they’re not just sort of ‘what I did today’ type diaries. I mean, they’re very honest.”
He said Her Majesty will have a keen interest in the current tour of the Caribbean by the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William.
“He and the Duchess would have had a chat with the Queen before going on this trip [to] the Caribbean where she is queen of all these countries and they’ll have a chat when they come back.”
Mr Hardman’s comments come two days after Christopher Biggins told GB News he’d been told the Queen was now largely confined to a wheelchair. The entertainer said it was “very sad” but that he hoped she’d be well enough to enjoy the upcoming anniversary celebrations.