Prince Harry inspecting Guard of Honour in Antigua
LONDON, England, Tuesday November 22, 2016 – Prince Harry’s visit to the Caribbean has sparked an anti-colonial social media campaign that has seen the hashtag #NotMyPrince gain increasing attention on Twitter.
The 32-year-old Prince has just started a two-week tour of the West Indies after the Queen requested he visit the countries on her behalf. He is visiting seven countries, six of which the Queen is head of state – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines. Guyana is Prince Harry’s other stop.
While he was greeted in Antigua by honour guards at the airport on Sunday, critics of the monarchy were less pleased about his visit.
His next stop is St Kitts. But he has been busy in Antigua and Barbuda, meeting with children and government officials, and attending several events.
The #NotMyPrince campaign defines itself as an “anti-colonial welcoming committee for Prince Harry” which wants to “resist colonization of the mind”.
“Prince Harry brings the combined mystique of whiteness, celebrity, power and wealth; in return he is greeted with the usual pomp and circumstance. He will be feted with military parades and cultural performances,” a post on the campaign’s Tumblr read.
The campaign questioned why military displays were performed to please the Prince in the 21st century.
Others were more protective of him: “#Notmyprince is a bit overblown. He’s actually a good bloke and hardly responsible for colonialism or slavery. #Giveharryabreak.”
The primary reason for the visit is to mark the 35th Anniversary of Independence in Antigua and Barbuda and the 50th Anniversary of Independence in Guyana and Barbados. Prince Harry is due to meet Barbados-born singer Rihanna who is headlining a concert marking Barbados’ independence anniversary.
Last year, Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart announced the island would replace the Queen as head of state with a president.