Harry says he 'had to be here' after snap beside anti-monarchy leader in Jamaica
Prince Harry said "I had to be here" as he and his wife Meghan Markle arrived at the premiere of a new movie about Bob Marley and posed with Jamaica's anti-monarchy prime minister.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were photographed with Jamaican PM Andrew Holness at the screening of Bob Marley: One Love, which celebrates the late reggae singer's life, in Kingston. Mr Holness, who is pushing ahead with plans to make Jamaica a republic, told the now-Prince and Princess of Wales during their 2022 tour to the Caribbean that his country is "moving on" and intends to "fulfill our true ambitions and destiny as an independent, developed, prosperous country".
Harry made the comment while chatting on the red carpet with to Caribbean National Weekly. At the event, the Sussexes also posed with Jamaica's minister of legal and constitutional affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, who told Sky News ahead of the King's coronation last May that an "urgent" referendum could be held as early as 2024 to "sever ties" and remove Charles as Jamaica's monarch. "(Republicanism) is about us saying goodbye to a form of government that is linked to a painful past of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade," she said.
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Harry and Meghan at the premiere of the new film about Bob Marley (Getty Images)Meghan, 42, wore a long, black A-line gown with gold earrings and had her hair in a slicked-back bun, while Harry, 39, was dressed in a dark suit and open-necked white shirt. The couple looked relaxed as they posed for photos with Paramount Pictures chief executive Brian Robbins at the Carib 5 cinema in the capital. Marley's son Ziggy was also in attendance.
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Mr Holness posted on X, formerly Twitter: "The premiere of the Bob Marley: One Love movie in Jamaica signifies a momentous occasion for our nation and the global community. Bob Marley's ability to connect people through his music, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries, has made him a symbol of unity and resilience.
"As we celebrate the premiere of this film, let us reflect on the enduring impact of Bob Marley's work, recognising the importance of his contribution to global conversations on peace, love, and social change." The biopic will be released in February and stars British actors Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley and Lashana Lynch as his wife, Rita.
After the Sussexes travelled to Jamaica, some people noticed the different welcomes William and Catherine, and Harry and Meghan had. One person posted: "A TALE OF TWO ROYAL COUPLES!!! One getting fired in Jamaica by the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The other one having the same Prime Minister proudly & smilingly taking photos with them in Jamaica as if he’s honoured to. You really couldn’t write this."
Someone else explained: "Here in Kingston, Jamaica, Harry and Meghan are receiving a very different reception than that given to William and Kate in 2022…many of us here are by no means royalists but we love underdogs and especially when they stand up to the establishment." A third person added: "Harry is an honorary Jamaican," while another fan shared: "The way this is making my night. Lawd, I love this for my favs."
Harry travelled to Jamaica in 2012 representing his grandmother, the late Queen, during a celebratory Diamond Jubilee tour. The overseas trip was hailed a resounding success, with Harry sprinting with Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt and dancing to Marley's music in Kingston. He showed off a talent for diplomacy by hugging and holding hands with then-Jamaican prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller just hours after she repeated her intention to hold a referendum to remove Elizabeth II as head of state.
Meghan married her first husband, film producer Trevor Engelson, on a beach in Jamaica 2011, with the couple divorcing less than two years later. The former Suits star also wrote on her now-defunct lifestyle blog that her mother took her to visit the slums of Jamaica when she was 10 to teach her about the "harsh realities" of life.
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