The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hit the open water during their recent visit to Belize. The day after their arrival, Prince William and Kate went diving at South Water Caye, where they encountered sharks! Jaw-some footage from the couple’s dive was shared Tuesday on the Cambridges’ social media accounts.
“[It’s] really fantastic to see the underwater environment here in Belize and what wonderful work they’ve been doing to protect the coral and the fish life,” William narrated the video. “Belize’s work on marine protection is world leading, which is crucial when you’re protecting the world’s second largest barrier reef, and in fact it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.”
“And it’s clear to see the Belizeans value their environment, whether it’s the marine environment or the land environment,” the future King added. “And it’s great to see that their commitments are going further and further and we should support them and value their efforts to protect both the marine and the land environments.”
The footage includes a clip of the parents of three giving each other the “okay” symbol underwater. “Belize is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world,” a message alongside the video reads. “While the effects of climate change are evident, the Government of Belize and communities across the country deserve huge recognition for their efforts to restore this incredible marine environment - with a commitment to protect 30% of it by 2030.”
© TwitterThe captioned continues, “On Sunday, we were lucky enough to spend time diving at South Water Caye, directly above the spectacular Belize Barrier Reef. It was a privilege to see for ourselves the world-leading ocean conservation work being done here.”
Prince William and Kate arrived in Belize, the first stop of their royal tour of the Caribbean, on Saturday. “Catherine and I are delighted to be here in Belize at the beginning of our first official visit to the Caribbean. I am honoured to convey the very warmest wishes from my grandmother, The Queen of Belize, on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee,” the Duke said Tuesday in a message on social media. “In our short time here, Catherine and I have been lucky enough to witness some of the extraordinary biodiversity that you so lovingly nurture here in your jungles and your reefs. Alongside this environmental diversity, yesterday we also had a taste of Belize’s wonderful cultural diversity - from Mayan chocolate to Garifuna drumming. And yes, you even got us dancing!”
