William and Kate may look back on this week as a time that shaped their future more than any other, having been praised for being the monarchy’s new faces in an ever-changing world.

As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge embarked on their first major tour since the pandemic began, they were confronted with the harsh reality that the world has changed dramatically from our pre-Covid memories.

George Floyd’s murder by a white oppressor has caused all institutions to question themselves, and in a world dominated by images and optics, the standout instances on this trip could not have been more wrong.

Indeed, it appears that a joyous trip down memory lane served as the foundation for this frequently haphazardly organised ode to a bygone era.

The usual excitement that comes with one of these trips was quickly replaced by intense nervousness.

The opening of the heavens today in Nassau could have been an unfortunate metaphor for the dark cloud that hung over the tour.

But, getting back to what they do best, William and Kate spoke from the heart to key workers who had survived the pandemic.

They also took part in a traditional ­walkabout outside the Senate building, with Kate entertaining the audience by cooing at a baby and shimmying to a drum band.

However, other images that have dominated, such as shaking hands with children through metal fences and riding around in an open top Land Rover, will have potentially irreparable damage to the royal brand, particularly in a region where anti-monarchy sentiment is growing.

William and Kate were not entirely to blame.

Instead, they were left to fend for themselves by others who lacked the experience and foresight to see the obvious pitfalls of operating in such a sensitive environment.

On the other hand, don’t the Cambridges have the experience to be more alert?At times, the future king and queen appeared unsettled.

We know their strength lies in their warmth and authenticity, but this tour made them look like puffed-up royalty from the 1960s.

An indigenous group protested a day before they arrived in Belize to begin the tour last Saturday, setting a troubling tone.

Locals, small in number but powerful in voice, slammed the couple for their apparent lack of respect after not being consulted and alleged demands to land a helicopter on a school field.

Nobody could have wished for a better start than this, with placards proclaiming, “Prince William, Leave Our Land.” A hastily issued local government notice declaring a misunderstanding that had nothing to do with the future king and his wife was insufficient.

William and Kate, for their part, threw themselves into the engagements.

The Duchess’s outfit was on point, and her beaming smile was enough to move the agenda along. Even William was praised for progressing from his “dad dancing” days, when he genuinely seemed to enjoy boogying with locals on Hopkins’ white sands, dubbed “the happiest place in Belize.”

But the good times didn’t last long.

The heat was turned up a notch on the next stop in Jamaica.

As their plane took off, angry campaigners on the ground chanted emancipation slogans.

The island country has made no secret of its desire to hold a referendum to end centuries of British rule. Barbados cemented its future by severing ties in November.

Then, with exciting guest appearances from England footballer Raheem Sterling and Olympic bobsleigh heroes, William and Kate’s stop in Trench Town, the birthplace of reggae legend Bob Marley, was plunged into a PR nightmare.

800 ecstatic locals added to the febrile atmosphere as they were greeted by pop stars. But Kate and William’s decision to push through a wire fence while clutching the outstretched arms of Jamaican children was a horror show.

Within hours, the cropped images went viral, igniting a firestorm of criticism with allegations of rancid undertones of Britain’s colonial past.

Despite meeting and greeting dozens of locals who were delighted by their presence, the moment was lost.

Next up was a meeting with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who didn’t even let them sit down before declaring that Jamaica was “moving on” from British rule.

William and Kate had been ambushed unfairly by a man in such high office.

Their clenched jaws said everything.

Palace staff attempted to cool the flames by announcing that William would deliver a historic speech on slavery – both he and Kate were “aware” of the protests.

However, his big moment, in which he spoke of his “profound sorrow” for the heinous slave trade, was widely condemned by campaigners.

Following were cries of “tone deaf,” “pathetic,” and “empty” words – an apology that many had hoped for but was sorely lacking.

More calls for reparations came before a passing-out parade before departing for The Bahamas.

It’s mind-boggling how William, Kate, and their entire team thought it would be a good idea to hop on the back of an open-top Land Rover and be driven around by a black soldier dressed in costume.

Apparently a tribute to the Queen, driven in the same car she used in the 1960s, when the stench of empire hung in the air without much controversy.

However, times have changed, and as William and Kate will undoubtedly discover, scenes like those witnessed are best viewed in a Netflix blockbuster.

‘We love them in The Bahamas’

On their royal tour, William and Kate braved the elements to lift the spirits of hundreds of locals and tourists who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went on a royal walkabout amid a colour explosion from a traditional Bahamian Junkanoo dance.

When William and Kate arrived in The Bahamas today on board the RAF Voyager, Kate held a baby and William jokingly apologised to a group of American tourists who chastised him for making their plane circle for 20 minutes.

Colette Gard, 47, of Nassau, waited for the royal couple for four hours outside the Sennette building.

She said: “I love the fact they are here. Kate is such a princess, so glamorous and kind. William will be a great king.

“We love them in The Bahamas.”

Elaine Patterson, 39, from Kentucky said: “My mum will die when I tell her I met a princess. Kate is just a wonderful lady.”

After a 20-minute stroll, the royals were treated to a traditional street parade known as a Junkanoo, which had not been held in two years due to the pandemic.

Kate was seen swaying her hips to the rhythmic beats while William toe-tapped to the drums in the midst of a sensory overload.

Earlier in the day during a visit to a local school where Kate made a speech, William quipped: “We seem to have brought the weather with us.”

The duchess, who addressed an assembly at the Sybil Strachan Primary School in Nassau, added: “One of the hardest things that so many of us found about the pandemic was being separated from the people we love.

“We have rediscovered how important our families are, and just how important our friends are.

“I always think it is the simple things in life that bring the most joy: playing together, chatting to your friends at school, eating meals together, listening to each other’s stories.

“These are the things that bring us together and give meaning to our lives.”

Kate told the assembly: “The connections, the relationships and friendships that you make during school are so special. So please look after them, cherish them and take time for them. And be kind, understanding and loving to yourself and others.”

The duchess added: “We are so thrilled to be here in the Bahamas, a country that made us feel at home as soon as we set foot on its soil.