The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia shared presents with the Earl and Countess of Wessex when they arrived to a red carpet welcome.

After their trip to Grenada was postponed at the last minute, Sophie and Edward started their seven-day Caribbean vacation on Friday. They will also stop in Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Platinum Jubilee trip was organised to commemorate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, and it comes only a few weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were criticised for several aspects of their recent Caribbean visit, thought to hearken back to colonial times.

When Sophie and Edward saw Prime Minister Philip Pierre at his apartment on Friday evening, they gave him with a portrait of themselves and a Jubilee box as a “symbol of thanks.

Upon receiving this present, Edward jokingly said, “It’s not a fishing pole,” before realising what was inside the black tube was a painting of one of the island’s turtles.

After signing the guest book, the newly engaged pair wrapped up their first day of dating.

Sophie and Edward paid a visit to Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, the interim governor general, before visiting Mr Pierre.

Hewanorra International Airport met the royals as soon as they departed their British Airways aircraft on Friday morning, with Dr. Ernest Hilaire and Captain Cyril Saltibus welcoming them in the sunlight.

After walking the red carpet with Edward, Sophie donned a red dress and joined her husband on the podium where Edward awaited the arrival of the guard of honour as the island police band played the national song.
Over the course of the week-long journey, Sophie and Edward will have the opportunity to meet members of the local community, as well as Commonwealth Games competitors in training.

A new date for the Grenada portion of the tour was not announced for Thursday.

The planning of the royal visit is thought to have entailed conversations between the host nations, the royal authorities, and other parties.

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