Following his March 2-3, 2012 official visit to Belize, Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, sent a warm thank you note, in which he expressed his appreciation to the people of Belize.
“Thank you for such a warm and friendly welcome to such a beautiful country,” said Harry. “In only 23 hours, I feel as though I have seen so much of Belize through the thousands of people who lined the way. I am hugely grateful for the very happy memories, and I’m very sad to leave. I will pass on your good wishes to my grandmother, our Queen, on her Diamond Jubilee.”
He closed his note saying thank you in Kriol: “Tenk yu!”
The 27-year-old son of Charles, second in line for the British throne, and Diana, deceased, came to Belize as an ambassador for his grandmother on the occasion of the 60th year of her reign over the UK, its territories and the Commonwealth realm. Other members of the royal family simultaneously toured other locations.
In Belize, the Prince was hosted at a street festival in Belmopan, where he got a chance to immerse in Belize culture, sampling both the food and dance. He was said to have deviated from “royal protocol” when he danced with Denise Enriquez.
He also visited the ancient Mayan temple of Xunantunich, where he mounted the main temple as a part of a personal tour led by Dr. John Morris, Director of Research and Education, Institute of Archaeology.