Earl of Wessex visits the Sister Islands

Prince Edward meets Primary school children at the
Brac airport

The Earl charms Cayman Brackers

Friday,  November 26, 2004

The Earl of Wessex concluded his two-day visit to the Cayman Islands with a whirlwind tour of the Sister Islands.

Stopping first at Little Cayman, the Earl visited the Little Cayman National Trust House and the construction site of the Little Cayman Research Centre, of which he is Royal Patron.

Southern Cross Club Resort owner, Peter Hillenbrand, said: “The Prince is a dynamic person who recognises the importance of this research for the future generations. He asked many questions and was obviously well informed and up-to-date on issues about the marine environment.”

“The Earl was ‘very engaging – a genuinely nice person’. He made sure he talked to everyone who was there,” said Mr Hillenbrand.

After a seven-minute flight, Prince Edward touched down on Cayman Brac, where he met many of the children on the Island, including some displaced from Grand Cayman since the hurricane, and listened to their memories of Ivan. 

Primary school children lined his way through the Gerard Smith Airport on Cayman Brac and more than a few were rewarded with a brief chat with the Royal visitor. 

West End Primary Principal, Gale Connolly, said he asked her about how the school coped with the additional children from Grand Cayman.

“He seemed genuinely concerned about what has happened here in the Cayman Islands. Almost every child had an opportunity to speak to him - he didn’t seem in too much of a rush,” she added.

Informality continued at the Cayman Brac High school, where the Earl talked to small groups of students, before dining at the Bluff Café, run by students of a hospitality vocational studies course.

Before a brief stroll through the beautiful Christopher Columbus Park on the Bluff, the Earl met members of the Sister Islands Quincentennial Committee, who spearheaded its creation. 

A short walk with his entourage brought him to the Seamen and Veterans’ Centre, where almost 170 people took shelter during Hurricane Ivan. Inside the Earl met members of the Seamen and Veterans’ Society, who built the shelter, and key government personnel responsible for keeping order during the hurricane.

“He is charming,” said Faith Hospital Administrator Yvette Dilbert. “He’s humble and personal; makes you feel very at ease.”

About an hour behind schedule, Prince Edward returned to the airport to fly to Grenada.

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