The Duchess of Edinburgh in South and Central America

Peru

The Duchess of Edinburgh arrived in Peru for a visit at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Her Royal Highness will build on the celebration of the 200 years of UK-Peru relations at the end of 2023, recognising the strong historic and modern ties between the UK and Peru. The Duchess will also undertake engagements on themes including environmental protection and women’s empowerment. 

Tuesday 11th November

The Duchess’s visit began with a meeting with Indigenous Women’s Rights Defenders in Iquitos. 

Her Royal Highness met indigenous women from the Awajún, Shipibo-Konibo people, and Kukama Kukamiria people, hearing firsthand about the role they play in territorial governance, tackling environmental crime and climate change. 

They reflected on their leadership roles and their vital contributions to daily life in Amazonian communities. 

Later, Her Royal Highness joined a dinner to recognise the UK’s first year of implementing the Biodiverse Landscape Fund programme to encourage bio-business value chains and sustainable production in the Andes-Amazon region.

Wednesday 12th November

The Duchess of Edinburgh was welcomed by the Peruvian Navy, led by the Vice-Admiral Gian Marco Chiapperini Faverio, in front of BAP America, the oldest river gunboat in the world still afloat.

Her Royal Highness then travelled to the ‘20 de Enero’ (January 20th) community in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where Her Royal Highness was greeted by the local community with traditional dancing. 

The Duchess met local school children, spoke to female artisans about their crafts, and learnt from those who skilfully climb the ‘aguaje’ palm trees to collect its fruits. 

‘Aguaje’ is an Amazon palm superfruit which is transforming local communities as it is supplied using the sustainable business practice of harvesting by climbing the palm instead of cutting it, providing income to local communities and protecting the forest and its inhabitants, such as macaw parrots. 

Later in the day, The Duchess saw more of the biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon by joining the release of taricayas (yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle hatchlings) and visiting a nearby protected area.

Thursday 13th November

The Duchess visited the Divino Niño Jesus Vision Centre in the Amazonian city of Iquitos. This non-profit organisation has been a member of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, of which Her Royal Highness is Global Ambassador, since 2014. 

The Centre runs social eye care programmes in southern Lima and the Amazon, focusing on underserved communities, and delivering nearly 30,000 cataract surgeries in its 20 years of operation. The Duchess toured the clinic and thanked medical and support staff for their efforts to help prevent blindness in the region. 

In the evening, The Duchess joined a reception in Lima celebrating UK-Peru relations, women’s empowerment and the environment. 

This included a visit to the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition temporarily displayed at the Britanico Institute.

Friday 14th November

Before departure, The Duchess recognised the UK’s strong bilateral relations with Peru, spanning over 200 years, meeting President José Jerí and Foreign Minister De Zela. 

Panama

Friday 14th November

Today, The Duchess of Edinburgh arrived in Panama. Her Royal Highness’s visit, her first to the country, recognises Panama’s collaboration with the UK on global challenges, including climate action and gender equality.

At a showcase event hosted by the British Embassy, The Duchess met key UK partners in the country. Her Royal Highness also watched a cultural performance and viewed a commemorative photo exhibition of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s visit to Panama in 1953. 

In the evening, The Duchess attended an official dinner where she met Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha and other senior members of the Panamanian Government. 

Her Royal Highness also had the opportunity to celebrate the bilateral ties between the UK and Panama, including in the context of the UN Security Council, acknowledging Panama’s current role as a non-permanent member.

Guatemala

Over the weekend, The Duchess of Edinburgh was in Guatemala, undertaking engagements on themes including environmental protection and human rights.   

Saturday 15th November

The Duchess’s first full day of engagements began at La Alianza Guatemala (ALA), a non-profit organisation that helps protect vulnerable children and teenagers, especially those affected by human trafficking, sexual violence, forced migration, and teenage pregnancy. 

Her Royal Highness met girls supported by ALA and toured the organisation’s facilities, learning about their human rights-based approach. 

Afterwards, The Duchess visited the Street Kids Direct Project (SKD) in Guatemala City, a non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting children and young people who are either living on the streets or at high risk of doing so. 

The organisation, which operates primarily in urban-marginal areas of Guatemala City, supports young people through street outreach and rescue, a mentorship programme, family support, and educational sponsorship. 

Her Royal Highness met Duncan Dyason MBE, who founded the organisation in 1992, and young people who are supported by the project, including those taking part in music and art workshops. 

The Duchess later joined Guatemalan women leaders at a lunch meeting to hear more about the evolution of women’s leadership in the country, as well as the challenges women face, with femicide rates among the highest globally. 

In the afternoon, Her Royal Highness met Guatemalan President, Bernardo Arevalo, and Vice President Karin Herrera, in recognition of the UK’s strong bilateral relationship with Guatemala and joint initiatives on biodiversity conservation. 

In the evening, The Duchess attended a reception at the National Museum of History celebrating the UK’s enduring friendship with Guatemala and shared commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable future. 

Sunday 16th November

The Duchess visited Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity and archaeological importance. 

The Duchess joined an archaeologist for a tour of the ancient city which contains over 3,000 buildings and covers approximately 16 square kilometres and is part of the one-million-hectare Maya Biosphere Reserve created in 1990 to protect the dense forests of the Petan. 

Her Royal Highness also visited the Uaxactún community to learn more about their achievements preserving the biodiversity and natural resources of the region and hear about efforts to strengthen climate change resilience. 

Uaxactún is a Biodiverse Landscape Fund beneficiary village with a forest concession of 83,558 hectares dedicated to the sustainable extraction of timber and non-timber resources such as xate palm, gum, all spice, and copal (incense).

At the archaeological site, The Duchess met representatives from the community to learn about sustainable local products and conservation activities. 

Belize

The Duchess of Edinburgh has arrived in Belize for a visit as part of The Royal Family’s engagement with Realms; countries of which His Majesty The King is Head of State. The Duchess is joining Belizeans in celebrating the Realm’s constitutional relationship with the Crown and its membership of the Commonwealth.

Sunday 16th November

On arrival, Her Royal Highness was received by the Governor-General of Belize, Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam GCMG, and greeted by a Belize Defence Force Honour Guard.

Monday 17th November

During her first full day in Belize, The Duchess visited the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing blindness and supporting individuals with visual impairments through comprehensive eye care and rehabilitation services. 

Her Royal Highness met staff and students who demonstrated braille instruction and adaptive laptop technology. 

Later, The Duchess met the Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, and Mrs Rossana Briceño, Spouse of the Prime Minister and Special Envoy for the Development of Children and Families. 

In the evening, Her Royal Highness attended an Investiture for six recipients of MBEs and OBEs at former Government House, conducted by the Governor-General. The Duchess then joined a reception with approximately 300 key figures from Belize’s government and society, where Her Royal Highness delivered a message from His Majesty The King:

As you come together today to celebrate the exceptional achievements of your countrymen and your outstanding contributions to society in all their forms, I would like to take this opportunity to express my admiration and gratitude to you all. The extraordinary differences that you have made in your communities, often in a voluntary capacity, serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished with determination, dedication and hope.

The Duchess delivers a message from His Majesty The King

Tuesday 18th November

The Duchess first visited San Antonio Women’s Cooperative in the town of San Antonio, a predominantly Mayan village in the west of Belize. 

The cooperative works to empower women and inspire children, by giving them a way to earn income and learn new skills. 

Her Royal Highness toured the group’s workshop, joined a pottery demonstration and art exhibit, and participated in traditional Mayan food preparation. 

The Duchess later travelled into the Belizean jungle to see British service personnel training with the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB). Her Royal Highness was shown demonstrations of jungle survival skills training and met troops from 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers who are currently training with BATSUB. 

In the evening, Her Royal Highness attended an event with Belize’s Garifuna community in Seine Bright Village, Placencia, ahead of ‘Garifuna Settlement Day’ on 19th November. 

This public holiday celebrates the Garifuna people, a community of African and Indigenous descent, originating from St Vincent, who settled in Central America, including in parts of Belize, in the late 18th century. 

Garifuna Settlement Day is one of Belize’s most vibrant cultural events, celebrating the rich heritage of the Garifuna people with drumming, dance and storytelling.

Wednesday 19th November

The Duchess visited the island of Laughing Bird Caye to see conservation work being undertaken to protect Belize’s marine environment. This vital site for coral reef preservation is part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site. 

Her Royal Highness learnt about reef restoration efforts, led by Fragments of Hope (FOH), an organisation which has been instrumental in increasing coral cover from 6% in 2006 to approximately 60% in 2023. 

Later, The Duchess departed Belize with an Honour Guard provided by the Belize Defence Force.