Inside Prince William, Kate Middleton’s Bahamas stay at The Cove
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrapped up their controversial tour of the Caribbean with a luxurious stay at Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s luxurious stay at a Bahamas resort involved Nobu sushi, $780 robes, beefed-up security and lots of rum punch.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got the royal treatment during their two-night stay at The Cove at Atlantis Paradise Island for the last stop on their controversial tour of the Caribbean.
“They were so friendly to the staff at the resort, smiling at guests they passed. It did look like they enjoyed their stay,” a source told the New York Post, adding that the couple had a very busy schedule but seemed “happy” and “relaxed” when they were back at the hotel.
William, 39, and Kate, 40, stayed in the ritzy resort’s three-bedroom, 1480 square-metre penthouse suite, which includes wrap-around ocean views, a large living area, an office, a full-service kitchen and a 10-set dining area.
We’re told the duo participated in some outdoor activities, with the source sharing that at one point they “came back from sailing in the rain” and “were drenched and returned to the resort laughing.”
Middleton was also overheard talking about how she had FaceTimed with their kids, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, to show them the beach views from their suite.
As for cuisine, the duke and duchess enjoyed several meals in the comfort of their penthouse including an afternoon tea served on fine china.
They were treated to a chocolate biscuit cake made with ladyfinger biscuits as well as mini lemon meringue pies, raspberry pastries and freshly baked scones with jam and cream.
“They ordered rum punch two nights in a row,” the source told the publication.
“On their first night, the duke asked for pepperoni pizza. … On their second night, they requested Nobu, which is one of the resort’s restaurants.”
They ordered sushi, sashimi and grilled salmon with teriyaki served on a bed of noodles.
The source adds, “Mango smoothies at breakfast seemed to be a hit.”
We hear the royal couple did not make any particular demands and were “low-key” ahead of their stay, but the hotel prepared the room with flowers and gifts including NiLuu bathrobes (which retail for $US585, $A780), treats from the pricey candy shop Sugarfina and handmade gifts from local Bahamian artists.
The hotel also arranged for Middleton to have her alleged favourite cocktail, The Crack Baby, on hand as well as William’s favourite beer, Stella Artois, at the ready.
As for maintaining the royal couple’s safety, the resort “beefed up security” and worked with the royal security team to make sure everything was smooth sailing.
William and Middleton stayed at the hotel from March 24 to 26 during the last leg of their royal Caribbean tour in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
But things turned controversial when the pair were forced to cancel a scheduled visit to a cocoa plantation in Belize after locals protested their arrival by helicopter in the middle of a village.
They were hit with even more criticism when Jamaican politician Lisa Hanna called the prince out for condemning past slavery in the Caribbean but taking no real action with “reparations and justice.”
“All we ask is for reciprocity by taking our advocacy seriously, and that together we can right the historical wrongs and reset the political, economic and social system for future generations,” Ms Hanna wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian last week.
Ms Hanna’s criticism came after she met the pair and was accused of giving Middleton the cold shoulder, though she denied the accusation.
“I have nothing but respect for Catherine as a person, and I treated her with that respect and cordiality, as evidenced by many other photos and videos of our interaction,” she said.
William announced the Caribbean tour was an “opportunity to reflect,” saying in a statement, “I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future. In Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon.”
The duke and duchess embarked on their tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas in an effort to prevent Caribbean Commonwealth countries from following the example of Barbados, which voted to sever its ties to the British monarchy in 2020.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been republished here with permission.
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