London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

William and Kate dance and taste chocolate during day two of the British Belize Colony tour

William and Kate dance and taste chocolate during day two of the British Belize Colony tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been dancing with locals and sampling chocolate at a cocoa farm as they explored Belize.

"They were shaking their waists like nobody's business," said Laura Cacho, a local festival organiser who danced with William.

On the second day of their Caribbean tour, the royals visited the Che 'il chocolate farm

They ground cacao nibs, before the future king jokingly asked for a job.

The duke and duchess were rewarded with a taste of the products at the family-run cocoa farm in the village of Maya Center in southern Belize, with Catherine admitting their children would be "jealous".

The duke and duchess later showed off their moves on the dancefloor as they experienced the culture of the Garifuna community in the coastal village of Hopkins.

Ms Cacho, 57, said it was a "pleasure" to dance with William.

"He shook his waist to the music. He had beautiful rhythm. It was a pleasure for me.

"Kate was excellent as well and definitely has Garifuna culture in her."

The duchess also had a shimmy to the delight of the Belize crowds

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got stuck in to grind cacao nibs on a visit to a family-run chocolate farm in southern Belize


Earlier, during the trip to the cocoa farm, the royal couple learnt first-hand about the work that goes into producing the chocolate.

William, 39, who had been pounding away with a mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock, quipped about swapping his royal day job for one on the farm, asking the owner, Julio Saqui: "Do you take apprentices?

"Can I come and work for you? It's my kind of thing."

The duke and duchess were shown cocoa trees laden with fruit, with Catherine, 40, asking the owner's brother, Narcisio, how often they are harvested.

As they took a break from the blistering sun under a marquee, the royal couple heard from Narcisio about the importance of the cocoa bean.

The future king joked about swapping his royal day job for an apprenticeship on the farm

William and Catherine tasted the farm's fruit as they learnt about the importance of the cocoa bean


The Saqui family are part of Belize's Maya community, where the cocoa bean is sacred and has been a key part of their culture for thousands of years.

The cocoa bean was once considered more valuable than gold to the Maya people, who served it to royalty and continue to offer it to important guests.

The duke expressed his surprise after using a club to break open a cocoa pod - which was filled with white sticky seeds that have to be fermented, dried, roasted and ground to make chocolate - exclaiming: "That's not what I expected at all."

The couple later got to taste some of the farm's goods as they dipped tortilla chips into chocolate fountains, and tried hot chocolate made from organic products.

The duchess admitted the couple's three children - Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three - would be "very jealous".

William and Catherine later met conservationists on the Hopkins' beach to learn about the area's marine environment and efforts to preserve Belize's barrier reef.


William and Catherine's tour of the Che 'il chocolate farm came after a planned trip to a similar producer had to be axed after reported opposition from local residents.

The Cambridges' visit to the Akte 'il Ha cacao farm in Indian Creek village was cancelled amid a reported dispute between villagers and Fauna and Flora International (FFI), which has William as patron, over land owned by the conservation organisation.

Residents are also reported to have raised concerns saying they were not consulted about plans for the couple's helicopter to land on a local football pitch.

Kensington Palace and the Belize government confirmed the schedule change, while a spokesman for FFI said the charity would "support the livelihoods, educational opportunities and the customary rights of local people" as part of its project in the area.

On landing at Belize City's Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport on Sunday, the duke and duchess were greeted by Belize's governor general and a guard of honour from the Belize Defence Force.

They royal couple later met Prime Minister Johnny Briceno and his wife Rossana, with Mr Briceno telling them: "We're so happy you're here."

The Cambridges landed at Belize City's airport on Sunday


The royal couple will also visit Jamaica and the Bahamas as part of their eight-day tour, with highlights set to include a sailing regatta in the Bahamas in honour of the Queen's 70-year reign, and a celebration of Jamaica's musical and sporting heritage.


Watch: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge show off their dance moves in Belize


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
×