Royal tour: Kate smiles through the rain in the Bahamas as trip ends

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge smiled through heavy rain as they visited a school in the Bahamas on the last day of their Caribbean tour.

The royal tour has seen activists call for the monarchy to pay reparations over the slave trade.

The duke and duchess arrived in the Bahamas from Jamaica on Thursday, and were greeted by Prime Minister Philip Davis, who conveyed his best wishes to the Queen, "and congratulations on her Platinum Jubilee".

He added: "I do not think we will see the same again," to which William nodded.

He also told the future king he was "delighted" the couple were in the Bahamas.

The duke and duchess were met with a warm reception from the crowds, despite the tropical rainstorm, as they arrived at the primary school in the capital, Nassau, on Friday.

They joined a school assembly, where students presented them with a painted portrait of the Queen and Catherine spoke about the challenges faced by schoolchildren in the Bahamas during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Schools in the Bahamas were shut for almost two years due to coronavirus, with pupils taking their lessons online from March 2020 until January this year.

Palace staff must be wondering how the defining image of the Cambridges' trip to the Caribbean was not the explosion of joy and pleasure that greeted the couple in Trench Town, in the Jamaican capital of Kingston.

But instead, what looked to many as some sort of white-saviour parody, with Catherine and William fleetingly making contact with the outstretched fingers of Jamaican children, pushing through a wire fence.

It was a bad misstep for a couple who are surprisingly media-savvy. And it was not the only one on this curiously disorganised trip.

The first engagement in Belize was hurriedly cancelled following a protest by some residents. Another smaller protest popped up on the day they arrived in Jamaica.

It is worth noting that many things went well. Prince William's speeches were thoughtful and well received.

And at their various events, the Cambridges thanked those who so often go un-thanked and unrewarded for their efforts, drawing attention to stubbornly unfashionable causes and issues.

You can read Jonny's full analysis here.

The duchess, who has carried out extensive work on early learning and child development, told the children: "You have a wonderful proverb in your country - 'When the moon is not full the stars shine more brightly'.

"I see all of you as the stars of this country, and I hope these difficult experiences have given you the motivation, empathy and compassion to become fully engaged citizens of tomorrow, who will continue to make the Bahamas the vibrant, life-affirming and soul-enriching place it is today," she said.

Catherine praised the "spectacular natural environment" of the Bahamas and said she hoped the couple's three children, Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, might experience its "clear waters and beautiful beaches before too long".

The archipelago of 700 islands and islets was the first stop in the western hemisphere for the famous explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492.

The Cambridges' week-long tour to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne has seen them visit Belize and Jamaica before their final stop in the Bahamas.

In Belize, the royal couple got involved in some traditional dancing, visited a chocolate farm and learned about efforts to conserve Belize's barrier reef.

In Jamaica, they visited the neighbourhood where reggae legend Bob Marley lived and played football with England forward Raheem Sterling, who was born on the island.

The royal tour has seen demonstrators urge the monarchy to pay reparations for its role in the slave trade. In Jamaica, there have been calls for the Queen to be removed as head of state.

During a speech at a dinner in Jamaica, William described slavery as abhorrent, saying it "should never have happened" and "forever stains our history".

The island's prime minister, Andrew Holness, had earlier told the future king his country planned to pursue its goals as an independent country.