Prince Harry has taken part in observing a minute’s silence in remembrance of Fidel Castro.
The potentially embarrassing episode took place during a trip to the Caribbean island of St Vincent. The prince joined local dignitaries at a reception in the capital, Kingstown, hosted by the Caribbean country’s governor general, Sir Frederick Ballantyne.
News of Castro’s death at the age of 90 broke on Friday and the following day Harry, who is on a 15-day tour of the Caribbean, was among those to bow his head when Ballantyne asked his guests to mark the death of the Cuban revolutionary leader.
Among them was the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and leader of the country’s ruling Unity Labour party, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who described Castro as a good friend of his country.
The incident prompted criticism from Conservative MPs, who said it was unfair that Prince Harry had been put in such a position. Alec Shelbrooke said the British government should make clear it was unacceptable.
He told the Mail: “Castro was a murderous dictator. He is dead, and good riddance. This endless stream of people excusing him, especially Labour MPs like Jeremy Corbyn, is ridiculous. It is very unfair to put pressure on members of the royal family to take part in this kind of tribute.”
His Conservative colleague Michael Fabricant told the paper: “I am no fan of Fidel Castro, who was more of a tyrant than an enlightened leader. But I am a fan of Prince Harry. It must have been an awkward moment for him but hey, what else could he do?”
Castro has been a divisive figure on the world stage, coming in for heavy criticism for his regime’s repression of political opposition after it took control in Cuba in 1959, as well as the many deaths of those it deemed a danger to it.
But some world leaders praised Castro after his death for the way he led his country and stood staunchly opposed to Washington throughout his life.
Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, said: “To all the revolutionaries of the world, we have to continue his legacy and his flag of independence, of socialism, of homeland.” Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador, said: “He was a great one. Fidel is dead. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!”
Kensington Palace declined to comment.
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