[Town & Country] No member of the royal family has stepped foot in Cuba since Fidel Castro established the communist state in 1959. Rumors that Prince Charles and Camilla would break tradition to do so have been swirling since November, when a court circular noted that "The President of the Republic of Cuba called upon The Prince of Wales at Clarence House," per the Telegraph.This morning, Clarence House confirmed that the royal couple would travel to Cuba, as a part of a larger tour of the Caribbean, marking the first "official visit" by a member of the royal family to the country. Here's what we know so far.
THE TRIP IS PLANNED FOR MARCH 24TH THROUGH THE 27TH.
Per the Prince of Wales's website, the visit to Cuba will be made "to highlight the growing bilateral relationship with the U.K. and showcase some of the cultural links between the two countries."
Overseas royal trips such as this are planned by the U.K.'s Foreign Office, and generally have the aim of exercising a "soft power" unlike that of politicians, as the Telegraph explains. No British Prime Minister has visited communist Cuba, but following Barack Obama's historic trip to the country in 2016, it seems that the U.K. is testing the waters.
The packed few days of engagements range from an official dinner with Cuba's president to a visit to a music studio. All have been arranged to "explore key themes, such as the arts, youth entrepreneurship, heritage restoration, and sustainable agriculture."