The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been described as coming across as “too try hard” on their tour of the Caribbean this week, “like awkward guests at a party.”

I wouldn’t quite go that far. With her slicked back hair and colourful dresses, Kate has arguably never looked more down with the kids – despite her husband’s dad dancing.

Yet the eight-day tour has clearly not landed half as well as Kensington Palace had hoped, having been blindsided by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declaring his country’s desire to move forward “as an independent, developed, prosperous country” following protests over Britain’s role in the slave trade.

Sadly no amount of scuba diving in Belize can distract from campaigners waving placards erroneously blaming the Royal family for all of the UK’s historical sins.

Rather than choosing a black tie banquet as the moment to give a speech expressing his profound sorrow for slavery, perhaps it would have been better for the Duke to have held a round table with young Jamaicans about their feelings around the royals’ link to the Commonwealth.

In Royal-land, decisions are often made on the basis of what happened last time. Hence why the couple found themselves recreating the moment when the Queen and Prince Philip toured the island while standing on the back of a Land Rover 60 years ago.

It might have been a good look in 1953, but the sight of William and Kate being driven around in full regalia could not have looked more colonial if it tried.

A shrewder move might have been for the royals to have driven the Land Rover themselves, while Mr Holness and his wife Juliet sat in the back and did the honours.