The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne has brushed aside British media reports that he sought to embarrass visiting Britain’s Prince Harry when he suggested that the Prince should consider Antigua and Barbuda for his honeymoon.
On Tuesday, Browne told reporters that remarks made about the Prince, who is on a three-day visit as part of a 15-day tour of the Caribbean, should consider honeymooning in the island, been blown out of proportion by the British press accompanying the Prince.
“It is a situation where you have a form of the media, tabloid hype probably to sell papers. In fact, even the Prince himself felt constrained because he knew that if he had taken a picture with any woman here…they would have plastered it all over the British media and create problems for him personally.
“In fact he was very appreciative of the fact that we went the extra mile to make him feel comfortable, to make him feel at home and regretted that because of the media he could not quite participate in the way which he would love to.
“So again we have to understand the context in which this thing happened …It was not a formal ceremony this was a party, there were some light exchanges even my comment were not intended to be a formal speech,” Browne said, reiterating that the exchange was light hearted.
Prince Harry is linked romantically to US actress Meghan Markle.
In their report, the British media, particularly the Daily Mail, reported that Harry felt embarrassed and was not amused at the statement by the Prime Minister.
The papers reported Prime Minister Browne as telling Prince Harry “I believe we are expecting a new Princess soon” and that he was “very welcome to come on your honeymoon here”.
