HISTORY IN HAVANA
Charles and Camilla are the first royals to set foot in Cuba
PRINCE Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall last night became the first members of the Royal Family to visit communist Cuba.
They touched down in the capital Havana on an RAF plane for the start of a historic four-day tour of the Caribbean island.
Charles and Camilla began their visit by laying a wreath at the memorial for Cuba’s national hero, the revolutionary poet Jose Marti.
The event saw them pictured before a large image of another hero of the revolution, Che Guevara.
The visit comes as relations between Cuba and the US have worsened after President Trump revoked most of Barack Obama’s policies aimed at strengthening ties between the two former enemies.
Fidel Castro overthrew the US-backed regime in Cuba in 1959 to establish a socialist state allied with the Soviet Union. His brother Raul, who succeeded him as president, has warned Mr Trump risks renewing confrontation.
It means it is a sensitive time for the UK to hold out the hand of friendship.
The British Government has preferred to keep an open dialogue while criticising issues such as Cuba’s human rights abuses – but had previously ruled a royal visit was a step too far.
But it seems that the death in 2016 of Fidel Castro, and the retirement last year of Raul, has paved the way for a rapprochement.
With Brexit in crisis, Britain is also keen to drum up trade and improve cultural, political, academic and environmental links.
The prince and the duchess, whose visit was revealed by the Daily Mail last year, will meet new president Miguel Diaz-Canel today.
The trip will also take in much of the colour and highlights of Havana – salsa dancing, a classic car event and a meeting with musicians from the celebrated Buena Vista Social Club.