Rasta, reggae, Royal!

Britain' Prince Harry arrived Monday Kingston for his 1st official visit to Jamaica,  after having toured Brazil, Belize, the Bahamas as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee on the British throne.  Harry is scheduled to meet with newly elected Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller at a time when many islanders want out of the British realm. In 1655 Jamaica became an English (later British) colony, known as "Jamaica". It achieved full independence on August 6, 1962 & is celebrating its 50th year in August. It remains a Commonwealth realm in concert with theMonarchy of Jamaica holding ultimate executive power, where Queen Elizabeth II is the current head of state & Queen of Jamaica.

(PHOTO: Bob Marley's flat in 1972 at 34 Ridgmount Gardens, London, his first UK address/Wikipedia)With 2.8 million people, it is the 3rd most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States & Canada.  In Jamaica for 4 days, Harry will meet with superstar sprinter Usain Bolt. He's also a huge rap fan who & is expected to make the club scene.   Jamaica's own influence on British culture can be traced to the `ska' revolution of the early 1960s.  Superstar Bob Marley recorded 3 of his most famous albums (Live!, Exodus, Kaya) there & reggae music was the soundtrack for rebellious British youth in the 1970s.  (Read more at The Jamaica Observer)