Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi was quick to defend the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during an interview with LBC on Monday.
Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, have faced intense backlash over their recent tour of the Caribbean.
In Jamaica, there were public protests about reparations, slavery, and becoming a republic, while William was pictured riding in a Land Rover in his military uniform, seemingly recreating photos from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s trip back in 1953.
The couple were also scrutinised after they were pictured shaking people’s hands through a wire fence.
LBC’s Nick Ferrari asked the education secretary: “Were those pictures of him [William] and his wife in an open-top Land Rover wearing the sort of military uniform his late grandfather was wearing – was that an unfortunate hark back to colonial times, Mr Zahawi?”
“No, I don’t believe that,” the cabinet minister replied. “I think the tour has been a fantastic outreach for the prince and his wife. They’ve done a tremendous job.”
“They’ve had some local difficulties, you have to acknowledge those, Mr Zahawi,” the LBC host added.
“I don’t disagree with you but some of that is really the Twitter outrage where you had Raheem Sterling shaking hands with the same kids that Prince William and Catherine shook hands with.”
Zahawi is referring to the photographs of England footballer Sterling shaking fans’ hands through a fence which was surrounding a football pitch.
″One is headlined as a wonderful outreach programme and one is headlined differently – so I don’t buy that.
“I think we should be proud of the Commonwealth.
″I think Prince William was very wise to say it is up to the Commonwealth people and the countries if they feel they want him to be the head of the Commonwealth.
“I think that will strengthen the Commonwealth not weaken it, and I think Prince Charles will make a great king, as will Prince William.”
The Duke of Cambridge did also condemn Britain’s “abhorrent” history of slavery during one of his speeches in the Caribbean but did not actually apologise.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer took a different stance on Monday, telling LBC that the photographs of the royal couple in an open-top Land Rover “harked of the past” and was a “bit odd”.
Starmer said he also thought William could have gone “further” with his comments on slavery, but still claimed that the entire trip was not quite a PR disaster.
He said: “William and Kate went on an important trip with important messages including messages about the changing nature of the Commonwealth going forward and that is difficult, but it’s very easy to sit here and criticise.”
