Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh completed a two-day visit to Guatemala on 15–16 November, with a programme focused on environmental conservation, human rights, and the empowerment of women and young people. The itinerary aligns with ongoing UK engagement on biodiversity, governance and inclusion in Mesoamerica.
In Guatemala City, the Duchess met staff and beneficiaries at La Alianza Guatemala, which supports children and adolescents affected by trafficking, sexual violence, forced migration and teenage pregnancy. She then visited Street Kids Direct to discuss outreach, family support and educational sponsorship, meeting founder Duncan Dyason MBE and young people involved in music and art workshops.
Discussion with Guatemalan women leaders centred on the practical barriers to leadership and representation. The Duchess later met President Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President Karin Herrera, with both sides reaffirming the bilateral relationship and shared commitments to biodiversity conservation, human development and good governance.
Field activity continued at Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The UK party toured the 16 km² archaeological complex, which sits within the Maya Biosphere Reserve, a protected area of roughly one million hectares created to safeguard northern Guatemala’s forests.
The visit then moved to Uaxactún, where community representatives outlined the operation of their 83,558‑hectare forest concession and the role of non‑timber products such as xate palm, gum, allspice and copal in local livelihoods. Uaxactún is a beneficiary of the UK’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, linking conservation outcomes to economic resilience.
The Biodiverse Landscapes Fund is a £100 million UK programme running from 2022 to 2029. It aims to support poverty reduction, protect and restore biodiversity, and safeguard natural carbon sinks through long‑term partnerships with communities and authorities.
In Mesoamerica, the Fund operates across parts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, with activities structured around the Maya Forest and Trifinio regions. Government statements indicate an investment of up to approximately US$19 million over six years in the sub‑region, delivered with partners including the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Community forest concessions form a governance mechanism in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. In October 2021, the UK government welcomed the extension of three concessions for a further 25 years and the creation of two new management units, noting that Guatemala’s protected areas law and the 1996 Peace Accords underpin the model.
Recent UK official visits to Petén and Trifinio have focused on progress monitoring and coordination with implementing partners. October 2025 meetings covered biodiversity monitoring, restoration and water management in communities such as Uaxactún and Árbol Verde, signalling emphasis on delivery and learning as the Fund enters its mid‑term phase.
Policy analysis: The royal visit is best read as visible support for an existing UK–Guatemala workstream rather than a new policy shift. For Guatemalan agencies and community concessionaires, sustained UK attention can help maintain momentum on concession renewals and market access for certified forest products. For UK programme teams, engagement at this level supports long‑term investments running to 2029 and reinforces accountability for outcomes set out in BLF documentation.