Royals

Kate Middleton and Prince William Pose for Rare Selfie with Jamaican Bobsleigh Team

"It was a priceless moment — it was an utter shock that they did it," Chris Stokes, one of the inspirations behind the 1993 hit film, Cool Runnings, tells PEOPLE

Published on March 23, 2022 10:19 AM

Kate Middleton squeezed into the back of an Olympic bobsleigh behind Prince William and posed for a rare selfie with the successors of the famous "Cool Runnings" Jamaican bobsleigh team.

"It was a priceless moment — it was an utter shock that they did it," Chris Stokes, one of the inspirations behind the 1993 hit film, Cool Runnings, tells PEOPLE.

Royal family members typically don't engage in photo-taking while on official outings, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn't resist hopping into the sleigh and taking a photo with the team during their visit Trench Town in Kingston on Tuesday.

"What an honour it is to have The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge not only in Jamaica but sitting in one of our history-making bobsleighs! We are thankful for the support and looking forward to once again being the #HottestThingOnIce in the 2026 Winter Olympics!" the official account for the Jamaica Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation captioned the selfie on Instagram.

kate middleton, prince william — Kate Middleton and Prince William with Jamaica's national bobsleigh team. Jamaica Bobsleigh & Skeleton/Instagram

American-Jamaican bobsleigher Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian, who got the couple to pose for the selife, also shared the photo on Instagram, writing: "We've got some new @jbsfed teammates! P Willie and Kate touchdown inna Jamaica 🇯🇲 and got straight to training."

Prince William specifically asked to meet the bobsleighers, knowing the story of the team that captivated the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Stokes, 58, president of the Jamaican Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, was impressed with the couple.

"It's a tough job but you could see it wasn't their first rodeo," he says. "They are quite composed and very gracious and represented their country very well. That's important for the modern-day monarchy — they presented themselves with humility and graciousness. They knew a little bit more about us than we knew about them. They treated the entire situation with a great deal of respect which is important regardless of the situation."

The royal couple's visit comes amid controversy. As they touched down in Jamaica on Tuesday, a protest calling for slavery reparations from the British monarchy was taking place just miles away in the capital city of Kingston. Kate and William's visit to Jamaica also comes amid reports that the Caribbean country is making moves to drop Queen Elizabeth as head of state.

Sources tell PEOPLE that William and Kate are aware of the situation and the protests. Any decision about becoming a republic is for the people and government of Jamaica, the sources point out. But William is expected to acknowledge the issue of slavery in his speech on Wednesday evening.

Fenlator-Victorian, who competed in the recent Winter Olympics in Beijing says: "They were really down to earth, warm and super genuine. They talked about one day having bobsleigh in the Commonwealth Games."

"It means a lot for the community and all of Jamaica that they're here," she continues. "There's been a lot of history and heartbreak here and a lot of the people here aren't going to eat today, they're not in the best situation. But it's important for them to be here to see the warm faces and the welcome. And I hope that the Duke and Duchess feel the love that the people have for them."

Shanwayne Stephens, the pilot of the bobsleigh who is also a member of the Royal Air Force in the U.K., says the couple talked about the speed of the sleigh as it rockets down the course at around 100mph. "They said that it must be pretty scary. But it's just one of those things."

"You can see from the reception that they got that everyone wants to see them and get involved. I think they are doing an awesome job representing Her Majesty," he adds.

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge — Kate Middleton and Prince William. Chris Jackson/getty

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Bobsleigher Rolando Reid said it was "awesome" to meet the couple.

"They were trying to figure out how the bobsleigh worked. It's not easy and it's not really luxurious. They were pretty friendly and easy-going. Kate wanted to get stuck in. She said, 'Get me in the back!' " as the couple then posed for the selfie.