The Duke of Cambridge has acknowledged that he may not succeed the Queen and the Prince of Wales as head of the Commonwealth, as he vowed not to be “telling people what to do”.

Reflecting on his eight-day Caribbean tour, the Duke spoke candidly about how it had “brought into even sharper focus” questions about the past and the future.

It followed a last-minute change to a speech in which he acknowledged that relationships with Commonwealth countries would “evolve”, as he sought to change the narrative of a tour that has been criticised for being out of touch and rooted in the past.

As they boarded a flight home, the Duke said: “Catherine and I are committed to service. For us, that’s not telling people what to do. It is about serving and supporting them in whatever way they think best, by using the platform we are lucky to have.

“It is why tours such as this reaffirm our desire to serve the people of the Commonwealth and to listen to communities around the world. Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn’t what is on my mind.

“What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can.”

In 2018, Commonwealth leaders decided that the Prince of Wales should succeed the Queen in the honorary, non-hereditary position. There have been suggestions that it might be rotated among Commonwealth leaders.

It followed a slew of protests about slavery, demands for reparations and a personal apology from the Royals

Elements of the tour have also generated imagery that has been widely criticised for its “colonial” overtones.

In Jamaica, Andrew Holness, the country’s prime minister, made clear that the country was ready to “move on” and would sever ties with the British monarchy as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in Belize on Thursday, the government announced a new commission that will be holding consultations on the “decolonisation process enveloping the Caribbean region”.

The Duke acknowledged that foreign tours offered “an opportunity to reflect”, noting that they had learnt a lot from prime ministers to school children about their fears and hopes for the future.

“I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future,” he said.

“In Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them.”

On Friday night, the Duke gave a speech at a black tie dinner in Nassau in which he addressed, for the first time, the issue that had overshadowed much of the tour.

His comments marked the first time that feverish debate about the moves towards republicanism had been recognised.

The Duke is understood to have been keen to address the highly contentious issue at some point during the tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas, having “wrestled” with it for months beforehand.

A source close to him said he had thought about it a great deal and was well aware that as a future king, it was a subject that would be on the agenda for years to come.

He is very keen to “have his own voice” and to express his opinions in his own words, the source added.

The late addition to the speech was included following a series of high-level briefings on Friday, as the Duke and his Kensington Palace team discussed how best to respond to the fallout.

The Duke said: “Next year, I know you are all looking forward to celebrating 50 years of independence – your Golden Anniversary.

“And with Jamaica celebrating 60 years of independence this year, and Belize celebrating 40 years of independence last year, I want to say this: we support with pride and respect your decisions about your future.