Sir Alden at Palace investiture

The Honourable Sir Alden McLaughlin was in London for his investiture on Tuesday morning.

Sir Alden was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George at Buckingham Palace. Proudly watching were his wife Lady Kim, and sons Daegan and Caelan. 

A few Progressives members and friends travelled with the family, including Roy McTaggart, Leader of the Opposition.

Governor Martyn Roper announced Sir Alden’s knighthood in December 2021. At the time he stated: “This is an outstanding personal achievement for former Premier McLaughlin, one of the most important and impactful political leaders in Cayman over the last 21 years. It is a significant moment for our islands. This historic award is only the second ever knighthood to a Caymanian since the first in the 1990s.”

The Governor said the bestowing of the knighthood on Sir Alden was a “strong signal of the respect in which Cayman is held and a visible demonstration of the progress Cayman has made as a vibrant democracy with strong good governance foundations”.

He also praised Sir Alden’s “career over 21 years with two successful terms as Premier, ushering in a period of stability, economic growth and sound financial management. Former Premier McLaughlin made important contributions to Cayman’s constitutional development, including significant advances in 2019 reinforcing Cayman’s autonomy over domestic affairs.”

Governor Roper highlighted that Sir Alden “was the pivotal figure leading Cayman’s response to the Covid pandemic”. He also commended McLaughlin on his representation of our Islands on the global stage, including robust support for Cayman’s world-class financial services industry and for building relationships with UK ministers.

Premier Wayne Panton said: “This is a day of celebration and great pride for all Caymanians as a son of our soil has been bestowed one of the highest honours in becoming only the second Caymanian to be knighted nearly 28 years after the late Sir Vassel Johnson received his knighthood in 1994.”

McTaggart said: “This honour is a proud moment for our former Premier and his family, as well as for every Caymanian. For us members of the Progressives it is also a special moment. As a founding member of the Peoples Progressive Movement, Sir Alden, along with the Hon Kurt Tibbetts, played a significant role in starting and developing the Progressives. It was Kurt as Leader of the Party who led the Progressives into Government in 2005 and it was Sir Alden, as Kurt’s successor, who led the Progressives into Government in 2013 and again in 2017.  All three Progressives Governments made significant contributions to modernising our constitution, our politics, our physical infrastructure, as well as developing our economy.”