Beauty queen turned politician Lisa Hanna has been catapulted back onto the global stage almost 20 years after winning Miss World after she was filmed having an ‘awkward’ conversation with the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday.
Farmer’s daughter Ms Hanna, 46, a powerful figure in Jamaican politics, went viral on Twitter in a clip that appeared to show her giving Kate, 40, the cold shoulder during an official event welcoming the royal couple to the country.
Ms Hanna is a member of the opposition People’s National Party, which is committed to removing the Queen as head of state and wants to lobby Britain for reparations.
The glamorous mother-of-one – whose ex-husband is a close friend of former US Presidential candidate Ted Cruz – is one of the country’s most recognisable political figures and ran in the party’s most recent leadership contest.
Still she remains an influential and popular figure, boasting 469,000 followers on Instagram, where she updates constituents with her latest political initiatives, fitness regimes and personal accomplishments.
She used the platform to set the record state on her conversation with Kate, explaining they had a ‘pleasant’ conversation but still intends to discuss issues including divorcing the monarchy in ‘private’.
Beauty queen turned political power player: Lisa Hanna winning Miss World in 1993 and meeting Kate Middleton yesterday
Instagram star: The glamorous mother-of-one – whose ex-husband is a close friend of former US Presidential candidate Ted Cruz – is one of the country’s most recognisable political figures and ran in the party’s most recent leadership contest
Political career: Ms Hanna (right, in blue) met Prince Harry on his visit to Jamaica for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Hanna is a member of the People’s National Party, which is committed to removing the Queen as head of state
Diplomatic response: Ms Hanna She used the platform to set the record state on her conversation with Kate, explaining they had an ‘enjoyable’ conversation’ but still intends to discuss issues including divorcing the monarchy in ‘private’
Sharing a slideshow of images with the Duchess, she wrote: ‘Today I welcomed Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate to Jamaica on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition in celebration of the Queen’s platinum Jubilee.
‘We had a very interactive and pleasant conversation throughout the proceedings as we talked about family, our cultures and our people.
‘There’s no doubt at this time that we all seek our true independence and want to develop systems & strategies where we become free from the monarchy. But until then we will always remain a courteous and respectful country.
‘I am a firm believer in reparations and as such when I was Minister of Youth and Culture I led the reparations committee which made strides in developing submissions to Britain which examined the economic cost of slavery to our country.
‘I welcome them wholeheartedly with our warm hospitality, and look forward to us having productive discussions about our future.’
First husband: In 1999, Lisa married David Panton, who is now a partner at Navigation Capital Partners, a private equity firm. Born in Jamaica, Panton was educated at Princeton where he was the roommate of US Senator and former Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Pictured, Panton (left) with Ted Cruz on their graduation
Second husband: In 2017, Hanna married restaurateur Richard Lake, who is 20 years her senior, in a private ceremony in St. Andrew. She regularly shares loved up tributes to her husband on Instagram (pictured)
Proud mum: Hanna and Penton share son Alexander (pictured) who will start a role at Deutsche Bank in New York this year
Born in August 1975 in Retreat, St Mary, Lisa is the second daughter of Rene Hanna, a farmer of Lebanese descent, and Dorothy, a hairdresser.
She remains close to her older sister, Ella, who she described in a recent Instagram post as a beautiful, party animal, selfless, globe trotter… sensitive nurturer ‘get the job done’ trouble shooter’.
Hanna attended the Immaculate Conception Preparatory School in Kingston before the family moved to Kansas City, Missouri.
After a stint in the US, Hanna returned to Jamaica to complete her schooling at The Queen’s School, a well respected all-girl institution in the Jamaican capital.
Hanna, who was Head Girl, discovered a love of martial arts and attained a black belt. She remains a fitness enthusiast and frequently posts about her challenging workouts and the importance of exercise on Instagram.
Dazzling: In 1993, Hanna, then aged 18, won the Miss World Caribbean beauty pageant and went on to win Miss World
Crowning glory: Hanna at the competition in Sun City, South Africa, becoming the third Jamaican woman to take the crown
Demonstrating a love of the spotlight at an early age, Hanna appeared on reality TV show Enter the Dojo as a teenager and was a presenter on the programme Rapping.
She also volunteered with the World Hunger Project, helping to make Jamaicans more aware of global hunger, starvation, and adult illiteracy.
After high school, she continued her advocacy work and became the youngest Goodwill Ambassador to lead the UN Development Program in Jamaica.
In 1993, Hanna, then aged 18, won the Miss World Caribbean beauty pageant and went on to win the title of Miss World at the competition in Sun City, South Africa, becoming the third Jamaican woman to take the crown.
The ambitious beauty queen capitalised on the global fame and pursued a career in broadcasting and communications, at one point holding a role with the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston.
Her personal life was also thriving. In 1999, Lisa married David Panton, who is now a partner at Navigation Capital Partners, a private equity firm.
Political career: In September 2007, then aged 32, Hanna was elected as the Member of Parliament for St Ann South East. She was one of the youngest women to be elected to Jamaica’s government. Pictured, Hanna at an event in 2012
Taking action: Hanna remains an influential and popular figure, boasting 469,000 followers on Instagram, where she updates constituents with her latest political initiatives, fitness regimes and personal accomplishments
Born in Jamaica, Panton was educated at Princeton where he was the roommate of US Senator and former Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz.
The pair bonded over their shared conservative politics – Panton at one point reportedly had aspirations to become President of Jamaica – and went on to room at Harvard Law School.
Panton became president of the Harvard Law Review, the second black person to lead after Barack Obama.
Cruz and Panton remain close friends. Panton joined Cruz and his family on a scandal-stricken vacation last year as the senator’s home state of Texas was hit by a devastating storm.
Panton and Hanna welcomed a son, Alexander, who has landed a job at Deutsche Bank in New York, before divorcing in 2004.
Relatable: Ms Hanna shares photographs that give an insight into her private life, including her love of fitness and animals
In 2017, Hanna married restaurateur Richard Lake, who is 20 years her senior, in a private ceremony in St. Andrew.
Lake is the group chief executive officer of Restaurant Associates Limited, operators of Burger King, Little Caesar’s and Popeye’s in Jamaica.
Proud wife Hanna shares loved-up tributes to her husband on Instagram, although it seems he rarely appears alongside her at political events.
In September 2007, then aged 32, Hanna was elected as the Member of Parliament for St Ann South East. She was one of the youngest women to be elected to Jamaica’s government.
In addition to her duties as constituency representative she served as opposition spokesperson on Information, Youth and Culture.
When the People’s National Party was elected into power in December 2011, Hanna was appointed Minister of Youth and Culture.
Cold shoulder: In one moment caught on camera, Ms Hanna (right) appeared to turn away from the Duchess when she tried to speak to her
Clashing views: Kate, 40, left, was seated next to Lisa Hanna, right, during a ceremonial welcome at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport yesterday
The party lost power in 2016. In 2020, following the resignation of PNP President and opposition leader Peter Phillips, Hanna stood for election but was ultimately beaten by Mark Golding.
Mr Golding is expected to attend a formal event tonight in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Mr Golding said he plans to tell the royals that many Jamaicans want an apology from the monarchy for past atrocities and involvement in the slave trade.
The opposition leader welcomed the royals to Trench Town and will attend the Governor General’s dinner tonight where the Duke of Cambridge is expected to acknowledge the issue of slavery.
Mr Golding told the Gleaner, a national Jamaican newspaper: ‘I would hope that I get the opportunity during the events that I will be attending to have that dialogue with them and to bring it to their attention in a courteous and respectful way that this is the view held by many Jamaicans.
‘And that I think it would be helpful both to the royal family and Jamaica for them to consider this as a means of starting to move forward to a new future.’