Prince Harry visits children's home run by 'Moonies' in Caribbean

ITV News/December 4, 2016

Prince Harry has visited a children's home founded by the controversial religious sect known as the Moonies during his tour of the Caribbean.

The cult, officially titled the Unification Church, was founded by Sun Myung Moon - from whose name the group's nickname was derived - who has faced accusations of brainwashing and conning followers out of money.

But the royal's tour of Joshua House Children Centre was defended by Britain's High Commissioner to Guyana, who described the work of its manager Gladys Acca as "amazing".

Greg Quinn said she had dedicated her life to caring for abused, abandoned and poverty-stricken young people.

"What is she doing? She's helping 50 kids who would otherwise not have a great standard of life," he said.

"What she and her husband and her family have done is amazing.

"I find it hard to question what she's doing in any way because she's doing very good work."

He said a number of other organisations and bodies from around the world had supported the home, which is sited in the country's capital city Georgetown.

Bringing to an end his 15-day tour of the region, Harry spent an hour at the home, chatting with some of the 50 children who have been referred there by a child protection programme.

He also held a question and answer session during which he was asked what it was like to be a prince.

"Good and bad," he told them.

"There's lots of privileges of course you get from when you're born, but with privilege comes responsibility."

Mrs Acca, aged 63, began running the home on a voluntary basis in 1994 with her husband Clifford.

They were among thousands to be married by Sun Myung Moon during one of the sect's notorious mass wedding ceremonies.