Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Morocco Monday, the final leg of their three nation tour to promote British business. This visit comes as Morocco is facing political changes amidst the protests sweeping across the Arab world. Although the climate has been mild compared to other countries, Morocco is still at a crossroads.
Click here for more photos at Daylife
Upon meeting with the British royals, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi called the changes a “peaceful revolution”.
He said: “This is a very big event for Morocco, for the King to have invited the Prince, and it will reaffirm the historic relationship between the two countries.”
Charles and Camilla were greeted in Rabat by Prince Moulay Rachid, brother to King Mohammed VI. When they sat down for formal talks, they were served milk, a tradition in Morocco for its “sweet and pure intentions”.
Later, the couple paid a solemn visit to the tombs of King Mohammed V and King Hassan II. Prince Charles removed his shoes and the Duchess donned a head scarf as they paused in front of the final resting places of the last two Kings. The Prince even laid a wreath there.
Some British newspapers raised an eyebrow over Charles’ gesture. They said it was an ironic move since King Hassan II was considered to be “tyrannical” and yet his son, Mohammed VI, is making changes in politics and human rights.
Fouad Abdelmoumni, an economist and pro-democracy campaigner, suggested the timing of the Prince’s visit to Hassan II’s tomb was far from ideal.
He said: “Some people would think that it’s not the best time for him to do this kind of thing, and not the best place to visit.”
However, most Moroccans are aware that Prince Charles is on a diplomatic visit. There’s been some concern that the visit will be marred by protests, but so far, nothing serious.
Charles and Camilla ended their first day in the country by dining with King Mohammed VI and his family at Palais Dar Salam in Rabat.
After three days in neighboring Portugal, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, flew east to Spain for the second stop on their three nation tour to promote British business. The couple arrived in Madrid, but went to Pardo Palace in its outskirts to be greeted by their hosts, the Prince and Princess of Asturias – Felipe and Letizia.
Click here to see more pics from the trip
The Spanish couple met with Charles and Camilla at the start of an opening ceremony that included a color guard. Prince Charles seemed enamored by Princess Letizia, and kissed her hand upon meeting her – much to the delight of everyone watching.
After the ceremony, the Prince and the Duchess met with about 300 volunteers who help British residents in Spain at a reception at the home of Britain’s ambassador to Spain, Giles Paxman.
“Although it is impossible for the royal couple to meet everybody, their presence is a tribute to each and every person who helps our British residents,” Paxman said in a statement.
About one million Britons reside in Spain during the year, or just part of it.
Tonight, Felipe and Letizia will host a dinner in honor of their British guests. Tomorrow, Charles and Camilla will lunch with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. The Prince of Wales is expected to make speeches during both meals as part of a toast.
Later in the week, the couple will travel to Seville and also go to a private estate in Granada to spend a few days before heading to Morocco, the last leg of their tour.
This is Prince Charles’ tenth visit to Spain, but Camilla’s first official trip.
Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, began their official visit to Portugal Monday. It is the start of a three nation tour that will also take them to Spain and Morocco. The 10 day long visits are part of promoting British business.
Click here to see more
It was a rainy day in Lisbon when the couple were greeted by President Anibal Cavaco Silva at the Belem Presidential Palace. Official held umbrellas over the heads of the Prince of Wales and Silva as the national anthems of Britain and Portugal played during the welcoming ceremony.
Next came the press photos and the signing of the Book of Honor. Afterward, the President and the Prince held a half hour talk while Camilla and the Portuguese First Lady, Dr Maria Cavaco Silva, took a tour of a horse-drawn carriage museum.
Also part of their agenda, Charles and Camilla visited the monument of the tomb of poet and Portuguese national hero Luis Vaz de Camoes. They laid a wreath there, much to the surprise of onlookers. The couple also visited an English-language school and met with the students.
The royals are in Portugal during a time of crisis. Last week, its prime minister – Jose Socrates – quit and the country is facing financial struggles similar to Ireland and Greece.
Charles and Camilla will remain in Portugal for three days before moving on to Spain.
Sources: The Press Association, Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Wow, was this a big year for royalty! From weddings and engagements to engagements being called off, plus so many other stories, royalty was happening in 2010!
Choose which was the biggest story in the royalty world below:
The United Kingdom has been wracked by students protesting the sharp increase in university fee in recent days. But the rioting took a new turn when a car carrying Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, drove through a demonstration site and their car was attacked.
AP Photo/Matt Dunham
About 50 students broke through the police barrier and ran up to the vehicle, shouting “Off with their heads!” and “Tory scum, its your government!”
A window was broken and paint was thrown at the car.
“We can confirm that their Royal Highnesses’ car was attacked by protesters on the way to their engagement at the London Palladium this evening,” a spokesman for Prince Charles said. “Their Royal Highnesses are unharmed.”
While Charles and Camilla were visibly shocked by the attack, they remained calm. When they arrived at the Royal Variety Performance, the couple performed their duty as though nothing had happened.
The attack came after a vote in the House of Commons to approve a plan to raise the existing cap on tuition rates charged by universities from £3,000 to £9,000. That is like a nearly $10,000 increase — from roughly $4,700 to $14,000. Lawmakers approved the plan in a 323-302 vote.
The measure awaits approval by the House of Lords and a signature by Queen Elizabeth II before it becomes active.
Politicians and supporters say the tuition hike must be done in order to cut the British government’s deficit.
But others say it would keep students who cannot afford the hike out of university.
Prince William joined his father, Prince Charles, for the 18th annual ICAP charity day in London today, where he was surrounded by celebrities and workers dressed in costumes to help raise money. This event had a lot of laughs, particularly for William, who announced in November he is engaged to marry longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton.
While the Prince speaking on the phone with shipping boss Ben Lundqvist about a crude oil tanker deal, his father asked him, “Is he offering you a wedding present?”
To which William jokingly replied, “He asked me if I will marry his daughter!”
The excitement over William and Kate’s April wedding was the buzz of the ICAP trading floor. The Prince received many congratulations and cheers from the brokers.
He also received many cheers for other reasons as well. Prince William helped make a record for the largest foreign currency trade, which reached €17 billion. Last year ICAP raised £11.5m.
The revenue from each deal made will go to 21 charities, including Prince Charles’s The Prince’s Teaching Institute and the youth charity Skill Force, of which Prince William is Patron.
Hours after announcing their long awaited engagement, Prince William and fiancée Catherine Middleton met with the media. Wearing the same blue sapphire engagement ring as William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, the future Princess was all smiles as her future husband told the world why she was wearing it.
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images
“It was my way to make sure my mother didn’t miss out,” William explained. “It’s very special to me. As Kate’s very special to me now, it was right to put the two together.”
According to Hello! Magazine, Catherine told the press that joining the royal family is a “daunting prospect”.
But she added: “Hopefully I’ll take it in my stride. William is a great teacher so hopefully he’ll help me.”
When asked why did it take so long for the couple to announce plans to marry, the Prince replied, “I didn’t realise it was a race, otherwise I probably would have been a lot quicker.
“The time is right now. We’re both very, very happy and I’m very glad that I have done it.”
REUTERS/Paul Hackett
Miss Middleton added: “We have been going out a long time. We had spoken about our future and it just seemed the natural step for both of us.”
When William’s father, Prince Charles, was making an official appearance today, he was naturally asked about the big news.
“Thrilled, obviously, thank you. They have been practicing long enough,” he said before continuing on with his duties.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the stepmother of Prince William, called the news “wicked” – in good way.
Earlier today, Catherine’s parents, Michael and Carole, briefly met with the press. They said they were “thrilled” – which seems to be the word of the day!
“As you know Catherine and Prince William have been going out for quite a number of years, which is great for us because we have got to know William very well. We think he’s wonderful and we’re extremely fond of him,” Michael went on to say.
“They make a lovely couple. They’re great fun to be with and we’ve had a lot of laughs together,” he says. “We wish them every happiness for the future.”
Memories flowed for Britain’s Prince Charles as he walked through London’s Hotel Savoy Wednesday. He remembered having drinks and lunch at the exclusive 121 year old establishment, which reopened after a three year renovation. The Prince was with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns half of the hotel, and Alwaleed’s wife, Princess Ameera, as he was guided through and met with its staff.
AP Photo/ Dominic Lipinski /PA
” [THe] attention to detail by designers… and craftsmen which so brilliantly brought this hotel back to life,” Charles said in a short speech.
“All I can say is my darling grandmother, were she alive, would be so pleased. She used to come here for little luncheons and dinners. In the days when I used to go to hotels, more regularly than I do now, I used to come here.”
Prince Alwaleed called the reopening of the Savoy Hotel, “a gift to the British monarchy and the British people.”
Established in 1889, the Savoy attracted royalty, writers and Hollywood stars to stay at its famous suites.
Prince Charles’ charity, the Prince’s Trust, intends to help disadvantaged youths find work at the historic hotel.
Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani of Qatar, and his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, were welcomed to the UK in an elaborate ceremony at Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were at the event, in which everyone arrived in golden carriages. The Emir is in the country in hopes of investing in British companies.
REUTERS/Kirsty Wigglesworth/POOL
Among the firms the Emir is looking at is the auction house, Christie’s, which he would like to see add to Qatar’s Islamic Museum of Art.
“We are building a museum and it (Christie’s) has links with the stuff we are collecting for our museum,” he told the Financial Times newspaper.
“It depends on the opportunity — if we had a good opportunity we would not hesitate.”
Qatar already has a growing influence in the UK. In May, it bought the famous department store Harrod’s for about 1.5 billion pounds. The gulf state also has a 6.8 percent stake in British banking giant Barclays and a 25.9 percent share in the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain.
The Qatari royals seem to be good friends of the British royal family as a result of the investments. During the welcoming ceremony, all appeared to be joking with each other.
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, even appeared to be flirtatious with Sheikha Mozah. Royal reporter Richard Palmer from the Daily Express said on Twitter that the Prince playfully teased about her looking youthful despite being 51 years old.
There was an exchange of gifts between Qatar and UK. The Queen gave the Emir a 16th century engraving of Windsor Castle and a history of the town. In return, His Highness gave her jewel encrusted box.
There will be a state dinner at Windsor Castle this evening. Tomorrow, the Emir and Sheikha Mozah would receive a tour of the Olympic stadium meant for the 2012 Summer Games.
The future King of the United Kingdom has commented on the use of the Gaelic language in Caithness, Scotland. There has been some controversy over the ancient tongue being used in an area many say has more of a Nordic heritage rather than Celtic. But Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, suggested it ought to be used.
“The suggestion has been made that the language has little, or no, direct relevance in this part of the world.
“If I may, I might just gently question that view.
“I would suggest Gaelic, like any other language or culture, belong to all the people and communities of a nation whether they or not they actively involved with it.”
There have been some suggestions that roadsigns be both in English and Gaelic.
Local councilors have opposed the Highland Council’s idea of bilingual road signs, saying that the money would be better spent on other services.
Recent Comments