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The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall ‘Charles and Camilla’ packed in a staggering 19 engagements in their three-day stopover in the kingdom, meeting and greeting royalty, service men and women, community leaders and people of all ages in the local and British expat community.
Prince Charles is renowned for his energetic endeavours and Camilla keeps pace much to the delight of royal observers. There were plenty of fun and cultural activities on the itinerary as part of the celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of UKBahrain relations and organisers from the British Embassy in Manama went along way to nearing a target of 200 activities in 12 months.
They visited the souq together, the Al-Fateh Grand Mosque and a Hindu temple. There were many individual engagements too. The Prince visited the Tubli Bay regeneration project, for example, and Ras Sanad mangrove forest, where he planted a mangrove seed and visited the site of Southern New Town, a new housing community being built.
Meanwhile, The Duchess of Cornwall visited St Christopher’s School to meet children, members of staff and school governors, as well as Dar Al Amam women’s refuge, and watched a rehearsal of the Bolshoi Ballet at the Bahrain National Theatre.
During the visit, The Duchess met the country’s Paralympic gold medallist, Fatima Nedham, who won gold in the shotput at Rio. There were two significant formal events too alongside meetings with His Majesty King Hamad, Prince Khalifa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier. The Prince of Wales gave the Royal Navy’s newest support facility his seal of approval when he opened the Welfare Building at Mina Salman.
In a historic milestone for the UK’s first new establishment ashore east of Suez since 1971, the prince officially opened the building alongside The Crown Prince. The new building forms part of a larger installation, due to come into service next summer, that will serve personnel stationed in Bahrain as they work to protect some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
Their Royal Highnesses were welcomed to the site by the UK’s Maritime Component Commander, Commodore William Warrender. The two princes were taken on a tour of the new building and met sailors and staff from the UK and Commonwealth who work there.
The Welfare Building and infrastructure for the site is part of a gift to the UK by The King, and will provide secure berthing and support facilities for Royal Navy vessels, as well as modern accommodation, including sport and recreational services for up to 500 people.
The visit also coincided with one of the most important dates on the UK’s calendar, which saw Prince Charles lay a wreath during a Remembrance Day Service, in Manama, which is held on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It was followed by a two minute silence, also observed across the UK for Armistice Day. The Last Post was played by a Bahraini bugler.
Military officers in head dress saluted for the duration and remained at attention alongside other ranks until the end of Reveille. Diplomats and military personnel joined members of the wider community for the service, which was also attended by Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, to mark the anniversary of the end of the First World War on November 11, 1918.
The service is usually staged in Manama at the Old Christian Cemetery but was moved on this occasion due to ‘security considerations’ to the British Embassy.
The Dean of St Christopher’s Cathedral The Very Rev’d Chris Butt carried out the introduction, the opening prayer was read by Mission of Seafarer’s Chaplain The Rev’d Stephen Thanapaul and Royal Navy Chaplain The Rev’d Nigel Beardsley gave a Bible reading before the dean’s Act of Remembrance assisted by British Defence Attaché Lt Col Andy Price.
Wreaths were laid by the Prince of Wales, followed by Shaikh Khalid, ambassadors of 15 countries, the consular agents of six others, military representatives from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, US, Australian, French, Canadian and New Zealand Forces.
The wreaths were made in Britain by disabled ex-servicemen and women and others were laid by local clubs, societies and St Chris and the British School of Bahrain, as well as three visiting Chelsea Pensioners, retired Sergeant Derek Layton, Guardsman David Macintyre and Private John Honey, who were on a 10-day trip as guests of the Bahrain British Business Forum.
British Ambassador Simon Martin told GulfWeekly: “The entire Royal Tour was a great success and a testament to the strength of British-Bahraini relations during this year in which we celebrate the bicentenary of our bilateral relationship. “Their Royal Highnesses were given a wonderful insight into the many ways in which Britain and Bahrain matter to each other and thoroughly enjoyed meeting a wide range of people from different faiths, cultures and organisations that is reflective of the diversity of the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
