<![CDATA[Clarence House · Storify]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouseNodeJS RSS ModuleSat, 18 May 2013 06:43:14 GMT<![CDATA[Day 9: Oman (Tuesday 19th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Thu, Mar 21 2013 05:55:56

Touched by the warm welcome to the Middle East, The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall spent a final day carrying out engagements in Oman today.
A "welcome" Halwa - a traditional Omani sweet #royalvisitoman · Clarence House
Their first stop was the British School in Muscat, where more than 900 pupils from 57 nationalities study. Hundreds of young children lined the school's steps, cheering wildly as Their Royal Highnesses arrived to tour the school and meet pupils and teachers.
The Duchess of Cornwall is given an enthusiastic welcome by pupils of the British School in Muscat #RoyalVisitOman http://yfrog.com/f1qokkj · Clarence House
British School Muscat - OmanBritish School Muscat - Oman
The British School Muscat. Omans Leading Private School for British curriculum education from age group 3 yrs to 18 yrs. GCSEs, IGCSEs ...
Later in the day, The Prince boarded HMS Northumberland to tour the ship and hear about its current mission, before meeting service personnel and presenting medals for Long Service and Good Conduct to two crew members.
The Prince talks to crew on board HMS Northumberland in Muscat, Oman - http://yfrog.com/72nzakj #RoyalVisitOman · Clarence House
His Royal Highness undertakes a number of engagements each year in the UK with the military and sees this as one of the most important aspects of his role as Heir to the Throne.

You can find out more about The Prince's work with the Armed Services here:
Armed ServicesArmed Services
The Prince of Wales is a strong supporter of the Armed Services and sees this as one of the most important parts of his role as Heir to T...
HMS Northumberland | Royal NavyHMS Northumberland | Royal Navy
HMS Northumberland (F238) is a type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy.
Ending his visit to Oman, The Prince visited the Oasis Knowledge Centre in Muscat, which aims to support technology businesses and start-ups.

The Prince is a keen supporter of entrepreneurship and has a number of charities which aim to help those who wish to set-up their own businesses, including Youth Business International, Business in the Community, The Prince's Trust and The Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprises (PRIME).

You can find out all about The Prince's charities on his website:
The Prince's CharitiesThe Prince's Charities
For more than 35 years The Prince of Wales has been a leader in identifying charitable need and setting up and driving forward charities ...
Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM)
Continuing her support to promote literacy, The Duchess visited a "Kids Read" programme at Shams Al Ma'aref school. The scheme aims to promote reading in both the classroom and at home.
The Duchess also visited a "Kids Read" programme in Qatar, you can see the video here:
The Duchess of Cornwall visits a Kids Read initiative in Qatar · theroyalchannel
One of the main themes that The Duchess has been interested to learn more about during her trip to the Middle East has been female empowerment.

Having visited a number of projects during her trip already, today she visited the Omani Women's Association. Run voluntarily, the organisation aims to promote women's empowerment through Omani traditions and culture, focusing on education, family, health and economic independence.

Her Royal Highness spent time talking with the female parliamentarians before watching a traditional fashion show by a local designer.
Omani Women Association at Al-Mudhibi - جمعية المرأة العمانية بولاية المضيبيOmani Women Association at Al-Mudhibi - جمعية المرأة العمانية بولاية المضيبي
All goals, projects and future vision of the Omani woman in AL-Mudhaibi can only be realized through a national sincere and serious stand...
This afternoon, Their Royal Highnesses said goodbye to Oman to head back to the UK.
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-9-oman-tuesday-19th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-9-oman-tuesday-19th-marchThu, 21 Mar 2013 12:55:56 GMT<![CDATA[Day 8: Oman (Monday 18th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Tue, Mar 19 2013 03:48:17

Children at Nizwa Fort await the arrival of The Prince and Duchess #royalvisitoman http://instagr.am/p/W_6JWdIrQf/ · Clarence House
It was a scorching day in Oman today as The Prince and The Duchess continued their tour to the Middle East.

Arriving at the stunning Nizwa Fort this morning, they received a very excited welcome from school children and a traditional Omani performance group whose song resonated around the historic buildings.
TRH arrive at Nizwa Fort and are received by HE Shaikh Dr. Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi The Governor of Dakhiliyah http://pic.twitter.com/tKWuRZggKg · UKinOman
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Oman · The British Monarchy
Set against an impressive backdrop of the Omani mountains and palm trees, Their Royal Highnesses were given a tour of the fort, climbing to the top of the main tower so saw the fantastic view for themselves.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Oman · The British Monarchy
The Omani people gave Their Royal Highnesses an impressive cultural display, dancing with lively music and swords - they even got The Prince to join in with their dancing by offering him a traditional sword and shield to dance with. 
The Prince of Wales is given an Omani sword by a traditional performance group at the Nizwa Fort #RoyalVisitOman http://yfrog.com/0h6gghj · Clarence House
You can see the video here:
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall tour Nizwa Fort, Oman · theroyalchannel
Leaving the fort, Their Royal Highnesses then attended separate engagements.

The Duchess visited the Royal Hospital Diabetes Unit and Endocrine Centre where she met staff and patients before officially opening the centre's new facitlities.

Her Royal Highness, who is Patron of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and President of the National Osteoporosis Society in the UK was keen to see the work taking place in Oman. The country, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Egypt is among the top 10 countries in the world where diabetes is rife.
HRH arrives at the Royal Hospital Diabetes Unit and is received by: H.H Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi http://pic.twitter.com/vUuyypv3CH · UKinOman
Find out more about Her Royal Highness's patronages here...
The Duchess of CornwallThe Duchess of Cornwall
Charities · Patronages · Biography · Childhood and Education ... Duchess of Cambridge. Prince Harry. Open. The Prince of Wales and The ...
The Prince, who has been an environmental leader for more than 40 years, has always taken a keen interest in discussing the future of food security and sustainability, and has seized the opportunity to do so whilst in the Middle East. Today he continued his interest with a visit to the Birkat Al Mauz falaj (irrigation) system.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Oman · The British Monarchy
Walking around the impressive World Heritage Site, which has water running through man-made channels to deliver water from underground sources using topography and gravity, The Prince chatted to the falaj specialists to hear more about how the irrigation system works as a traditional system of water resource.
Before leaving, His Royal Highness met local farmers who benefit from the falaj.

You can find out more about The Prince's sustainability work here:
SustainabilitySustainability
For more than four decades The Prince of Wales has used his unique position to champion action for a sustainable future. In the context o...
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-8-oman-monday-18th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-8-oman-monday-18th-marchTue, 19 Mar 2013 10:48:17 GMT<![CDATA[Day 6: Saudi Arabia (Saturday 16th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Sun, Mar 17 2013 03:26:48

The Majlis Ash Shura where The Prince and Duchess are visiting today #royalvisitsaudi http://instagr.am/p/W6d_YeIrQv/ · Clarence House
The Prince of Wales attends a discussion at the Majlis Ash Shura · The British Monarchy
Their Royal Highnesses spent their first full day in Saudi Arabia today, carrying out engagements in Riyadh before heading on to Jeddah.
The Prince and Duchess visited the Saudi Parliament, The Majlis Ash Shura, meeting some of the women, Their Royal Highnesses joined them and male members of the Shura to discuss a number of subjects.

The visit to the Shura was particularly interesting for Their Royal Highnesses, as they are the first senior visitors to the parliament since The King decided it should appoint female members. Now 20% of the Shura are women.
The Duchess of Cornwall with women from the Majlis Ash Shura · The British Monarchy
This morning, The Prince visited the headquarters Saudi Arabia National Guard where he was greeted by the Commander, His Royal Highness Prince Miteb bin Abdullah Al Saud.
Upon arrival, The Prince reviewed a Guard of Honour before meeting officers and men of SANG, including members of the British Military Mission.
Leaving SANG, His Royal Highness arrived at the King Abdulaziz Library, Saudi Arabia's first public library where His Royal Highness viewed an exhibition of photographs taken by the late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester during her tour of Saudi Arabia in 1938.
The Royal Collection has also has just released a collection of photographs taken by King Edward VII in 1862 during his time as The Prince of Wales.

These were taken when The Prince was sent on a four-month educational tour of the Middle East, accompanied by the British photographer Francis Bedford who documented the journey.
Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East | Royal Collection TrustCairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East | Royal Collection Trust
Home > Exhibitions > Cairo to Constantinople: Frances Bedford's Photographs of the Middle East > Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photograp...
The Duchess's final engagement in Riyadh today was to The Princess Noura University, the country's first female university and largest women-only university in the world, which boasts an impressive campus with a monorail for the students to easily move around.
The Duchess of Cornwall arrives at the Princess Noura University with British Embassy staff · The British Monarchy
Her Royal Highness met art students including 21-year-old Hanan Al Hazza, who is in her final year of a graphic design and media studies degree.

Al Hazza said she felt "very proud" to be part of the university.

Touring the campus by monorail, The Duchess said: "Thus place is astonishing, really impressive. There are some terribly clever young women and it is good to see them getting the chance to study in this way."
Another of the students, Leena Hussein who is studying medicine at the university, said that having The Duchess visit "means we have the communication between the women here in the Middle East and women in other parts of the world.

"I want to show that Saudi women have the same abilities as other women".
The Prince and Duchess arrive in Jeddah #RoyalVisitSaudi http://instagr.am/p/W662kGIrY_/ · Clarence House
Their Royal Highnesses then flew on to Jeddah this evening, where they will carry out a number of engagements tomorrow before heading to Oman for the final leg of their tour to the Middle East.
Travel to Oman, Visit Muscat through Oman Travel Guide for Sultanate of Oman Adventure - Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of OmanTravel to Oman, Visit Muscat through Oman Travel Guide for Sultanate of Oman Adventure - Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman
Travel to the Sultanate of Oman especially to the city of Muscat for amazing Oman Adventure. Through our Oman travel guide you can visit ...
As part of this tour, we are using Instagram to post pictures throughout the visit, you can follow us here:
clarencehouse on Instagramclarencehouse on Instagram
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-7-saudi-arabia-and-oman-sunday-17th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-7-saudi-arabia-and-oman-sunday-17th-marchSun, 17 Mar 2013 10:26:48 GMT<![CDATA[Day 7: Saudi Arabia and Oman (Sunday 17th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Mon, Mar 18 2013 02:38:17

A view of the Omani mountains as Their Royal Highnesses arrive #RoyalVisitOman · Clarence House
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Oman this afternoon for the final leg of their overseas tour to the Middle East, having spent the morning in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Their tour, which began on Monday 11th March, has seen The Prince and Duchess visit Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia so far.
The Prince and Duchess greet The Sultan of Oman #RoyalVisitOman · Clarence House
While The Prince spent the morning at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, The Duchess visited Bab Rizq Jameel Nafisa Shams, a female academy for arts and crafts.
The Prince joined a discussion on food security, an issue that as an environmental leader, The Prince has spoken about for many years. You can find out more about The Prince and environmental sustainability on The Prince of Wales's website below:
SustainabilitySustainability
For more than four decades The Prince of Wales has used his unique position to champion action for a sustainable future. In the context o...
Her Royal Highness met some wonderful women making an array of beautiful arts and crafts during her visit to the centre this morning.
The women there are taking part in a number of courses, including hair and beauty, sewing and cookery classes. They make beautiful prayer mats and jewellery as part of their training. Since Bab Rizq Jameel was formed, it has created over 190,000 job opportunities for both men and women in Saudi Arabia.
The Duchess of Cornwall joins women taking part in a cookery class at Bab Rizq Jameel Nafisa Shams female academy for arts and crafts #royalvisitsaudi · Clarence House
You can view a short video of The Duchess's visit to the centre below:
The Duchess of Cornwall visits the Bab Rizq Jameel Centre in Saudi · theroyalchannel
Arriving in Oman, The Prince and Duchess were greeted by His Majesty The Sultan of Oman Qaidoos bin Said Al Saidat at the Bayt al Baraka palace in Muscat.
Tomorrow, Their Royal Highnesses will spend their penultimate day in the Middle East carrying out a number of engagements in Oman. You can see the photos from today's visit below:
Content from Saudi Arabia: The Duchess visits Bab Razq Jameel CentreContent from Saudi Arabia: The Duchess visits Bab Razq Jameel Centre
The Duchess visited Bab Rizq Jameel Nafisa Shams, a female academy for arts and crafts.
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-6-saudi-arabia-saturday-16th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-6-saudi-arabia-saturday-16th-marchMon, 18 Mar 2013 09:38:17 GMT<![CDATA[Day 5: Qatar and Saudi Arabia (Friday 15th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Sat, Mar 16 2013 03:43:13

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Qatar · The British Monarchy
Today was the final day of Their Royal Highnesses's visit to Qatar, before they travelled on to Saudi Arabia to continue their tour of the Middle East.
Spoke and shook hands with Prince Charles today.... naturally. :) http://instagr.am/p/W4Bwd6Dqbz/ · Jessie
Attending a reception at the Ambassador's residence, The Prince and Duchess were greeted by hundreds of school children waving Union Flags before they met members of the British community living and working in Qatar in the garden of the residence.
The other half... Camilla :) http://instagr.am/p/W4CB4jDqb7/ · Jessie
The Prince met Sheikh Tamim at Al Wajba Palace and joined a meeting to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest. The Sheikh is Co-Patron of the 2013 Qatar-UK Year of Culture with The Prince and has a long affiliation with the UK, having graduated from Sandhurst in 1998.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Qatar · The British Monarchy
Ending the day in Qatar, The Prince visited Al Safwa farm.  As a farmer himself, The Prince's Duchy Home Farm in Gloucestershire is run on an organic, sustainable basis, so he was delighted to tour Al Safwa, which is working towards sustainable methods of growing produce while overcoming the desert climate in which it sits.
The Prince tours Al Safwa Farm during his last day in Qatar #royalvisitqatar · clarencehouse
The organic and natural food brand Duchy Originals by Waitrose was founded at The Prince's farm.  This video features The Prince's Farm Manager David Wilson talking about the organic system of farming there:
The Duchy Home Farm: An organic system of farming · theroyalchannel
The Al Sajwa farm produces an array of vegetables for trade, some of which are provided to Michelin Star chefs.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Qatar · The British Monarchy
Touring the farm owned by Nasser Ali Khamis Al-Kuwari, The Prince saw how much produce the family has been able to grow given the climate. 
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Qatar · The British Monarchy
Ending his visit, The Prince joined farm workers and students from the Qatar Foundation International Programme to discuss food security and the challenges faced by farmers. The Prince has been working to address the plight of farmers in the UK, with his Prince's Countryside Fund which provides support to farmers and those in rural communities.
You can find out more about the fund here:
The Prince's Countryside FundThe Prince's Countryside Fund
Their Royal Highnesses then travelled to Saudi Arabia, the third country of their Middle East tour.

The Prince and The Duchess attended a reception at Her Majesty's Ambassador's residence for members of the British expatriate community who are involved in promoting UK-Saudi bilateral relations, before The Prince held a meeting with Prince Sultan bin Salman.

In the evening, Their Royal Highnesses attended separate dinners with senior members of the Saudi Royal Family.
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-5-qatar-and-saudi-arabia-friday-15th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-5-qatar-and-saudi-arabia-friday-15th-marchSat, 16 Mar 2013 10:43:13 GMT<![CDATA[Day 4: Qatar (Thursday 14th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Fri, Mar 15 2013 03:08:25

The Duchess meets women involved in the Springboard Women's Development programme #royalvisitqatar http://instagr.am/p/W1D3aPIrez/ · Clarence House
The second day in Qatar saw Their Royal Highnesses carry out a packed schedule of engagements.
The Duchess spent the day meeting a number of inspirational women who are taking part in self-development programmes.
Starting the day at a meeting with members of the Springboard Women's Development Programme, Her Royal Highness chatted and joked with the women who told her that Springboard teaches them to have "me time", because "if you can't take care of yourself you can't take care of others".
Arriving later at the Qatar Science and Technology Park, an innovative building home to many British businesses, The Duchess joined a group of women whose lives have been turned around by the Vodafone Al Johara Programme.
Her Royal Highness meets women from the Vodafone Al Johara programme #RoyalVisitQatar · clarencehouse
Joining the 13 women, The Duchess listened as they shared their stories about how they came to be involved in the project and their experiences.

Al Johara trains women to have jobs in sales for Vodafone. The women said it had given them a new found confidence, teaching many of them how to drive and building their social skills to talk to people who weren't members of their family.
Many of these women have large families and a number of children - the 13 women have 37 children between them. The Duchess asked one lady, who has seven children, how she finds the time to balance work and family life as well as finding time for herself.

Her Royal Highness said: "I'm so impressed to meet you all. Everybody here is so well educated. You are all very intelligent women".
Earlier in the day. The Duchess visited a school taking part in the British Council's Kids Read initiative.  The Duchess is passionate about promoting literacy and has managed to focus on this on several engagements during the Middle East tour so far. 
Her Royal Highness toured the Amna Mahmoud Al Jeddah Primary Independent School for Girls where she joined students who were reading and donated some of her favourite children's books, including "The Old Man of Lochnagar" which was written by The Prince of Wales.
You can see a video from The Duchess's visit to the school below:
The Duchess of Cornwall visits a Kids Read initiative in Qatar · theroyalchannel
Meanwhile, The Prince carried out a number of engagements focusing on British businesses working in Qatar.  In the morning His Royal Highness attended a reception to launch the Qatar-UK Alumni Network which brings together Qatari residents who have lived and studied in the United Kingdom.  The Prince is Patron of the 2013 Qatar-UK Year of Culture run by the British Council.

Later, His Royal Highness held a meeting with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the headquarters of the Qatar Foundation. 

Sheikha Moza plays a key role in the Foundation, which is working to improve education, science and community development in Qatar.
The Qatar Science and Technology Park where The Prince and Duchess both visited today #royalvisitqatar · clarencehouse
Williams Advanced Engineering - HomeWilliams Advanced Engineering - Home
WILLIAMS NAMED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AT THE MIA BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS Williams has won the prestigious Business of the Year Award at ...
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-4-qatar-thursday-14th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-4-qatar-thursday-14th-marchFri, 15 Mar 2013 10:08:25 GMT<![CDATA[Day 3: Jordan and Qatar (Wednesday 13th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Wed, Mar 13 2013 13:31:11

The Duchess of Cornwall sits with nursery children at the King Abdullah Park refugee camp #RoyalVisitJordan · clarencehouse
Their Royal Highnesses were deeply moved during their last day in Jordan today, when they saw first-hand the plight of Syrian refugees at the King Abdullah Park refugee camp.
Touring the camp, which currently holds just under 1,000 refugees who have fled the Syrian crisis, The Prince and Duchess met women and girls learning craft skills in a portacabin and children in the nursery, before visiting the on-site shop and spending time with a family in their cabin.
Prince Charles & Duchess of Cornwall visit @WFP's programmes supporting Syrian refugess #RoyalVisitJordan http://pic.twitter.com/g6ScWKuAaN · Patrick McKenna
Handkerchiefs made during a craft workshop at the King Abdullah Refugee camp in Jordan #RoyalVisitJordan · clarencehouse
Speaking after the visit, The Prince said how the Jordanian people are "unbelievably generous" but need more help to be able to cope with the thousands of refugees fleeing across the border from Syria.
The Duchess spoke warmly about the women she bonded with in the camp, saying that what she found so remarkable is their strength of spirit and the way they remain cheerful despite their circumstances.

"I think that is women for you," Her Royal Highness said. "They have got their children to look after, they have to survive.

"But to think that many of them don't even know whether their husbands are alive or dead, it is just awful."
The UNHCR, UNICEF and Save the Children are currently working in the camp to expand facilities there, while Britain's Department for International Development has pledged £139.5 million in support for Syria, £87 million of which has already been allocated. The department is working with partner organisations to allocate funds to those areas in greatest need.

To date, Britain has provided over 600,000 food packages, feeding over 120, 000 people per month.
You can see the video  of Their Royal Highnesses's visit to King Abdullah Park refugee camp below:
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visit the King Abdullah Park refugee camp, Jordan · theroyalchannel
Leaving the camp, The Prince and Duchess toured the Greco-Roman ruins of Jerash, one of the best-preserved of its kind in the Middle East and thought to be around 6,000 years old.
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-3-jordan-and-qatar-wednesday-13th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-3-jordan-and-qatar-wednesday-13th-marchWed, 13 Mar 2013 20:31:11 GMT<![CDATA[Day 2: Jordan (Tuesday 12th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Wed, Mar 13 2013 02:56:30

A Guard of Honour on parade at Hummar Palace welcomes THe Prince and Duchess #RoyalVisitJordan · clarencehouse
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall received a fantastic welcome in Jordan today, during a packed day of engagements.
Beginning the day at the King Hussein Mosque, The Prince was accompanied by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad. The stunning mosque, situated in the capital city of Amman, was designed by Dr Khaled Azzam, Director of The Prince's School of Traditional Arts (PSTA).
The King Hussein Mosque #RoyalVisitJordan · clarencehouse
His Royal Highness, who has a keen interest in traditional arts and culture, is President and Founder of the PSTA.
Following the tour of the Mosque, The Prince took part in an inter-faith discussion on moderation in Islam, particularly on how the Amman Message can be practically applied in Europe and the Middle East.

The Amman Message was released by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2004 with the aim of emphasising that Islam is a faith which preaches tolerance and mutual understanding.
Meanwhile, The Duchess of Cornwall paid a visit to the Children's Museum in Jordan where she joined a storytelling session run by the British Council before planting an apple tree with students to mark the museum's Secret Garden official opening.
We had the pleasure to welcome HRH Duchess of Cornwall Camilla to open The Secret Garden #Jo #UK #RoyalVisitJordan http://pic.twitter.com/yvOlc9FVyx · Children's Museum JO
As a keen reader herself, Her Royal Highness has for many years promoted the benefits of literacy to children and adults and is Patron of a number of charitable organisations which support this aim.

You can find out more about The Duchess's work with literacy in our website feature below:
Supporting literacySupporting literacy
The Duchess of Cornwall is an avid reader and is keen to promote the importance of supporting literacy. During World Book Day 2012, The D...
Their Royal Highnesses then received a colourful welcome in the form of a full Guard of Honour at Hummar Palace before their first official meeting with King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan.
Drawing on the already close ties between their respective charitable organisations, The Prince and The King witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the King Abdullah II Fund for Development and The Prince's Charities. You can find out more about The Prince's Charities here:
The Prince's CharitiesThe Prince's Charities
For more than 35 years The Prince of Wales has been a leader in identifying charitable need and setting up and driving forward charities ...
We filmed the official welcome of Their Royal Highnesses for The Royal Channel on YouTube.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are officially welcomed to Jordan by Their Majesties · theroyalchannel
One of the key themes of this visit to the Middle East and the Gulf is business and entrepreneurship. His Royal Highness is a strong supporter of entrepreneurship and is President of a number of charities in the UK that work in this area, such as Youth Business International, The Prince's Trust and Business in the Community.

His Royal Highness also attended an Enterprise Conference with The King and gave a speech on the importance of youth enterprise and corporate social responsibility.
Andrew Fiddaman @YouthBizInt chairing first session at #ECA13 @UKTIJordan #royalvisitjordan http://pic.twitter.com/KPQq8ySfGM · jonathanfreeman
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-2-jordan-tuesday-12th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-2-jordan-tuesday-12th-marchWed, 13 Mar 2013 09:56:30 GMT<![CDATA[Day 1: Jordan (Monday 11th March)]]>

The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman between 11th - 19th March 2013.

Storified by Clarence House · Mon, Mar 11 2013 10:28:05

A Guard of Honour in Jordan #RoyalVisitJordan · clarencehouse
Their Royal Highnesses are on a 9-day official visit to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman at the request of the British Government. This tour will help to strengthen the United Kingdom's bilateral relations with key partners in the region.

Over the years, The Prince has built up close personal relations with leaders, including Members of Royal Families in each country as has Her Royal Highness in recent years.

This visit focuses on a number of themes that The Prince and Duchess have a keen interest in, including entrepreneurship, business and enterprise, culture and education and literacy.

You can find out more information by reading the press release below:
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to visit Jordan, Qatar and Oman
The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake official visits to Jordan, Qatar and Oman f...
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Jordan today to begin their tour to the Middle East.
The view over Jordan as Their Royal Highnesses' tour of the Middle East begins #RoyalVisitJordan http://instagr.am/p/WuVi7KIrbT/ · Clarence House
Arriving to a Guard of Honour at Amman's airport, The Prince and The Duchess attended a private dinner with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah at Beit al-Urdun, their private residence during their first evening in Jordan.
The Prince and The Duchess have known The King and Queen for some time and have met on many occasions, most recently when King Abdullah visited His Royal Highness at Clarence House in 2012.  

The King and Queen will host Their Royal Highnesses throughout the visit to Jordan and will accompany them on a number of engagements.
To find out more about the visit, you can read the remarks by the Private Secretary to The Prince and The Duchess on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs below:
Remarks by Simon Martin, Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the upcoming tour to Jordan, Oman and Qatar
These three countries are important and longstanding partners of Britain in a very important region and the visit will promote Britain's ...
As with previous tours, you can follow @clarencehouse on Twitter for daily updates as well as visiting the website:
The Prince of Wales - HomeThe Prince of Wales - Home
The official website of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry.
And for our followers in or visiting the UK, the Royal Collection has just released a collection of photographs taken by King Edward VII in 1862 during his time as The Prince of Wales.

These were taken when The Prince was sent on a four-month educational tour of the Middle East, accompanied by the British photographer Francis Bedford who documented the journey.
Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East | Royal Collection TrustCairo to Constantinople: Early Photographs of the Middle East | Royal Collection Trust
Home > Exhibitions > Cairo to Constantinople: Frances Bedford's Photographs of the Middle East > Cairo to Constantinople: Early Photograp...
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-1-jordan-monday-11th-marchhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/day-1-jordan-monday-11th-marchMon, 11 Mar 2013 17:28:05 GMT<![CDATA[The Prince visits Great Ormond St Hospital]]>

Today The Prince of Wales visited Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children's hospital in Bloomsbury, London - an international centre of excellence in child healthcare.

Storified by Clarence House · Thu, Feb 21 2013 06:45:25

Where are we today? Any ideas? http://pic.twitter.com/2zkRfuuwO8 · Clarence House

The Prince of Wales was invited to visit the cancer and neurology wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) today.  During the visit The Prince visited the oncology and neurology wards and saw the work taking place as part of their complementary therapies programme.  

His Royal Highness has a long-standing interest in complementary therapies combined with traditional healthcare, and is Patron of around 30 healthcare charities.  You can view a full list of HRH's Patronages.

PatronagesPatronages
Diamond Jubilee Champions Joint Patron with The Duchess of Cornwall (from 05/04/2012) www.wrvs.org.uk
He also met a number of children being treated at the hospital, their parents and the staff caring for them.  He met 11-year-old Marcus in the complementary therapy room.
11-year-old patient Marcus meets The Prince of Wales in the Complementary Therapy Room on Lion Ward. #Royal http://pic.twitter.com/VCYE8fNO2E · GOSH Charity
The tranquil complementary therapies room, and treatments at the Hospital such as massage, aim to alleviate the symptoms of certain illnesses, while also helping with anxiety, fear, stress, pain management and sleeping problems.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Chief Executive Jan Filochowski welcomed The Prince today and accompanied him on his tour of the hospital.

 

He said: “We were delighted that The Prince of Wales was able to visit Great Ormond Street Hospital and meet so many of our patients and the staff that care for them. 


"It was fantastic to have the opportunity to show him round our hospital and in particular showcase our new state-of-the-art neurology ward where some of the UK’s most complex epilepsy patients are looked after by the biggest neurosciences team in the country.”

The Prince meets nurses and support staff @GreatOrmondSt http://pic.twitter.com/IaUjipLKeo · Clarence House
The Prince enjoyed talking to many of the children being treated at Great Ormond Street and their parents.  In one of the hospital's playrooms, His Royal Highness pulled up a small child seat to talk to eight-year-old patient Katie Tuffin and her mother, whilst Katie rolled out some Play-Do.
Eight-year-old Katie and her mum Emma meet The Prince of Wales in the play room on Koala Ward. #Royal http://pic.twitter.com/IUoBDGGapK · GOSH Charity
The Prince of Wales's son Prince Harry is Patron of WellChild which helps sick children and their families across the UK.  You can find out more about their work on the charity's website...
WellChild - Helping sick children and their families across the UKWellChild - Helping sick children and their families across the UK
We provide essential practical and emotional support for seriously ill children, young people and those who care for them across the UK t...
The Prince chatted to as many nurses and support staff as possible on his tour of the wards.
@GreatOrmondSt we met The Prince of Wales at the Hospital today! @CatrinSmith_x #amazing http://pic.twitter.com/DnrnQxLF6M · Kristina Asdis
His Royal Highness ended the visit by meeting donors who had helped to fund the wing of the hospital he had just visited before returning to Clarence House.
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]]>http://storify.com/clarencehouse/the-prince-visits-great-ormond-st-hospitalhttp://storify.com/clarencehouse/the-prince-visits-great-ormond-st-hospitalThu, 21 Feb 2013 14:45:25 GMT