RIYADH, 25 March 2006 — Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Riyadh last night on a two-day visit to the Kingdom.
They were received by Prince Bandar ibn Sultan, secretary-general of the National Security Council, at the airport. British Ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, his wife and senior Saudi government and British Embassy officials were also present.
For part of the planned program, the royal couple will attend some engagements together and others individually and visit educational establishments in the capital.
Prince Charles, who has a particular interest in architecture and the preservation of historic buildings of cultural merit, will attend the presentation of prizes at an architectural event.
The Duchess of Cornwall will be meeting women involved in charities in Riyadh and have discussions with women community members here. It is her first visit to Saudi Arabia.
“She is coming to get the feel of the Kingdom,” said Prince Charles’ press secretary, Patrick Harrison. “Both feel particularly that the West should come and see and understand Saudi Arabia.”
The couple will be meeting students and young people during their visit.
The visit follows the recent reaction to the publication of blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the European press. Harrison said that there was no connection between the visit and the controversy.
“The visit,” he told journalists, “was planned well before that event. But obviously these are real issues that the world is grappling with at the moment. There is a relevancy there, but it was not timed specifically.”
