Saturday, February 8, 2025

Duke, Duchess of Edinburgh in Nepal

 Kathmandu, Feb. 4

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, are in Nepal in their maiden trip to the Himalayan nation. Their visit will celebrate the proud history of UK-Nepal relations as well as the new generation of young people who represent the future, the British Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement on Tuesday.

"They will salute our shared history, including the proud sense of service through the Gurkha relationship, see Nepal’s beauty and culture, meet young people benefiting from participating in the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards, see how UK support has helped Nepal’s improvements in maternal healthcare, and engage with women leaders and activists," read the statement.  

The Duke and Duchess will see how the next 100 years of friendship is developing following the centenary celebrations of the establishment of the bilateral relations between the two nations. According to the Embassy, this includes seeing how the Duke of Edinburgh International Award is helping young people develop new skills and experiences. They will also see some of the UK - Nepal development partnership in maternal health and in economic development.

They will also attend the annual Attestation Parade in Pokhara where young men join the British Army, and observe how veterans and their dependants are supported by the Gurka Welfare Trust.

This visit is the fourteenth visit to Nepal by members of the British Royal family, which over the years have celebrated and reinforced the close ties between the two nations. 

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited in 1961 and 1986 while King Charles, as Prince of Wales, visited in 1975, 1980, 1992 and 1998. The most recent visit was by Prince Harry in 2016. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 5 February 2025.  

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