Focus
A look back at 2007
21st December 2007
Here are just some of the highlights of the working year of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry:
January 2007
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visit Philadelphia and New York City on a two-day overseas visit to the United States of America. In New York, His Royal Highness was presented with the 10th Global Environmental Citizen Award from Harvard Medical School's Centre for Health and the Global Environment by former US Vice President Al Gore and actress Meryl Streep. Click here to read the story.
February 2007
Their Royal Highnesses spend a day in Greater Manchester. They visited Christie Hospital, a specialist cancer hospital, and saw first-hand the ongoing restoration of Gorton Monastery. Click here to read the story.
The Prince and The Duchess visited the Jewish Museum in London to celebrate the organisation’s 75th birthday. The Prince became Patron of the museum last year and visited the Finchley site in June 2006, meeting Auschwitz survivor Leon Greenman. Click here to read the story.
The Duchess of Cornwall visited the 4th Battalion of the newly-formed Rifles Regiment ahead of its deployment to Iraq. The visit to the battalion’s barracks at Bulford in Wiltshire marked the start of Her Royal Highness’s new role as Royal Colonel to the regiment. Her Royal Highness enjoyed an impromptu ride in a newly-modified Bulldog armoured personnel carrier. Click here to read the story.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to school cooks who are helping to make healthier food for the nation’s children at a Clarence House reception. Headteachers and school cooks from 60 schools around the country were invited to stress the importance of giving pupils nutritious meals. Click here to read the story.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall begin an extensive tour of the Gulf, visiting five states: Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai). Click here to read the story.
March 2007
The Prince of Wales visited Harlesden in North West London to see the work of NW10 Connect and Business in the Community, of which he is President, to promote businesses run by members of Black, Asian and Ethnic minority communities. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales held a reception to mark five years of his Pub is the Hub initiative at Clarence House. The Prince told an audience of pub landlords at Clarence House that pubs are crucial in binding communities together, but warned that many were still under threat. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales launched the very first British Tourism Week at the Tower of London. As Patron, The Prince said in a speech that he hoped that "every effort" would be made to remind British people of the "wonderful opportunities" they had for holidaying at home. Click here for the story.
Prince Harry became the first Royal Patron of three UK-based charities, Dolen Cymru, MapAction and WellChild. Prince Harry was keen to support these established charities which all offer essential assistance to communities across the UK and throughout the world. Click here to read the press release.
April 2007
The Prince of Wales visited Liverpool on St George’s Day to help the city celebrate its 800th anniversary. His Royal Highness also made a keynote speech calling for mankind to live in greater harmony with the environment. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales paid tribute to the individuals who are helping to preserve churches in communities all over Britain and spoke of the "massive challenge" ahead at a reception for the Historic Churches Preservation Trust at Clarence House. His Royal Highness thanked individuals and the Trust itself for their "truly remarkable and inspiring" achievements and commitment to community churches. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales hosted a May Day Summit on climate change at St James’s Palace and called for immediate action to solve what he called the world’s environmental “emergency”. More than 1,000 business leaders from across the country were brought together for the May Day Summit which consisted of nine simultaneous regional events and one national ‘hub’ event, hosted by The Prince at St James’s Palace State Apartments. Click here for the story.
May 2007
The Duchess of Cornwall today urged young people to follow a healthy lifestyle to help prevent bone and joint disease during a visit to Cornwall to open a new centre for osteoporosis. The Duchess, who is President of the National Osteoporosis Society, was in Cornwall for a day of engagements, which included naming The Duchess of Cornwall Centre for Osteoporosis, meeting staff and patients at The Knowledge Spa, and visiting charities Shelterbox and The Cinnamon Trust. Click here for the story.
Prince William officially opened the new Wembley Stadium as he attended the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United as President of The Football Association. Click here for the story.
Their Royal Highnesses spend two days in Northern Ireland. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Wales for four days on their annual summer tour which included visits to Powys, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Bangor. For their first engagement, Their Royal Highnesses accompanied The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to the opening of the third National Assembly of Wales. Click here for the story.
June 2007
The Prince of Wales was named the most influential conservationist in the UK by a panel of Britain’s foremost experts. His Royal Highness was chosen out of a list of the UK’s 20 most influential conservation heroes by a panel of leading conservationists for BBC Wildlife Magazine. Click here for the story.
The Duchess of Cornwall launched the Royal Navy's largest and most powerful submarine to the cheers of 10,000 people in Cumbria. Her Royal Highness, as Lady Sponsor, launched the mammoth £3.5 billion nuclear-powered submarine HMS Astute at the dockyard in Barrow-in-Furness. Click here for the story.
The Prince and The Duchess attended the annual Battle of Britain Fighter Association (BBFA) summer gathering at Bentley Priory in Middlesex and were greeted warmly by veterans. Their Royal Highnesses met the surviving members of the aircrew who fought bravely in the Battle of Britain. Click here for the story.
July 2007
Prince William and Prince Harry took to the stage in front of a 63,000-strong crowd at Wembley Stadium to open the Concert for Diana, arranged in memory of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales met people affected by flooding, emergency services and support staff in Toll Bar and Adwick-le-Street, South Yorkshire. It was His Royal Highness’s second visit to the flood-hit region after visiting Rotherham and Sheffield the previous week. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales paid his first-ever visit to Dumfries House in Ayrshire after helping to save it for the nation in a £45 million deal. The 250-year-old property had been put up for sale by its owner sparking The Prince to put together a consortium to buy the property and keep its unique contents intact. Click here for the story.
The Duchess of Cornwall celebrated her 60th birthday with a visit to Bromham in Wiltshire with The Prince of Wales. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited areas badly affected by flooding in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire and paid tribute to the spirit of the British people in response to the disaster. Click here for the story.
August 2007
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall opened a visitor's centre built in memory of The Late Queen Mother at the Castle of Mey, Her Majesty's former summer residence. The 3rd August 2007 was the 107th anniversary of her birth. Click here for the story.
Prince Harry paid a moving tribute to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales and described her as the ‘best mother in the world’. The Prince was speaking at the Thanksgiving Service for Diana, Princess of Wales at the Guards' Chapel in Wellington Barracks, London. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales presided over a ceremony to merge three historic British Army regiments and form the new Mercian Regiment. In a speech to mark the occasion His Royal Highness, who is a General in the British Army, told soldiers that he had no doubt that they would "stand firm and strike hard" in their new unit. Click here for the story.
September 2007
The Prince of Wales spoke of the need for children to understand where their food comes from as he launched the Year of Food and Farming at Home Farm on the Highgrove estate in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. The Year of Food and Farming campaign hopes to reconnect children with food and the countryside by encouraging them to grow their own food and visit local farms. In a speech, The Prince said he was "battling" to save school farms and gardens, so pupils could learn directly about food produce. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales launched the ClimateWise Principles, a new initiative to help the insurance industry tackle climate change. His Royal Highness said insurance companies had an important role to play in encouraging more environmentally friendly behaviour. Click here for the story.
Prince William spoke of his love of rugby as he cheered on Wales during their World Cup battle against Australia at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The Prince was attending the match in his capacity as Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), a role he took up in February 2007. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales helped the Army Air Corps (AAC) celebrate its Golden Jubilee and spoke of the vital work it does as part of the British Army. His Royal Highness, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the AAC and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force, was guest of honour during the official 50th birthday event. Servicemen, veterans and their families attended the event at Middle Wallop, Stockbridge in Hampshire. Click here for the story.
October 2007
Prince Harry attended a reception at to mark MapAction’s 50th mission. MapAction, of which he is Patron, provides up-to-date maps for aid workers, featuring vital information in times of disaster. The organisation works to highlight areas where medical help is needed, working bridges and transport routes and, in the wake of earthquakes, potential landing sites for helicopters. Click here for the story.
Prince William showed off his footballing skills during a kick-about with youngsters on his visit to a sports development project in Newcastle. The Prince, who is President of The Football Association (FA), spent a morning at The FA's Hat-Trick project in Newcastle, a scheme which provides a range of football opportunities for seven to 16-year-olds in disadvantaged communities. Click here for the story.
Territorial Army soldiers who served in Iraq were honoured in a medal ceremony by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in the grounds of Birkhall, Their Royal Highnesses home in Scotland. Click here for the story.
Prince Harry celebrated the 30th anniversary of children’s charity WellChild and presented medals to brave chronically ill youngsters at an award ceremony. As Patron of WellChild, which supports seriously ill children and their families, Prince Harry shared some tender and funny moments with youngsters at the charity’s Children’s Health Awards held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales issued a plea to preserve the world's remaining rainforests, describing it as "the biggest single and immediate opportunity" to combat climate change. In a speech, His Royal Highness announced the launch of The Prince’s Rainforest Project to help conserve this precious but rapidly dwindling resource. Click here for the story.
Prince Harry visited the Fleet Diving School in Portsmouth and dived with military personnel during his first visit as Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving. The 23-year-old Prince was appointed to the position following a move by The Queen and First Sea Lord to strengthen links between the Royal Navy and the Royal Family last year. The role affiliates Prince Harry with the Navy's patrol vessels and its diving, survey, mine warfare and fishery protection work. Click here for the story.
The Duchess of Cornwall was presented with the Kohn Award 2007 for her dedication to raising awareness of osteoporosis over last 10 years. Her Royal Highness has been President of the National Osteoporosis Society since 2001, and was Patron between 1997 and 2001. Click here for the story.
November 2007
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited London's Chinatown. Their Royal Highnesses were greeted by a traditional Chinese lion dance as they visited in Gerrard Street in Soho. Click here for the story.
Their Royal Highnesses visited the largest Hindu temple in Europe and joined in the celebrations for Diwali, the Festival of Light which welcomes in the Hindi New Year. At the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, North West London, The Prince took the opportunity to praise the Hindu community’s “huge contribution” to British life. Click here for the story.
The Queen led the nation in remembering Britain's war dead on Remembrance Sunday and Prince William, a Second Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals), laid a wreath for the first time at the war memorial in Central London. Click here for the story.
The Duchess of Cornwall visited schoolchildren with behavioural difficulties on her first visit to a Barnardo's project in her new role as President of the charity. Her Royal Highness became President of Barnardo's, which runs projects across the country to help vulnerable youngsters, in October 2007. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales celebrated his 59th birthday (14th November) by meeting black Christian leaders at a special thanksgiving service held in his honour. Accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall, His Royal Highness was visiting Jesus House in Brent Cross, London to recognise the contribution of Black Majority Churches. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Uganda and Turkey on an overseas tour. Their Royal Highnesses spent three days in Uganda, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) attended by Her Majesty The Queen. The Prince visited aid projects at a slum before attending a series of functions at the leaders' meeting. After visiting Uganda, Their Royal Highnesses visited Turkey. Click here for the story.
The Prince of Wales’s Business and the Environment Programme brought together the leaders of 150 global companies to publish a communiqué to world leaders calling for a comprehensive, legally binding United Nations framework to tackle climate change. The initiative represents an unprecedented coming together of the international business community and includes some of the biggest companies and brands from around the world, including the United States, Europe, Australia and China and was aimed at the Bali Summit on Climate Change. Click here for the story.
December 2007
The Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to the soldiers of 4th Battalion The Rifles at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire as she presented them with Iraq tour medals and made a speech in which she said they made her feel “proud to be British”. The regiment, of which The Duchess is Royal Colonel, recently returned from six months in the Gulf, during which time they saw some of the fiercest fighting of the campaign, earning themselves the nickname "Lions of Basra". Click here for the story.