News
HRH visits the Tower of London as Patron of British Tourism Week
12th March 2007
The Prince of Wales visited the Tower of London today as Patron of the very first British Tourism Week.
His Royal Highness toured the historic royal palace to promote British tourism, and met crowds of tourists who were crammed into the narrow cobbled paths and spotless greens of the ancient prison to catch a view.
In a speech to launch British Tourism Week, The Prince said he also hoped that "every effort" would be made to remind British people of the "wonderful opportunities" they had for holidaying at home.
At a reception in the New Armouries to celebrate the launch, The Prince met industry leaders, representatives from the travel and tourism industry, hoteliers, and Members of Parliament including The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell and Minister for the Creative Industries and Tourism Shaun Woodward MP.
Guests were treated to a British food menu by Food from Britain which included stalls providing Cumbrian beer and cured wild boar, English sparkling rose wine from Kent, British cheese and oysters.
The Prince also said it was "vital" to continue the promotion of organic produce from across the country.
He said: "Over the years I have invested a considerable amount of time and energy trying to persuade consumers of the importance of 'eating the view', and farmers that they need to become better at telling the story of the food they produce.
"Perhaps, at last, it is becoming more urgently apparent how vital it is to reconnect people to where their food comes from and to the land – or seas - from which it is produced.
"While, of course, the tourist industry is keen to attract visitors from abroad, I can only hope that every effort will be made to remind the people of this country just what wonderful opportunities for holidays they have on their doorsteps, without having to leave our shores.
"This country is blessed with special and unique assets which are highly valued around the world."
Travel presenters Judith Chalmers and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen also attended the reception.
His Royal Highness chatted enthusiastically with some of the stall owners and joked with members of the Kent vineyard that global warming could eventually force them to move their business north to Scotland.
After the reception, The Prince visited the White Tower and viewed a short performance of sword fighting by costumed actors on the lawn.
Inside the White Tower His Royal Highness saw the Line of Kings, a historic exhibition of monarchs from William the Conqueror to William III.
Outside the Jewel House, The Prince inspected the Tower of London Guard from 1st Battalion, the Coldstream Guards, and meet a group of Yeoman Wardens (Beefeaters) in State Dress on Tower Green.
The Prince then visited conservation work on three towers, including an exquisite 14th Century wall painting in the Byward Tower, The Byward Angel, depicting the Archangel St. Michael.
In between The Prince stopped to chat with tourists from across the world who took pictures and made films of His Royal Highness.
Later, The Prince boarded a boat for a cruise down the River Thames past famous monuments such as the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern gallery.
Click here to visit the official website for the Tower of London.
Click here to visit the VisitBritain website.