News
TRH spend a third day in Poland
17th March 2010
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall met Polish soldiers heading for their deployment to Afghanistan today.
The Prince and The Duchess visited the headquarters of Poland's 1st Armoured Brigade to meet soldiers before they are deployed to Afghanistan next month.
From a vantage point, Their Royal Highnesses watched four armoured personnel carriers speed into a snow-covered field before their camouflaged troops carefully left the vehicles with their rifles raised.
All was quiet for a few minutes as the soldiers kept a look out, then a barrage of shots were fired from a derelict building around a hundred metres away.
As the soldiers swooped on the attackers, loud bangs and cracks went off and The Duchess, who was wrapped up against the cold by wearing a green coat and scarf, stuck her gloved fingers in her ears for the duration of the mock fire-fight.
Their Royal Highnesses’ visit to the Brigade's headquarters in Wesola, on the outskirts of Warsaw, was seen by the Polish soldiers as important recognition of their efforts in Afghanistan.
Poland first committed troops to the Middle East country in 2002 and since then has lost 16 military personnel during operations.
Around 2,600 troops from the Brigade will be deployed in April to the province of Ghazni for six months where, under the command of the Americans, they will train Afghan security forces, help with reconstruction and guard the main road between Kabul and Khandahar.
During the visit The Prince and The Duchess met some of the troops and their partners and children.
Husband and wife Sebastian and Aneta Kolasinski, both aged 28 and Lieutenants, will be deployed to Afghanistan together.
Mr Kolasinski, a platoon commander married his wife, an Army doctor, less than eight months ago and joked: "This will be our honeymoon."
"I think we've got a lot in common with British troops, they are working out there and it's good to have such distinguished guests here and for the families to have the chance to meet them.
"I think it's a great for boosting morale."
Later The Prince and The Duchess flew to Hungary for the next leg of their tour of Central Europe.
Their Royal Highness arrived in Budapest and travelled straight through the capital to Sandor Palace for a meeting with President Laszlo Solyom.
The early 19th Century building was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War, and work to restore the palace began eight years ago.
Within its magnificent walls The Prince was awarded the Grand Cross Order of Merit - Hungary's second highest state decoration.
His Royal Highness thanked his hosts saying: "I am very honoured and touched."
An official exchange of gifts was also made and The Prince and The Duchess received a two-piece 'Vielle Rose' tea set by Herend, one of Hungary's most famous and historic manufacturers of porcelain.
The set included a rose-decorated tea pot, saucers and a hexagonal shaped plate that was particularly admired by The Prince.
"I have never seen one shaped like that, It's wonderful," he said, "Beautiful," agreed The Duchess.
In turn The Prince gave The President a signed photograph of himself and his wife and six hand-painted 'florilegium' dessert plates featuring plants from his gardens at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, including iris and clematis.
In the evening The President hosted a state banquet in honour of The Prince and The Duchess at the palace.
The Prince told the guests before the dinner began: "I am proud to be one thirty-second Hungarian myself, through my great-great-great-grandmother Countess Redey."
He went on to praise the Hungarian President for recognising the importance of the issue of climate change.
The Prince said: "I know for instance Mr President that you share my conviction that one of the most urgent issues requiring international cooperation is climate change.
"I cannot tell you how encouraging it is to find a kindred spirit."