News
TRH welcome His Holiness The Dalai Lama to Clarence House
21st May 2008
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall welcomed His Holiness The Dalai Lama to Clarence House today and watched while he planted a tree in the garden of their official residence.
The Prince has known and admired The Dalai Lama for many years and when the two men met they greeted each other warmly, clasping hands.
The Dalai Lama, who is on a visit to the United Kingdom, also took the hands of The Duchess of Cornwall and smiled broadly at her.
The Prince turned to the Tibetan leader as they stood in the garden of Clarence House and asked him: "Will you plant a tree?"
They walked a short distance to where a magnolia spectrum sapling was standing ready.
His Holiness, who was dressed in his distinctive burgundy robes, and picked up a spade which once belonged to The Prince’s grandfather, King George VI, began shovelling earth around the roots of the young tree.
The Dalai Lama has met The Prince on a number of occasions and on one visit planted a tree in The Prince’s organic garden on the Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.
The last visit by The Dalai Lama to Clarence House was in 2004, when The Prince invited His Holiness to a reception for the Tibetan community.
Today, as The Dalai Lama continued to pile on the earth, The Prince joked with him saying: "Remember last time you planted it all - you mustn't do too much."
The Dalai Lama then watered the tree carefully and even sprinkled its tiny leaves before he carefully laid a silk scarf in its branches – an auspicious sign.
His Holiness then turned to the East and clasped his hands together in front of his face before praying for a few moments as The Prince and The Duchess stood behind him with their heads bowed.
The two men then discussed other trees in the garden and The Prince told The Dalai Lama how his grandmother would sit under one of the large trees in the summer.
As they turned to walk into the house, The Dalai Lama linked arms with Their Royal Highnesses, with The Prince on the right and The Duchess on the left.
After walking into Clarence House's garden room, The Prince and The Dalai Lama sat down with their aides for talks on spiritual matters.
Click here to watch the video on The Royal Channel on YouTube.
Gallery for this article
Diary entry for this article
Latest News
- HRH attends an exhibition of Pakistani textile crafts
- TRH visit two of The Prince's Charities on The Prince of Wales's 60th birthday
- HRH receives the first Renaissance mutton of the season
- TRH and Prince Harry attend "We Are Most Amused" in honour of The Prince of Wales's birthday and in aid of The Prince's Trust
- HRH attends a reception for the British Army Antarctic Expedition