Annual Review 2004 - The Prince of Wales

Engagements and Activities
Statistics, of course, only tell a small part
of the story, and the following examples of
engagements and developments during the past
year are to provide a fuller picture of the range
of The Prince of Wales’s work.
Visits by The Prince of Wales to meet
servicemen and women in Iraq and their
families in this country
In March 2003, The Prince met families of
those serving in the Gulf when he visited army
bases at Dover and Colchester. In February
2004, he visited servicemen and women in
Iraq. The Prince praised British troops for their
work and met more than 200 soldiers from
the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment,
soldiers described by His Royal Highness as a
“remarkable bunch of people.”
Holyrood Week in Scotland and visits to
promote the country’s tourist attractions
In June, The Prince of Wales visited a range of
Scottish tourist attractions to promote British
Tourism Day, including Linlithgow Palace
in West Lothian and the House for an Art
Lover in Glasgow. The Prince was in Scotland
for his annual week’s stay at the Palace of
Holyroodhouse, and as well as promoting
tourism, His Royal Highness also opened a
new Macmillan Cancer Centre in Melrose,
met farmers in the Borders, attended a special
ceremony at Europe’s biggest mosque in
Glasgow, and paid a flying visit to the Isle of
Mull where he dropped in on the island’s famous
bakery and butcher shops.
Launch of the Affordable Housing Initiative
In June, The Prince of Wales launched an
initiative to encourage landowners to make land
available for affordable housing, and companies
to look at the possibility of using disused land
and/or existing buildings for the same purpose.
The Housing Corporation, the Countryside
Agency, Business in the Community and the
Country Land and Business Association are all
partners in the initiative, and with The Duke of
Westminster, His Royal Highness is now funding
two members of staff to work on the project.
The Prince’s message at the launch was simple:
the futures of villages depend on homes being
available for local people, and schools, pubs,
shops and other services that are integral to
village and community life depend on them.
The Prince of Wales’s visit to India
The Prince of Wales visited The Republic of
India from 28th October to 5th November
2003. The visit focused on heritage and
restoration, sustainable development and
youth entrepreneurship. During his stay, The
Prince visited a water conservation project,
a Bollywood film set, restoration projects in
Rajasthan and the largest slums in Asia on the
outskirts of Mumbai. At the start of his visit,
The Prince said: “It gives me great joy to be
returning to your remarkable country.”
04 -
05
Far left.
The Prince visits Aldershot military
camp where he met wives of
soldiers serving in the Gulf War.
He was presented with 10 Mallah
garlands by wives of members of
the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic
Regiment on his departure.
Left.
The Prince on an official visit
to India.