On February 18, 2013, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales attended a reception, hosted by the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and the Cambridge Overseas Trust, at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
During the reception the prince met with “…international students studying at Cambridge University.” The prince is patron of the Cambridge Overseas Trust.
Please click here and here to view photos as well as to learn more about today’s event.
It was announced by the University of Aberdeen that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, known as The Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, has agreed to become the new Chancellor of the university.
Per a press release via the University of Aberdeen:
The Duchess succeeds Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, who stepped down from the role at the end of December, having served as Chancellor since 1997.
Her Royal Highness will be the University’s eleventh Chancellor, in a role which dates back to the merging in 1860 of King’s and Marischal Colleges to create the University of Aberdeen.
The Chancellor is elected by the University’s graduate body, the General Council, and becomes its President. The chief aspects of the role – which may be held for life – are to be an ambassador for the University, and to undertake other ceremonial duties, including, on occasion, conferring degrees on graduands.
The Duchess was elected unopposed by General Council members. She has been a frequent visitor to the Universityof Aberdeen, most recently in spring 2012 when she visited the Schoolof Educationto meet teachers and students engaged in innovative learning programmes which have influenced teaching policy across Scotland. The Duchess also met music students and lecturers, including Professor Paul Mealor who composed the choral motet Ubi Caritas for the 2011 Royal Wedding.
In 2011 the Duchess visited King’s College to meet teachers and children engaged in activities to promote reading and a love of books, as part of Aberdeen City’s innovative Reading Bus project, and in 2007 the Duchess formally opened the University’s Health Sciences Building at Foresterhill, now home to teams of researchers who are at the forefront in studying all aspects of the delivery of health care, and who collaborate with research institutions and government bodies across the world, including the EU, UN and WHO.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “I am delighted that HRH the Duchess of Rothesay will be our new Chancellor. Lord Wilson was a wonderful champion for the University both here in the UKand abroad, and we know that the Duchess will be a brilliant ambassador for the international centre of excellence in learning that we are proud to be.
‘We have very much enjoyed the Duchess’s visits to our campuses, and the huge enthusiasm and interest she has shown in meeting our students and staff and hearing about their work and achievements. I look forward to formally welcoming Her Royal Highness to the University team.’
Lord Wilson was elected Chancellor of the University of Aberdeenin 1997, having previously served as Chancellor’s Assessor on Court (1993-97) and Senior Lay Member of Court from 1995 to 1997. Before that he was the penultimate Commander-in-Chief and 27th Governor of Hong Kong.
Welcoming his successor, Lord Wilson said: ‘I feel privileged to have held office as Chancellor during a time of important transformation at the University of Aberdeen. We have seen student numbers increase significantly, standards rise, and a huge investment made in the campus which will enhance the experience students have at Aberdeen in a way which will remain with them for the rest of their lives. I am delighted that the Duchess of Rothesay will be my successor. I pass on my very best wishes for her new role which I am certain she will enjoy just as much as I did.’
Further to this announcement, the University of Aberdeen is delighted that Professor Iain Torrance has agreed to assist Her Royal Highness by accepting the role of Pro-Chancellor.
Aberdeen-born Iain Torrance has a long association with the University of Aberdeen, becoming Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Divinity in 2001 and serving subsequently as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and President of Princeton Theological Seminary.
Professor Torrance said ‘This is a great honour, and I am looking forward to supporting the Duchess in her new role as Chancellor of this wonderful university.’
University Rector Dr Maitland Mackie said: ‘I look forward to working with our new Chancellor, and with Professor Torrance, in representing the interests of the Aberdeen family of students, staff and alumni.’”
On Friday, February 15, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opened the new Bishop Grosseteste University Library in Lincoln, England.
Please click here to watch a video as well as to learn more about yesterday’s event.
On February 14, 2013, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall re-opened the Borough Market in London. For detailed information about today’s event as well as to watch videos please click the links below:
Yesterday, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited Highbury Gardens a “…£35m mixed tenure residential development…” in Islington. This new housing development was:
“…completed with the help of The Prince’s Foundation, First Base, a residential development and investment company, in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency and affordable housing partner Southern Housing Group…”
Please click here and here for more information about yesterday’s visit.
In other news, it was announced that Their Royal Highnesses will make an official visit to Jordan, Oman and Qatar beginning on March 11-19, 2013. Per a press release via Clarence House:
“The British Government has asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake official visits to Jordan, Qatar and Oman from 11th March to 19th March 2013.
The tour will help to strengthen the United Kingdom’s bilateral relations with key partners in the region, relations which are underpinned by the close personal friendships that exist between Their Royal Highnesses and the Royal Families in each country.
The visits will also aim to support UK economic interests by highlighting the growing commercial links between British companies and their counterparts in Jordan, Qatar and Oman, and by encouraging the development of an enterprise culture in the private sector in each country. Other themes of the tour will include military collaboration, opportunities for women in society, inter-faith dialogue, education and environmental sustainability.
The tour starts in Jordan and will feature meetings for Their Royal Highnesses with The King and Queen, an inter-faith gathering to discuss the “Amman Message”, a major business conference and events to highlight UK-Jordanian collaboration in the creative industries and in education.
In Qatar, as well as meeting with the Qatari Royal Family and senior officials, The Prince of Wales will see first hand how the country is tackling its food security challenges and visit British technology, innovation and educational partnerships with Qatar. Also, Their Royal Highnesses will attend a major event to celebrate the ‘UK-Qatar Year of Culture 2013’.
The final leg of the trip is to Oman, where Their Royal Highnesses will be the guests of the Sultan. Engagements will cover military personnel, health and education issues, the support being given to young entrepreneurs by a specialist new-business ‘incubator’ and a regional visit to see an ancient form of sustainable water irrigation.
In all three countries, as well as meetings with senior Members of the Royal Family, The Duchess of Cornwall will undertake solo engagements focusing on the growing opportunities for women in society. Her Royal Highness will also visit several primary schools to learn about education and literacy programmes run in conjunction with the British Council, these issues being a central element of her work with charities in the UK.”
On Tuesday, February 12, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall visited the RISE Children’s Center in Wiltshire. Whilst there the Duchess met with volunteers and those who are “…supported by the Chippenham Time Network and Wiltshire Money, both of which are working to support families in Wiltshire…” according to the website Princeofwales.gov.uk.
The Duchess of Cornwall also visited “…a course run by Community First’s Youth Action Wiltshire Program at the Langley Burrell Village Hall near Chippenham and visited the Wiltshire Scrapstore and Resource Centre in Lacock…”
On February 13, 2013, The Duchess of Cornwall attended the inauguration of a new exhibition entitled, Floriculture: Flowers, Love and Money, at the Garden Museum in Lambeth. During today’s event the Duchess met with “…supporters of the Garden Museum and children from Vauxhall Primary School’s Gardening Club…”
On Saturday, February 9, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was at the Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh to met with “…members of the Royal Scots Boarders…” and their families.
Please click here to watch a video as well as to read an article about today’s visit.
The Royal Correspondent 