On February 22, 2012, Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Uxbridge High School to mark Teach First’s 10th anniversary.

According to the official website for the Prince of Wales the royal couple:

…met with Teach First teachers representing every year the decade-long partnership with the school and learned how the school’s partnership with Teach First has helped transform it from a struggling school to one that has excelled in the GCSE attainment figures.

Click here for more information about today’s event.

Meanwhile, the Earl and Countess of Wessex are currently in the Caribbean on tour “… representing the Queen in the year of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.”  The royal couple participated in St. Lucia’s 33rd Independence Day celebrations by attending a parade and “watched a youth dance performance.”  Click here to view a photo.

Source: Royal.gov.uk

Per the Press Association:

The Duchess of Cambridge has joined a group of schoolchildren with behavioural problems and impressed staff with the way she worked with the youngsters.

Kate left the pupils elated after her visit to see how one of her charities was helping them cope with issues such as shyness and lack of confidence.

The royal also shared with the youngsters the name of her pet cocker spaniel puppy – Lupo – something which had remained a mystery since it was confirmed the Cambridge’s had a new addition to their family.

The duchess has been carrying out a number of high-profile visits to her favourite charities during the past few weeks, while her husband William has been away in the Falkland Islands working as an RAF search and rescue helicopter co-pilot.

The visit to Oxford was Kate’s first as patron of The Art Room, an organisation which uses painting and drawing to help children with a range of behavioural problems.

Kate put on a denim apron emblazoned with her name “Miss Catherine” to join the youngsters for a messy art therapy session at Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford.

Lisa Hancock, manager of the primary school’s art room, praised the duchess: “She seemed to have as much fun as the children and seemed very relaxed and in her element, I think. She had all the right language and was very calm and gentle.”

Ms Hancock added that at the end of the session the duchess told the children how “fabulous” they were and praised their artwork.

During her time in the art therapy room Kate sat between two boys at a table covered in pots of paint, brushes and paper, and chatted to both of the youngsters as they busily worked away. At one point the duchess came to the aid of seven-year-old Mariam Olayinka who knocked over a pot of water sending the liquid cascading across the table and on to the floor during the session which lasted around an hour and 45 minutes.

The duchess also visited the Oxford Spires Academy, where The Art Room has another centre, used by the school’s teenage pupils and those of two nearby primary schools. After a private lunch of sandwiches, crisps and fruit, Kate joined a round-table discussion about the training of staff at the centre and listened to the experiences of four Year Seven pupils who attend art therapy sessions.

Click the links below to watch videos as well as to view photos.

• VIDEO
• VIDEO 2 (with an article)
• Gallery One
• Gallery Two

Photo courtesy of Daylife/Reuters

It was announced by Clarence House that Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit Scandinavia beginning on March 20-27, 2012 in Norway.

Press release from Clarence House:

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to visit Norway, Sweden and Denmark

The British Government have asked The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake official visits to Norway, Sweden and Denmark from 20th to 27th March 2012. These visits, to other Monarchies linked by common Royal descent, mark the start of Their Royal Highnesses’ official overseas celebrations of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Their Royal Highnesses will, in each case, be guests of the Sovereign Head of State.

The themes of the tour will include strong historic and diplomatic links between the United Kingdom and all three countries. There will be a particular focus on commercial opportunities for British business to support our economy, military co-operation, environmental sustainability, social cohesion and youth opportunities.

The tour will begin in Oslo, Norway, with a ceremonial wreath laying at the National Memorial, accompanied by The King and Queen. The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will then meet young people engaged in youth activities, including survivors of the terrible attack at Utøya last Summer, at the city’s Nobel Peace Centre. The King and Queen will host a State Dinner for Their Royal Highnesses in the Royal Palace. The Prince and Duchess will also travel to Bergen, where, among other engagements, they will attend a concert in a medieval hall which The Prince first visited in 1969 on a visit with Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The Prince will also meet the crew of HMS Liverpool who, working in partnership with their Norwegian counterparts, played a key role in the recent liberation of Libya.

In Sweden, The Prince and The Duchess will be received in Stockholm by The King and Queen, before visiting Europe’s largest youth activity centre at Fryshuset. Their Majesties will host an official lunch for Their Royal Highnesses. The remainder of the programme will focus on military and commercial cooperation, the international work of a world renowned environmental research centre and education. There will also be a visit to the world famous Vasa warship which, like her counterpart the Mary Rose, sank on her maiden voyage and was recovered in the twentieth century.

On February 17, 2012, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall attended the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surry.  During her visit the Duchess met with the Military Wives Choir.  According to the Press Association the Duchess of Cornwall:

…heard the wives sing their number one hit, Wherever You Are, and met the group and service families during the tour in Esher, Surrey.

She was also introduced to War Horse author Michael Morpurgo and Topthorn – one of the puppets from the stage show – which playfully stole the writer’s red beret.

The Duchess then watched several races, including the Royal Artillery Gold Cup, from the Royal Box and presented trophies.

The cup is one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the racing calendar, having existed for nearly 150 years.

The inaugural event was in 1862 in Eltham. The race moved to Sandown for the first time in 1878 and has been run there every season since 1921.

The race is restricted to horses that are owned or have been leased by those who are serving, or have served, in the Royal Artillery or one of its recognised establishments or units.

The jockeys must be amateurs and they must also be past or present members of any of the Armed Services.

Click here to view photos.

Sources: Press Association and Royal.gov.uk

Per the Press Association:

The Prince of Wales has visited a community organisation to meet the people involved and learn about projects which are transforming lives in the area.

Charles went to the Bromley by Bow Centre in east London, which he last visited in 2002, to see how it has approached health, well-being and social enterprise in the last decade.

He met doctors and patients from the centre’s GP practice as well as staff and clients from the Pollen project, which offers therapeutic, horticultural and art-related activities for people with mental health issues.

He also chatted with staff and clients from Arteast, which runs design and print enterprises, along with social entrepreneurs who have recently set up their own businesses through the centre’s Beyond Business programme.

Each week the centre supports families, young people and adults of all ages to improve their lives in areas such as health and employment. There are more than 100 projects and social enterprises ongoing at the centre, including complimentary therapies, art studios, a nursery, community care projects, landscape design, graphic design, furniture, public art and a community café.

Charles planted a tree in the centre’s garden in memory of Vanessa Barker, who founded one of the Bromley by Bow’s successful social enterprises, Green Dreams, which was a landscape gardening project.

The centre’s assistant chief executive, Dr Julia Davis, showed the Prince around the health centre today and said they talked about some of the centre’s programmes.

“There were lots of community members that came for the whole event and I think they were really excited,” she said.

“He seemed very impressed with what we’ve done here and what we’ve developed since 2002. I hope he was impressed. You rarely get that chance to showcase your work. I think it brings the whole community together and when something like this happens, well, there was a lot of excitement here today.”

Lord Andrew Mawson, founder and president of the centre, said: “It’s been fantastic to welcome Prince Charles back to the Bromley by Bow Centre, and even more of an honour to introduce him to the people and partners that are helping us to transform lives here in Bow.”

Click here to view photos.

On February 16, 2012, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall participated in the event, “Improve Your English”, held at the St. James Park Tube Station in London.

The Duchess, who is patron of the National Literacy Trust, the Wicked Young Writers’ Award, Booktrust and First Story, met with “…Transport for London (TfL) employees who are taking part in Improve Your English course…”

During the event, the Duchess of Cornwall read an extract from Tony Parsons novel, Beyond The Bounty.  When asked how she felt reading aloud to the students the Duchess replied, “…it was nerve wrecking…”

Click here to view photos.

Sources: Press Association and Royal.gov.uk

On February 15, 2012, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall  became an honorary Royal Bencher by the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.   According to the Press Association, the Duchess of Cornwall was given a Master’s robe for the ceremony then she:

…stood before under-treasurer, Brigadier Anthony Faith, who said, ‘Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall has been deemed by the Masters of the Bench to be eligible for call to the Bar.’

Now, you may be thinking today’s ceremony seems unusual for a British royal, right? Actually, it’s not.  The Prince of Wales became an honorary Royal Bencher in 1975 as well as the Duke of Gloucester.  Click here to view photos. 

Meanwhile, across town, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal hosted a luncheon at Buckingham Palace for her patronage, Opportunity International United Kingdom.  Afterward, she attended the City Food Lecture and Supper held at Guildhall in London.

Sources: Press Association and Royal.gov.uk

Photo courtesy of PrinceofWales.gov