Charles and Camilla: Visit to Portugal

On the 14th March, it was announced that the royal couple would visit Portugal, Spain and Morrocco from the 28th March until the 6th April.

Portugal was first on the list, and the couple were greeted by the Portuguese President
Anibal Cavaco Silva and his wife Maria Cavaco Silva today. It was a rainy start to the trip but hopefully the beautiful Portuguese weather will start to shine through soon.

After the meeting with the President, the Prince of Wales then went ont to meet with the Chief of the Army. The couple recieved military honours and afterwards they met with students from the Navy, who described the couple as ‘informal and relaxed’. Prince Charles then went ‘back to England’ to deliver a diploma to a student who recieved the best grade on the English course. At 5pm, the Prince boarded the school-ship Sagres and signed the book of honor of the vessel. The Prince left the ship holding an umbrella, looked at the cameras that and told the journalists: “You’re getting a bit wet”.

The royal couple were then treated to a lovely, if not slightly wet, evening meal at Queluz Palace.

The second day of the visit started off with a bit better weather and The Duchess began by looking at a bone sample on a microscope when she visited the Santa Maria Medical Centre in Lisbon, Portugal. It was then on to visit the Lisbon Jockey Club, showing that no matter where the royals are in the world, they will always make a stop off to visit some beautiful horses.

While Camilla visiting the University, Prince Charles went to indulge in one of his favourite subjects, he visited Vitacress Portugal which is a company specializing in fresh vegetables.

The Prince arrived in Evora at half past twelve and was received by the Mayor and the municipal executive. Charles then went on to visit the EDP project InovGrid, a smart electric grid that’s been used in Evora (InovCity), since April 2010. EDP project includes the installation of 31,000 smart meters to allow real time communication between customers and the company. The royal visit to this World Heritage town also included a walk to Prasa do Giraldo and to the Cathedral, where he was received by the vicar-general of the archdiocese. While in Evora, the Prince met the Duchess of Cadaval and her husband, Prince Charles-Phillipe d’Orléans.

In the afternoon Prince Charles and Camilla planted a rose at the Monserrate Park, in Sintra. But when they were ready to leave the place, they realised that someone had locked the keys inside of the car, so Charles and Camilla had to leave Sintra in another car.

The couple move on to Spain next, and then Morrocco.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Horses, Military, Official Visit, Portugal, President Cavaco Silva of Portugal, Prince Charles-Philippe Duke of Anjou, The Duchess of Cadaval, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales.

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