The prince of Wales and the duchess of Cornwall will make their first official visit to Malaysia next month, celebrating the United Kingdom's partnership with the country on shared priorities ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in April 2018.
The royal visit is part of a tour of Malaysia, Singapore and India beginning from Oct 30 to Nov 9.
Charles and Camilla’s visit to the Commonwealth nations, which is at the request of the British government, will highlight key themes, including celebrating community, cultural diversity and promoting business innovation.
According to a statement from Clarence House, Charles and Camilla will begin their tour in Singapore on Oct 31, where they will meet newly-elected President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
They will then head for Kuala Lumpur on Nov 3, and the key events in the programme include a gala dinner celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties between the UK and Malaysia, attended by senior dignitaries in Malaysia as well as key figures from business, arts, culture and media.
"The programme also includes a celebration of the Commonwealth in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Summits to be held in the UK in 2018 and Malaysia in 2020.
While here, they will visit Sarawak and Perak, where the couple will see first-hand the work being done to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity.
"Their Royal Highnesses will also meet members of Sarawak's diverse indigenous communities. The duchess of Cornwall will meet representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation committed to inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women and young girls by providing life skills training and financial education," said the statement.
The pair will end their visit to Malaysia in Georgetown, Penang, originally named Prince of Wales Island, where they will have the opportunity to meet members of the different religious and ethnic communities who live side-by-side in the Unesco World Heritage site and to experience its rich cultural heritage.
The royal couple will conclude their 11-day tour of Asia in India (Nov 8), where they will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Bernama
