Prince William Focuses On Conservation During First UAE trip
10.02.2022 - 16:37
/ etcanada.com
Britain’s Prince William made his first official visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, where the future monarch is highlighting his passionate work around wildlife conservation and climate change.
The one-day visit by the Duke of Cambridge marks a significant milestone in relations between the U.K. and the UAE, a Western-allied Gulf Arab nation ruled by hereditary leaders. The prince is expected to meet with Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the son of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed’s headline-grabbing divorce settlement and custody battle has played out in British courts over the past year.
Queen Elizabeth II first visited the UAE as monarch in 1979, while Prince Charles’ last visit was in 2016.
READ MORE: Prince William Bonds With Prince George Over Video Games But He’s Careful To Limit Son’s Screen Time
The former British protectorate is a magnet for British nationals, whose culture permeates nearly every aspect of expatriate life in this country of over 9 million, where foreigners comprise around 90% of the population.
There are more than 100,000 British citizens living in the UAE and more than 6,000 British companies operating in the country, according to the British Business Group in Dubai and Northern Emirates.
The Duke of Cambridge’s visit coincides with the U.K.’s national day at Expo 2020, the world’s fair taking place in Dubai. Prince William visited the U.K. pavilion and toured the $7 billion grounds of the Expo site, as well as the United Arab Emirates’ falcon-shaped pavilion.
As he toured the UAE, news emerged that his 73-year-old father, Prince Charles, had tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating. It’s the