The Prince of Wales tours the Bank of England

The Prince of Wales today toured the Bank of England, the central bank of the UK, with Governor Mark Carney.

The Prince was welcomed by applause as staff lined the corridors and balconies to greet His Royal Highness and the Governor at the Bank’s offices in London. 

It was The Prince’s first visit to the Bank since 2002, and his first tour of the premises since 1979 – a moment that was commemorated in newspaper clippings and a photograph displayed on the Governor's desk during the visit.

His Royal Highness’s visit included a tour of the museum, gold vaults, and meetings with staff. 

A group of school children from Virginia Primary School in Tower Hamlets were set to receive a tour of the Bank of England Museum, but had the chance to speak briefly to The Prince and Mr Carney as they passed through the displays.

In the Bank's basement, The Prince of Wales met with scholarship students and Bank staff, including employees charged with reducing the Bank's environmental impact.

The Prince of Wales was later taken into the gold vaults for a private tour where around 400,000 bars of gold are stored.

His Royal Highness also had the chance to speak with members of the Bank's diversity network, which included representatives from LGBT and minority organisations.

The Prince received a second private briefing at the end of the tour, sitting down with the Governor and staff, who spoke to The Prince about the risks of house price inflation and cyber-security.