The Prince of Wales will visit Malta

Published 05 September 2017

The Prince of Wales will attend an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the George Cross being awarded to Malta.

The Prince of Wales will deliver the keynote speech at the Our Ocean conference.

On 4th October The Prince of Wales, President of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, will visit Malta to mark the 75th anniversary of the George Cross. King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta on 15th April 1942, in recognition of the bravery, heroism and devotion that its people displayed during the siege of Malta in the Second World War. The George Cross is still present on the Maltese national flag as a symbol of its peoples’ bravery during the conflict.

On 5th October His Royal Highness will deliver the keynote speech at the Our Ocean conference in St Julian’s. The Prince of Wales, who has for a long time been a champion for the health and resilience of the ocean, made his first speech on the environment in December 1968 and has long warned of the irreversible effects of climate change.

The Our Ocean conference series was initiated by the U.S. Department of State, spearheaded by former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The first Our Ocean conference was held in Washington D.C in June 2014, then in Chile in 2015 and Washington D.C. in 2016. The European Union will host the fourth Our Ocean conference in Malta on 5th and 6th October 2017. The conference aims to inspire and empower a new generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists and civil society to identify solutions and commit to actions for safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed oceans.

The Prince will undertake a series of other engagements, including a visit to St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta to view the restoration work. Built in 1844 at the instigation of Queen Adelaide, the cathedral is an integral part of the Valletta skyline and has recently launched a €3 Million restoration campaign. The Duke of Edinburgh is First Friend of the Friends of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• The Prince of Wales’ first visit to Malta was as a child in 1954. HRH then visited in 1968 and 1969.

• The Prince's most recent visit to Malta was in November 2015 where he and The Duchess of Cornwall accompanied The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.