Official visit by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge begins Thursday
Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for their tour at the National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens September 11, 2012. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — The four-day visit to Malaysia by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, beginning Thursday, does not merely signify the prevailing close bilateral relations between the country and the United Kingdom.
The visit is also expected to further enhance the existing friendly relations between the countries, said the Foreign Ministry in a statement issued here today.
The visit of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, in conjunction with Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The ministry said while here, the Duke and Duchess would have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, and attend a royal dinner at the Istana Negara.
They will also call on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, at the prime minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana, before attending a luncheon with them.
Besides the official programme, the royal couple will also visit Hospis Malaysia, a charitable organisation which offers professional palliative care to patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses.
“The Duchesses of Cambridge, who is the Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, is expected to deliver her maiden public speech overseas,” said the statement.
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge will also attend a special cultural performance at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park, and they will depart for Kota Kinabalu where they will be hosted by the Sabah Government.
“Their Royal Highnesses will end the visit in Malaysia after visiting Danum Valley, a primary tropical rainforest in Sabah,” said the statement. — Bernama
