Today, after 38 years, Prince Charles will come to Belgrade once again. During his tour of the Western Balkans, the heir to the United Kingdom will meet with senior government officials but he will also set some time aside for visiting historical and cultural landmarks, nature sightseeing and enjoying Serbian specialties. We present to you the itinerary of the Royal Family!
At the beginning of the official program Prince Charles and the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić will visit the memorial to the Defenders of Belgrade. Here, at the Commonwealth Military Cemetery, they will pay homage to the joint struggle, trials and sacrifices of soldiers, but also of the citizens of Serbia and Great Britain during World War II.
Then they will visit the biggest Orthodox temple on the Balkans – the Church of Saint Sava on Vračar. Apart from being of enormous cultural value, this sanctity links the peoples of Great Britain and Serbia yet again. This is why this obligatory tourist stop will also be visited by Prince Charles.
You needn’t guess twice! The Prince of Wales will also visit the oldest fort around which the city of Belgrade was built – the Kalemegdan or the Belgrade Fortress. It is unspecified where precisely on Kalemegdan or for how long will the Price stay, but one thing’s for sure – this tour won’t be boring for him.
And while the Prince enjoys the splendour of Kalemegdan, the Duchess of Cornwall will visit the project for family care supported by UNICEF and the Novak Đoković Foundation. After that the British Royal Family will visit Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević and his wife at the White Palace on Dedinje. The very end of the first day of their stay is reserved for a dinner in their honour hosted by the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić.
On the second day of their official visit to Serbia, the Royal Family will head to the capital of Vojvodina, culture and the youth – Novi Sad. Their itinerary will take them to the Matica Srpska Gallery. Here, the British Council will present the work of UK artists and their fellow colleagues from the Western Balkans through the “Moving Museums” project. This project is aimed at attracting a new, young audience to museums and galleries.
After this treat, the Prince is planned to visit the Kovilj Monastery where he will be acquainted with the local monk community involved in the organic production of various products. It is supposed that the British heir will taste Serbian homemade specialties such as honey and rakija. His wife will also have the opportunity to enjoy the local dishes during an event for UK food and drink manufacturers working in Serbia.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will end their two-day stay in Serbia with a reception in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. Here, as guests of honour, they will have the opportunity to exchange opinions on various topics with other important officials from culture, sports and public life.
The Prince of Wales stayed in Belgrade for the first time in 1978, and in Kosovo and Metohija in 1999. In 2007 he visited Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Duchess of Cornwall. This time he arrived to Belgrade straight from Croatia, and he’ll continue his tour of the Balkans with a visit to Crna Gora and Kosovo.