Compiled by: Ahmed Azam and Ayman Ismael
Egypt is considered the favourite destination for King Charles III as he always expressed his strong desire to have a great knowledge of Egypt’s culture, civilisation and dazzling history. He also considered Egypt a very special society where Muslims and Christians co-operate to face the challenges of the contemporary world.
King Charles III paid more than one visit to Egypt during the era of different presidents, starting from the former presidents Mohamed Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak and ending with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi last November.
1981
He came with Princess Diana after their marriage, and they went to Hurghada, as a part of the honeymoon. Late president Anwar Sadat and his spouse Jehan Sadat welcomed them, and a reception banquet was held for them.
1995
King Charles III came with his spouse Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom. Late
president Hosni Mubarak arranged a dinner banquet in his palace for them. Then, Charles III met with Former Sheikh Al-Azhar Gad al-Hag Ali Gad al-Hag who gave him a translated version of the Holy Qu’ran.
Charles III also met with the Former Mufti of Egypt Mohamed Sayyid Tantawy. He met the former Sheikh Al-Azhar and the former Mufti as an honourary sponsor of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
He also met them as he wanted to know closely the authentic approach of Islam around various issues and its ethics and formalities. Egypt is considered the largest Islamic country.
Among the sayings of King Charles III to Sheikh Al-Azhar is that “faiths differences don’t prevent co-operation and peaceful and civilisational dialogue.”
The King was keen to visit the old Islamic historical places in the middle of Cairo; he visited “The Citadel of Saladin, the Mosque of Al-Nasser Mohammed Ibn Kalawoun and the Mosque of Sultan Hassan.”
He also visited the Alboha center for youth in Imbabah and the Western Al-Munira area. He was accompanied by the Former Cairo Governor Omar Abdel Akher during this visit.
The programme also included the King’s visit to St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abbassia. He also met with Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
2006
Former president Hosni Mubarak and his spouse Suzanne Mubarak welcomed Charles III, the Prince of Wales previously, and his spouse Camilla in the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis. Then, they held a welcome ceremony for them, and it included a dinner banquet the president and his spouse arranged for Charles III, his spouse and the delegation accompanying them.
During the dinner, Musician Naseer Shamma played a lot of oriental pieces of music, using oud.
During this 5-day visit, he visited a lot of famous Egyptian tourist attractions and took part in opening the British University in Cairo.
2021
King Charles III and his spouse, Camilla, paid a visit to Egypt when Egypt was removed from the Red List last November, and President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his spouse, Entissar El Sisi, welcomed them at Al-Ittihadiya Palace.
The King asserted his happiness as he came to Egypt again after almost 15 years of his last visit, he also confirmed his keenness on this visit in the framework of his first official tour outside the country on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II from the beginning of Coronavirus pandemic.
During this visit, Charles III and Camilla met with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb. They inspected the porticos of Al-Azhar Mosque after holding a session of talks in Al-Azhar Chiefdom. This was the King’s second visit to the mosque.
It’s worth noting that Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church welcomed Charles III during his visit that stressed the role of religions in conserving the environment in the light of Egypt’s host of COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022.
