ABU DHABI // Prince Charles saw the finished Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque for the first time on Sunday, at the start of a short sightseeing tour of the country with his wife, Camilla.
The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and the Duchess of Cornwall had visited the mosque in 2007 prior to its completion. This visit – part of a regional tour – was intended to celebrate the UAE’s work to promote religious tolerance and see the completed mosque.
Shortly after arriving in the capital, Prince Charles and Camilla were greeted by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance.
Sheikha Lubna hosted the royal couple on a tour of the mosque, where Prince Charles spoke with Bishop Paul Hinder of St Joseph’s Cathedral, one of two Roman Catholic churches in Abu Dhabi.
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"For me, the visit is for recognition," he said. "The prince was able to speak to us and see the mutual tolerance which is reality in this country.
"It doesn’t happen all over the world that we can meet in such a place in such a formation. Living and seeing this reality has an impact."
Prince Charles is known for having a keen eye for architecture, and has criticised contemporary designs, but he was clearly impressed by the scale of development since his previous visit to the mosque.
Following a brief tour of the mosque, Charles and Camilla viewed a photography exhibition and other works presented by a cultural guide. The royal couple then visited the mosque’s main hall to learn about the building’s architecture, design and carpet.
A quick walk around the courtyard to learn more about the distinctive floral design as the call to prayer echoed around the grand setting was followed by a reception to meet guests from different faiths and nationalities.
With more than 200 nationalities now living in the UAE, a large majority of whom are Commonwealth citizens from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the royals were keen to sample a brief snapshot of diversity in the capital.
Ms Kim Debenham, deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, said Charles wanted to hear about the growth of Commonwealth communities in Abu Dhabi.
"This was my first opportunity to meet anyone from the British Royal Family, so it was a special moment," she said.
"We spoke mainly about the size of our communities here, as he has been here a number of times. He was commenting on the last time when he was here the mosque was still under construction.
"He seemed very impressed, and who wouldn’t be?
"He was asking about the different communities in Abu Dhabi from India, and the other Commonwealth countries. They are pretty sizable here and he was very interested to hear about them and how they have developed."
The royal visit to the UAE is part of a three-nation tour in the region, and the eighth time Charles has visited since 1989. The first stop was Oman, an they will round off the tour with a visit to Bahrain.
His tour will also take in Bu Tinah archipelago, a sanctuary for endangered species such as the dugong and hawksbill turtle, and a UN-recognised heritage site located about 150 kilometers from Abu Dhabi
They will also attend a celebration at Jahili Fort in Al Ain and a Youth Circle event in Masdar City.
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