Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward arrives in Mumbai: First Royal visit to India since 2019

According to a statement by the government of the UK Sunday, “His Royal Highness will travel to Mumbai and Delhi to promote The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, delivered as The International Award for Young People (IAYP) in India.”

The statement also said that in addition to meeting the members of the government, His Royal Highness is scheduled to undertake varied engagements spanning the breadth of the living bridge that connects the UK and India. “This includes discussions with Indian education and business leaders and philanthropists, and joining events that celebrate our shared love for sport and the arts,” it added.

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, called the visit “an important reminder of the vibrant and enduring links between our countries, including through a 1.7 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK”. The UK-India partnership is helping drive solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, Cameron said.

On Sunday, The Duke met Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan in Mumbai. Later, in a post on X, Radhakrishnan shared a photograph of the meeting, and said, “Delighted to welcome and meet His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward today at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. Presented His Royal Highness the portrait of our Great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

The Duke also visited a cricket stadium. This marks the first royal visit to India since King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, visited in November 2019. Prince Edward is King Charles’ brother and the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh. He last visited India in 2018. However, this is his first official visit to India after being conferred the Dukedom of Edinburgh in 2023.

At the conclusion of the visit to India on Tuesday, The Duke will travel on to join The Duchess of Edinburgh in visiting Nepal.

Since its inception in India in 1962, the IAYP has helped more than 150,000 students from 325 schools and educational institutions across the country.