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State Visit to Malta, 23 to 26 November 2005 |
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The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Mediterranean island of Malta for four days, during which time Her Majesty opened the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. The Royal party were greeted with an official arrival ceremony in St George's Square in Valletta, Malta's capital city. The Queen inspected a Guard of Honour before walking to the Palace where she was received by the President of Malta, Dr Edward Fenech-Adami. Her Majesty and His Excellency then exchanged gifts and decorations.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by the Minister for Gozo, then visited the Law Courts and a War Memorial in Floriana where Her Majesty laid a wreath and met veterans. In the evening a State dinner was held in The Queen's honour at which Her Majesty spoke of her affection for the island and its people which she had come to know well during her time on the island over fifty years ago. The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, lived in Malta from 1949 to 51, whilst The Duke of Edinburgh was stationed on the island as a serving Royal Navy officer.
In her speech, Her Majesty recalled the bravery of the islanders during the Second World War which earned them a George Cross, before looking forward to future collaborations between Malta and The United Kingdom: 'Mr. President, it is in our interests bilaterally, in the Commonwealth, and in the European Union that we should work together to build on the unique ties of history and shared sacrifice, to reaffirm the values we hold in common, and to reinvigorate the partnership between our two countries.' On day two of the visit, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh met the leader of the opposition at San Anton Palace, before planting an olive tree in the grounds to mark their visit.
They viewed a local youth music event, opened the Grand Harbour Marina, and attended a reception onboard HMS Illustrious before attending a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister at the Auberge de Castille. The Duke of Edinburgh undertook separate engagements at the Maritime Institute of Malta College where he viewed signalling and seamanship displays by students. He also visited De La Rue Limited, a British company based in Malta. In the evening, The Queen hosted a reception at Hotel Phoenicia in Floriana.
On the final full day of their visit, The Queen opened the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Her Majesty elaborated on the theme of the meeting: 'Networking the Commonwealth for Development', in her speech: 'There are almost limitless opportunities to join forces across the Commonwealth ... Such connections allow us to transfer ideas, technical expertise, funding, and other forms of support.' The Queen then had private meetings with a number of heads of government in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.
Meanwhile, The Duke of Edinburgh visited the neighbouring island of Gozo where he laid a wreath and met veterans at Independence Square in Victoria, unveiled a sculpture at the Ministry for Gozo and visited the Ggantija Temples, one of the most important archaeological sites in Malta. His Royal Highness also visited the Magro Brothers Food Factory. On their final day, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Eden Foundation in Zetjun which helps educate children and adults with mental disabilities, where they unveiled a plaque, before attending the official departure ceremony at Malta Airport. |
