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King Charles III

Prince of Wales hosts reception for Friends of Conservation

On Thursday, the Prince of Wales hosted a charity dinner in honour the international organisation, Friends of Conservation (FOC) at Clarence House. He became the organisation’s patron in 1988.

The London reception was attended by conservational enthusiasts and friends of the FOC.

The Prince of Wales hosts the Friends of Conservation reception at Clarence House. Photo by Ian Jones

The Prince delivered short remarks saying, “It’s been a great joy to welcome you here today. I’ve been very proud to be the patron of FOC for this length of time. The work they do is incredible, ensuring that local people work harmoniously with animals and the land to ensure that everyone prospers.

“One of the most remarkable things FOC has done is to introduce solar power to remote areas, which has happened in India for the past 40 years and means the elimination of polluting stoves and lamps along with renewable energy.”

The FOC was created by Geoffrey Kent and Jorie Butler Kent 37 years ago to work to protect endangered wildlife and their habitats. They do this by working together with local communities, as well as looking for ways to assist these communities in using natural resources to help with sustainability.

The group works in their communities and Kenya’s Masai Mara region. Additionally, the organisation explains that they “work with several like-minded partners in other African countries including Namibia and South Africa, and further afield, for example in Asia as well as Central and South America.”

Photo by Ian Jones

Mr Kent spoke about the reception stating, “This challenge is real. The relationship between man and animal in the Mara region constantly faces flashpoints. Understanding how to diffuse them both in the moment, and ideally before they happen, is imperative to the region’s survival. FOC’s aim is clear – protect endangered wildlife and their habitats by working closely with local communities and helping them use natural resources more sustainably

“We are honoured to be at Clarence House and have the support of HRH The Prince of Wales, who is well known for his concerns about the environment and conservation.”

While the Prince of Wales was hosting the FOC, the Duchess of Cornwall was at Windsor Castle for the 500 Words competition.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.