Prince Harry was in central London yesterday to open the new extension to the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House. The extension provides a permanent home for a leadership training centre named after his grandmother, the Royal institute’s patron since 1952.
The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs will now be housed on the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Floor and will continue to work to provide a new generation of potential leaders the opportunity to develop their skills.
The Academy gives potential and established leaders from around the world the opportunity to spend up to twelve months as Academy fellows at Chatham House, gaining the skills and abilities to develop a strong toolkit for dealing with critical global issues and major policy challenges. Academy fellows come from the government and policy community, media, civil society and the private sector.
Prince Harry took part in a simulated international crisis when he joined the team in the ‘situation room’. The scenario they were placed in was one in which an outbreak of Ebola had been reported in a region affected by landmines and called on the team to develop a strategy for effective landmine clearance in a humanitarian emergency.
Her Majesty The Queen launched the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs in 2014. At the time she said: “Through its Academy, the Royal Institute of International Affairs is advancing the cause of independent thought and informed and accountable leadership – a vital goal in efforts to ensure a more peaceful and secure world in the decades ahead.”
Prince Harry’s visit to the Royal Institute of International Affairs followed a surprise trip to Borough Market, which has only just reopened following the terror attack on 3 June. After meeting with the Borough traders and restaurateurs the prince said that “The strength of this community and London as a whole is magic.”
