On the second day of South Africa’s President State Visit to the United Kingdom, it was up to the Earl of Wessex to take on the role of chaperone.
His Royal Highness led President Cyril Ramaphosa through two visits that have a lot to do with the partnership work in conservation between the two countries.
The day’s first stop was Kew Gardens, one of London’s leading botanical research and conservation facilities. The Earl and the President visited the structure to celebrate its partnership with SANBI (South Africa National Biodiversity Institute).
Following a tour of the spectacular gardens, the President took part in a roundtable discussion “on cooperation between South Africa and the United Kingdom in the areas of biodiversity conservation and climate change,” said the South African Presidency office.
The second stop of the day was the Francis Crick Institute, which works on biomedical research. They are currently collaborating on projects with the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa “to understand the biology behind health and disease”, according to the British Embassy in South Africa.
King Charles III then officially bid farewell to President Ramaphosa because his part in the State Visit was concluded. However, the President attended a business roundtable at Lancaster House before meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street.
His visit concluded with the traditional reciprocal dinner hosted by the City of London at Guildhall; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were present on behalf of the King.
Kew Gardens was founded in 1840 and is currently home to the world’s largest and most diverse botanical collection. They take great care in preserving biological biodiversity and promoting the science and research behind their work, with workshops and visits catering to both adults and children alike. It is no surprise that Kew Gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Francis Crick Institute is much newer but no less impressive. It was established in 2010 and opened in 2016 as a partnership between Cancer Research UK, Imperial College London, King’s College London (KCL), the Medical Research Council, University College London (UCL) and the Wellcome Trust. It is currently Europe’s biggest biomedical laboratory and can count on a staff of more than 1500 employees, including 1250 scientists.
