Prince Edward is set to embark on a major five-day tour of the United States and Canada next week, with engagements focusing on youth opportunity, education, the arts and the enduring transatlantic relationship.
The Duke of Edinburgh will travel to New York, Baltimore and Washington DC before continuing to Toronto, with his programme running from Monday, September 28, until Friday, October 2.
The visit will mark Prince Edward’s second trip to the United States in as many years. He last visited America in April 2025, when he travelled to Philadelphia for a two-day visit.
His upcoming tour will place a particular emphasis on young people and the opportunities available to the next generation, while also highlighting the close links between Britain, the United States and Canada.
The Duke will begin his visit in New York, where he is due to meet figures from the cultural sector at the Metropolitan Opera.
Discussions will focus on the role of education and public programming in widening access to opportunity, as well as how advances in technology can help equip young people with the skills and confidence needed for the future.
Prince Edward will also take part in a roundtable hosted by BNY, examining workforce challenges faced on both sides of the Atlantic.
The discussion will explore how businesses and educators can work together to prepare young people for an economy increasingly shaped by innovation and technological change.
His New York programme will conclude with his attendance at the Wren Gala, organised by the American Friends of St James’s Piccadilly.
Prince Edward will then travel to Baltimore, where he will visit Western High School.
The historic school is the oldest all-girls state school in the United States and is preparing to become a new partner institution for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
The Duke will meet pupils and staff as they prepare to launch their first cohort on the Award USA programme.
Western High School is among seven Baltimore secondary schools joining the Award’s growing American network.
The Duke of Edinburgh International Award now has 78 partner organisations operating across all 50 US states.
Prince Edward has served as Patron of the organisation, which was founded by his late father, Prince Philip, more than seven decades ago.
In Washington DC, the Duke will visit the new education centre at Mount Vernon, the historic home of George Washington.
He will also lay a wreath at George Washington’s tomb.
The engagement comes as the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, providing an opportunity to highlight the longstanding relationship between Britain and America.
Prince Edward will later attend the King’s Birthday Party at the British Ambassador’s residence.
The event will bring together figures from the worlds of arts, heritage and education.
A Gold Award ceremony will also be held at the residence, celebrating young people who have completed the highest level of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
Following the conclusion of his American engagements, Prince Edward will travel to Canada on Friday, October 2.
In Toronto, he will visit the Lassonde Art Trail before attending an Experiential Education Gathering at Queen’s Park.
The Duke is expected to meet educators, Award providers and young people involved with the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Canada.
His visit comes after Ontario’s Ministry of Education announced plans to expand access to the Award across schools in the province.
The Canadian leg will therefore provide another opportunity for Prince Edward to highlight the impact of the programme and its role in helping young people develop skills, resilience and confidence.
The Duke’s North American tour comes just days after his wife, the Duchess of Edinburgh, returned from a five-day visit to Zambia, where she undertook a programme focused on trachoma elimination and met communities affected by the disease.
