As the Earl of Wessex turns 56, he was greeted by mini police and Diddy Men on his birthday during a day trip to Liverpool.
The Earl was in Liverpool to officially open the Merseyside Police’s new Rose Hill headquarters. While there alongside the Countess of Wessex, the pair heard more about the work of community leaders, charities, and emergency services throughout the region. There was a particularly emotional moment for the Countess when she spoke with 90-year-old Edna Farley. Since the beginning of the global health crisis, Sophie had spoken on the phone regularly with Edna as part of the NHS Volunteer Responders programme.
Prior to visiting the new police headquarters, the royal couple stopped for the opening of the Ken Dodd Happiness Hall in Knotty Ash. The building used to be the school of the late Ken Dodd but has since transformed into a community centre in honour of his memory.
At the Hall, the Earl and Countess met with children dressed as “Diddy Men” to celebrate the late comedian. They also met with representatives from their patronages and people attempting to help those in Ukraine. This includes Ukrainian clergyman Father Taras Khomych and Gosia McKane, the director of Merseyside Polonia. The organisation is a Polish charity that organises clothing and other essential item donations for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Poland.
Another stop the royal couple made was at Asylum Link Merseyside, where they met with caseworkers and volunteers who support refugees and other asylum seekers arriving in the country. They also met with people learning English and learned about the support they were receiving.
Her Majesty, who recently recovered from a battle with COVID, marked her youngest son’s birthday with a photo of the two of them on the official Royal Family Twitter. The photo was taken last October when Edward attended the launch of The Queen’s Baton Relay for Birmingham 2022.
