The Earl of Wessex is “honouring a longstanding commitment” as he visits Estonia and Germany this week.
Prince Edward had been due to visit both countries in his role as Royal Colonel of 2nd Battalion The Rifles and Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry but had to delay the visit as it coincided with his late mother’s funeral on Monday.
Though the National Mourning period ended on Tuesday, the Royal Family itself is carrying on with their mourning period until Monday 26 September, at which time royal engagements are expected to return in full force.
Prince Edward arrived in the Estonian capital Tallin on Wednesday evening before carrying out engagements in the capital city on Thursday. First, he will visit Camp Tapa to visit the 2nd Battalion The Rifles who are deployed there, to thank them for their service, for serving the late Queen Elizabeth II, and to firm up their commitment to serve King Charles III as Head of the Armed Forces.
Later on Thursday, Prince Edward will visit the British Embassy in Tallin to view the book of condolences set up in memory of the late queen, who died on 8 September, and to thank the staff behind official tributes in Estonia.
The late Queen Elizabeth II only visited Estonia once in her 70-year reign, undertaking a state visit to the country and visiting the capital city from 19-20 October 2006.
Prince Edward will then travel to Paderborn, Germany, on Friday to visit more troops deployed from the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. While there, he will visit the Normandy Barracks to honour UK troops stationed abroad.
Later, he will visit Paderborn’s Town Hall to see the tributes in place for the late Queen Elizabeth II and to see relics of her visits to the area in 1965, 1977, and 1987. Queen Elizabeth II paid several official visits to Germany throughout her reign, seven times in total.
Her last official outgoing state visit was to Germany—visiting Berlin, Frankfurt, and Celle—from 23-26 June 2015.
Prince Edward was appointed as Royal Colonel of the 2nd Battalion The Rifles in 2007 and Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry on 19 August 2003.
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