Charles said he was horrified by the destruction caused by Katrina
|
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are set to visit
victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in the latest stop of their
eight-day US tour.
They will visit some of the areas worst hit in August when the storm struck the city in the state of Louisiana.
Ahead of the visit, the prince said he and his wife were
"utterly horrified" by the destruction caused by Katrina, which killed
about 1,200 people.
The couple will meet survivors and emergency workers during the visit.
About 80% of New Orleans was left underwater after the
natural disaster, during which thousands of people were unable to
evacuate or refused to leave their homes.
On Friday Charles and Camilla will spend a couple of
hours in the southern city talking to survivors and emergency workers
dedicated to cleaning up the devastation.
 |
We
will have the opportunity to meet some of the brave and resilient
people trying to rebuild their lives and to pay tribute to the
astounding efforts of emergency workers
|
They will be given an opportunity to visit the Lower
Ninth Ward Levee that was breached, sending water cascading into the
historic city and causing huge swathes of it to be submerged
underwater.
On Wednesday, Charles dedicated a $30,000 (£17,000)
architecture prize to rebuild efforts in the nearby state of
Mississippi during a visit to the National Building Museum in
Washington.
The prince also revealed that his own Foundation for the Built Environment was involved in the state's redesign process.
And, in advance of his visit to New Orleans, he added:
"We will have the opportunity to meet some of the brave and resilient
people trying to rebuild their lives and to pay tribute to the
astounding efforts of emergency workers.
"I only hope my foundation can play a small part in the work that is under way to begin the reconstruction."
|
The BBC asks Americans if they recognise this photo.
|
The visit comes after the royal couple were entertained
by President Bush at the White House at both a private family lunch and
formal, black tie dinner.
The prince used a toast to his host to issue a
thinly-veiled warning about the challenges and responsibilities before
him, not least concerning the "crucial issues that face our planet".
During the dinner, the president told his guests that
their visit was a reminder of the unique and enduring bond between the
UK and US.
Before leaving Washington, Charles and his wife will lay
a wreath at a World War II memorial and meet war veterans, before
heading to the Folger Shakespeare Library to watch part of a children's
performance of Much Ado About Nothing.
Last night the royals attended a reception at the
residence of British Ambassador Sir David Manning. Earlier, Camilla
gave her first formal speech abroad since marrying Charles.
|
All
countries send dignitaries to each other on state visits, political
visits and unofficial 'tours' - it is part of the political merry go
round
|
Before speaking on osteoporosis at the National
Institutes of Health, the Duchess caused widespread mirth after she
narrowly avoided walking into a glass wall after a US surgeon attempted
to lead her into a building.
Camilla, who saw the funny side, laughed and clapped a
hand to her face, gesturing that she could have put her nose out of
joint.
While in Washington, the newlyweds have also planted a
tree at a school in a deprived area where they witnessed initiatives to
tackle underachievement.
The couple began their eight-day US tour in New York, before moving on to Washington.
The trip is Prince Charles' and Camilla's first joint official overseas tour since they married.
|
E-mail this to a friend
Printable version
In pictures
