New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) British royal couple, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, on day three of their India trip visited a school in a Delhi slum where children presented Charles a birthday cake, marking his 65th birthday next week.
The royal couple, on a nine-day India visit, later went to the Akshardham temple.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, who arrived from Uttarakhand where they spent two days, began the Delhi leg of their India tour from Friday with a visit to the Katha Lab School in Govindpuri slum of south Delhi.
Charles’ British Asian Trust and Katha India are providing education to children in the slum.
One of the trainee chefs at the school presented Charles with a large Black Forest cake, topped with cherries around it, and the number 65 in large icing on top. The cake was from the Katha bakery. The prince turns 65 Nov 14.
The couple went round the school and the creche along with Katha founder Geeta Dharamarajan. The slum is home to thousands of daily wagers, labourers and housemaids.
He told Katha teacher Sudhir Jha he was “very impressed” with the school’s bilingual approach and focus on lifting people from poverty.
Later, the school children presented Charles and Camilla with assorted origami, out of which they picked a peacock and a fish.
The prince wrote “Best Wishes” in the guest book and signed.
The Duchess of Cornwall, looking elegant in a light cream long kameez combined with loose pyjamas, went to the home of British High Commissioner James Bevan, where she met Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) women stitching clothes.
Charles went for a private lunch with Vice President Hamid Ansari and met President Pranab Mukherjee in the evening.
The royal couple later visited the Akshardham temple in east Delhi. Both were presented with a rose and chrysanthemum garland and posed for photographers with the grand temple forming the background. The prince also spoke with the temple priests.
The couple performed Ganga “aarti” in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh Wednesday.