Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, visiting Bulgaria for World War 1 centenary commemorations
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of President Rossen Plevneliev for World War 1 centenary commemoration ceremonies in the cities of Sofia and Plovdiv.
Prince Edward is chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
On April 7 at 5.45pm, he will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia, and the following day at 11am he will attend – along with his host, President Plevneliev – a commemoration ceremony in the military section of Sofia Central Cemetery.
On April 9, the Duke of Kent will attend a commemoration ceremony at the military cemetery in Plovdiv.
During his visit, he will meet state and government officials, host a reception for a British business delegation and their Bulgarian partners and will visit the Boyana Church and the National History Museum in Sofia.
Plevneliev’s office said that the centenary of the war was an occasion to focus on the reconciliation of European countries and their common future in a united Europe.
Born in 1935, the Duke of Kent is the son of the late Prince George, fourth son of King George V, and the late Princess Marina, daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece. He is cousin to both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
A range of commemorations of the start of World War 1 are taking place in 2014.
Among them is that, at the invitation of European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, the June European Council will open with a commemoration of the outbreak of the First World War.
This two-day meeting, held on the eve of the anniversary of the Sarajevo incident of June 28 1914, will begin in Ypres on Thursday June 26 2014 with a ceremony at the Ménin Gate.
(Photo: John Nyberg)
