On behalf of King Charles, The Duke of Kent has travelled to Germany to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Bombing of Dresden.
His Royal Highness has served as Royal Patron of the Dresden Trust since its creation in 1993 and of the British German Association since 1994.
In February 1945, during the Second World War, nearly 4000 tonnes of bombs were dropped on the city of Dresden, and since the creation of the Dresden Trust, it has worked to build bridges of friendship and cooperation between the people of Britain and Dresden.
It also comes as 460km away in Munich, a suspected attack has left 28 people injured and two in a “life-threatening” condition, according to authorities. A white Mini Cooper drove into a group of people at the scene of a rally linked to the transport union Verdi at 10.30am local time today.
The car was seen approaching police cars before speeding up and driving into a group of people. Police then shot at the vehicle before detaining the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker.
Mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, said in a statement: “The police chief has just informed me that a vehicle drove into a group of people and unfortunately many people were injured, including children. I am deeply shocked. My thoughts are with the injured.
“The police have arrested the driver of the vehicle, but the exact circumstances are currently unclear. I am of course still in close contact with the police chief and am on my way to get an idea of the situation on site.”
During the Duke of Kent’s visit to Dresden today, he will be joined by school children in Neumarkt Square to experience the ‘Path of Learning’ project by the Trust to help a younger audience connect with history.
The Duke will take part in a moment of reflection at the Frauenkirche, a Church destroyed during the bombing of Dresden and reconstructed, between 1994 and 2005.
Prince Edward has visited the Church before, including in 2000 when he presented a rebuilt Cross and Orb to sit on top of the Church, as a gift from the British people to Dresden. He returned in 2004, when the Cross and Orb was raised onto the dome.
Later, will also attend an official commemoration event, hosted by the City of Dresden, at Dresden Town Hall to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Bombing of the city, before taking park in the annual human chain event. This will see people forming a “protective ring” around the city.
This evening, Prince Edward will also attend a performance by the Dresden Philharmonie of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem at the Dresden Kulturpalatz. The performance will be conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles, Music Director of the Dresden Philharmonie.
For decades, The Duke of Kent, 89, has played an active role in fostering British-German reconciliation and has visited Dresden on many occasions.
The late Queen’s first cousin was honoured with the Dresden Prize, in February 2015, an international peace prize, for his contribution to the reconciliation of Great Britain and Germany.