The Earl and Countess of Wessex celebrate UK-SL links during visit to Kandy

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the Countess of Wessex visited Kandy yesterday. The Royal couple paid their respects at the Temple of the Tooth, visited the Royal Botanical Gardens and met students from Trinity College and the Girls’ High School Kandy. 

At the Royal Botanical Gardens they planted a tree to commemorate formally Sri Lanka’s 70th anniversary of Independence and they unveiled a plaque to celebrate the long-standing relationship between the Royal Botanical Gardens and Britain. Queen Elizabeth visited the Gardens in 1954, and buildings within the Gardens were used by Lord Mountbatten as his headquarters during WWII. 

The Earl and Countess spent time with students from Trinity College Kandy and the Girls’ High School and heard from them about their aspirations for the future and why they believed English language education would equip them for the challenges of working in an increasingly connected world. They also enjoyed lunch with student representatives and members of local Guides and Scouts groups. 

They met Chief Lay Custodian Pradeep Nilanga Dela, Governor of Central Province Niluka Ekanayake and Chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake at the Sri Dalada Maligawa and learned from them about the significance of the Sacred Tooth Relic.  The Royal Couple paid their respects in the inner sanctum of the Temple, where they viewed the casket containing the Sacred Tooth Relic and received blessings. 

The visit affirmed the close educational, cultural and historical links that the UK and Sri Lanka enjoy.

-Pix by Ruwan Walpola