• The Sphinx, the Great Pyramid and two lesser pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    The Sphinx, the Great Pyramid and two lesser pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • The Prince of Wales and his group at the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    The Prince of Wales and his group at the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Fountain of Sultan Selim (Fountain of Ahmed III). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Fountain of Sultan Selim (Fountain of Ahmed III). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Group of camp attendants in Beirut, Lebanon. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Group of camp attendants in Beirut, Lebanon. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • The Prince of Wales and his party among the ruins in the Hypostyle Hall, Temple of Amun, Karnak. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    The Prince of Wales and his party among the ruins in the Hypostyle Hall, Temple of Amun, Karnak. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • The photographs from the Royal Tour are included in a virtual exhibition by the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    The photographs from the Royal Tour are included in a virtual exhibition by the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Mosque of Omar (Dome of the Chain, at the Dome of the Rock). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Mosque of Omar (Dome of the Chain, at the Dome of the Rock). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Portion of the Propylon of the Temple from the Great Court (Temple of Horus, Edfu). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Portion of the Propylon of the Temple from the Great Court (Temple of Horus, Edfu). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Portrait of ‘Abd al-Qadir, Damascus. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Portrait of ‘Abd al-Qadir, Damascus. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Monolithic shrine in the Adytum of Temple of Edfou. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Monolithic shrine in the Adytum of Temple of Edfou. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Temple of Athor, commonly called Pharaoh's Bed, and small chapel. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Temple of Athor, commonly called Pharaoh's Bed, and small chapel. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
  • Acropolis and Temple of Jupiter Olympus (Olympeion). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
    Acropolis and Temple of Jupiter Olympus (Olympeion). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

12 photos from the first documented British royal tour of the Middle East


Alexandra Chaves
  • English
  • Arabic

In 1862, Albert Edward, son of Queen Victoria and then Prince of Wales, went on an educational tour of the Middle East in preparation to become king.

The four-month journey was documented by English photographer Francis Bedford, making it the first royal tour to be captured through photography.

Albert Edward – who would later become King Edward VII in 1901 – began his trip with his entourage in Egypt, then proceeded to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Greece.

The expedition was arranged by Queen Victoria shortly after her husband Prince Albert's death. Through his trip, the royal was meant to learn history, religion and politics for his role as king.

More importantly, the British government sought to establish strong ties to Egypt’s then ruler Said Pasha. As the Ottoman Empire was set to collapse, Britain wanted to prevent the French from taking control of the Suez Canal.

Along the trip, Bedford's lens focused on the region's numerous historical landmarks, religious sites, as well as the desert landscapes and unique terrains. He created more than 200 images, during which he carried a caravan of equipment – from lenses, tripods, crates for chemicals, glass plates and more.

Bedford's albumen prints also provide insight into how Victorian England came to perceive the Middle East, and shone light on sites that had never been photographed before, including chapels and temples.

Click through the gallery to see photographs of the 1862 royal tour chronicled by Bedford.

The photographs are part of a virtual exhibition organised by Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, entitled Sights of Wonder: Photographs from the 1862 Royal Tour. It is the institute’s first online-only show, created to adhere to the coronavirus lockdown in the UK.

Sights of Wonder is developed in collaboration with the University of Birmingham's department of art history and is curated by a small group of graduate students.

The Prince of Wales and party among the ruins in the Hypostyle Hall, Temple of Amun, Karnak. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020
The Prince of Wales and party among the ruins in the Hypostyle Hall, Temple of Amun, Karnak. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

While browsing the tour online, visitors are provided helpful information on the photographs and the prince’s activities during the tour. The show begins in Egypt, where the royal entourage visited the Pyramids of Giza, as well as temples in Edfu.

In Jerusalem, the tour stopped by the Dome of the Rock and the Garden of Gethsemane, while in Damascus, Bedford snapped a portrait of Abd Al Qadir, an Islamic scholar and military leader who helped Christians escape conflict between Maronites and Druze in Syria around the 1860s. The prince and Bedford eventually made it to Istanbul, stopping by Hagia Sophia, and then Greece.

The Middle East royal tour is only one of several trips the Prince of Wales had to undertake. In 1875, he visited 21 towns and cities in modern-day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and was a guest at more than 90 royal courts.

Sights of Wonder virtual exhibition can be viewed online at sightsofwonder.barber.org.uk

The biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

TWISTERS

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos

Rating: 2.5/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)

Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)

Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)

Mobile phone packages comparison
Results:

5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1.400m | Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Saab, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Majd Al Gharbia, Saif Al Balushi, Ridha ben Attia

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed Dh 180,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Money To Burn, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh 70,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Kafu, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 2,400m | Winner: Brass Ring, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Abaya trends

The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.

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Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford