Prince William has thanked the UAE for a “wonderful day” after concluding a landmark visit.
The Duke of Cambridge said the trip provided him with the opportunity to celebrate “sustainability, collaboration and innovation".
The UK royal made a lasting impression during his first trip to the Emirates, meeting pupils in Abu Dhabi before greeting crowds at Expo 2020 Dubai later in the day.
A packed itinerary also involved meeting Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and observing efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade at the vast Port of Jebel Ali.
On his first official overseas trip for two years, the prince announced the winners of increased funding from the Earthshot Prize, which he introduced in 2020 along with Sir David Attenborough to fund environmental innovations.
“Thank you for a wonderful day in the UAE!," said Prince William on the official Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Twitter account.
“From visiting the Jubail Mangroves and Jebel Ali Port to seeing our Earthshot finalists and celebrating the UK National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai, it was great to spend time celebrating sustainability, collaboration and innovation.”
Prince William also shared a photo with his 2.3 million followers of himself standing next to a Dubai Police car.
He used the account to share memorable scenes of him meeting crowds during his trip to Expo 2020 Dubai.
He praised the striking UK pavilion as a “promotion of our advancements in innovation, space, and artificial intelligence".
The Expo 2020 leg of the historic visit involved the prince embarking on an impromptu walkabout, shaking hands and meeting families who had been queuing for hours to see him.
“I’ve been a fan of his mother [Princess Diana] when I was very little, so I’ve been following him all my life,” said Hania Kazmi from Pakistan, who has lived in the UAE for six years and was waiting outside the UK pavilion. “We were born in the same year,” she said with a chuckle.
“I’ve followed him since I was young through social media and all these things,” said Ms Kazmi. “Maybe he is going to be a king, and he is a celebrity.”
