WhenPrince Williamjets off to Israel next month, he will make history as thefirst official visitor from the royal familyto the country.
But he will create headlines of a different sort if he follows the lead of some of his ancestors — and gets some ink!
In 1862, Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Prince Albert Edward (the future Edward VII), visited Jerusalem as part of a five-month tour of Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. Then, in 1882, two of his sons, Prince Albert Victor and his brother George (the future George V), followed in their father’s footsteps and visited the Holy Land — and like their dad, got a tattoo on their arms depicting five crosses and the three crowns of Jerusalem.
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The link with Coptic Christians and the current royal family is more obvious than any chance meeting in a tattoo store. William’s father,Prince Charles, has supported the welfare of persecuted Christians including those from the Coptic church in some areas of the Middle East, making itthe focus of his Easter address. And the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London Anba Angaelos led some of the prayers at the wedding ofPrince HarryandMeghan Marklelast Saturday.
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Kensington Placeannounced on Thursday that William, 35, will tour Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories next month. His trip begins on June 24 in Amman, and includes stops in Tel Aviv and Ramallah before concluding in Jerusalem on June 28.
source: people.com
