Prince Harry has had a meaningful trip to Nepal, where he follows in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, as well as his father, Prince Charles.
On Saturday, the prince arrived in the nation’s capital, Kathmandu, to kick off his five-day visit, where he spoke of the country’s impact on the world and his family before meeting with several homeless families who were displaced by devastating earthquakes last year.
Thanks to everyone for coming out to make Prince Harry feel so welcome in Kathmandu pic.twitter.com/PRm3y5Tdap
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 20, 2016
“I’m sure you hear this all the time, but your country holds a special place in the imagination for so many people,” he said at the government reception in Kathmandu, according to CNN. “I pay my respects to those who perished and hope to do what I can to shine a spotlight on the resilience of the Nepali people.”
Prince Harry mentioned Princess Diana‘s trip to the Himalayan country in 1993, shortly after her separation from Prince Charles.
Prince Harry visits Nepal, is greeted by five virgins https://t.co/6wzL1NnKCP pic.twitter.com/oug3KNZBcg
— Mashable (@mashable) March 21, 2016
“I am honored and excited to be here,” he told the Nepali people, according to The Telegraph. “Many members of my family have visited Nepal, including my father and my mother, who were both warmly welcomed.”
Harry noted that his visit with the Gurkhas brigade, with whom he served in the British Army.
Prince Harry visited some sites damaged by the earthquakes in Nepal last year: https://t.co/dSGjIgmCu4 pic.twitter.com/gj8FqkUVpQ
— JustJared.com (@JustJared) March 20, 2016
“For me, this trip is also personal,” said Prince Harry. “I am so grateful that I will have the opportunity to pay tribute to some of Nepal’s most famous ambassadors, the Gurkhas, admired the world over for their fearsome bravery and courage but also for their humility and kindness.”
Prince Harry makes first trip to Nepal. https://t.co/QyvmRJ5oHg pic.twitter.com/Q5DxKdMq6T
— CNN International (@cnni) March 20, 2016
On Sunday, Prince Harry visited Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an ancient royal palace and temples that were damaged by the April 2015 earthquake. During that visit, he learned how to use traditional tools to restore wood carvings.
He also visited the Golden Temple and a nearby campsite that shelters approximately 250 homeless people — a quarter of them children.