Kate's heading to Malta on her first solo foreign tour on behalf of the Queen - leaving William in charge of Prince George
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2732116/Kate-s-heading-Malta-solo-foreign-tour-behalf-Queen-leaving-William-charge-Prince-George.html
The Duchess of Cambridge will be guest of honour at a spectacular celebration in Malta next month, on her first solo foreign tour on behalf of the Queen.
Kate will leave her young son, Prince George, behind – as well as her husband, Prince William - for two days of official events to mark the 50th anniversary of the island’s independence from the UK.
It is a sign of her confidence in her grandson’s wife that the monarch has asked the Duchess to travel to the Mediterranean island which holds a special place in her heart.
As young newly-weds, the Queen and Prince Philip - who was then serving in HMS Chequers with the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet - lived together on Malta for almost two years.
The Queen considers their time there as one of the happiest periods of her life as it was their only experience of living like an ‘ordinary’ couple.
In an announcement this afternoon, Kensington Palace revealed that the Duchess will fly out to Malta on Saturday September 20 and travel straight to the stunning San Anton Palace, the official residence of the President of Malta, which will be her residence for the weekend.
The palace was constructed as a country villa by Knight Antoine de Paule, a French aristocrat, who named it Sainte Antoine after his patron saint, Anthony of Padua.
The Queen has also stayed there, most recently on a visit in 2007.
After a meeting with the President, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, the Duchess will call on the Prime Minister of Malta, Hon Dr Joseph Muscat, and his wife at his office in the Auberge de Castille.
Saturday 20th September DAY 1
Event 1: Call on the President of Malta
San Anton Palace
The first event will be a call on President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. The venue is the San Anton Palace, where the Duchess will be staying
Event 2: Call on the Prime Minister of Malta
Auberge de Castille
The Duchess will call on the Prime Minister of Malta, Hon Dr Joseph Muscat, and his wife.
Event 3: In Guardia Pageant
Palace Square, Valletta
The Duchess will view a re-enactment of an historical event – the inspection of the fort and garrison by the Grand Bailiff of the Order of the Knights of St John. A variety of military drills will be displayed.
Event 4: National Library
Valletta
The Duchess will view a number of historical documents, including letters from King Henry VIII and George II, and the original citation awarding the George Cross to Malta.
Event 5: Independence Day Celebrations
Upper Barrakka Gardens
The Duchess will attend an evening
celebration. The backdrop to the celebration will be the spectacular view of the Grand Harbour.
Sunday 21st September DAY 2
Event 6: Independence Day Service
St John's Co-Cathedral
The Duchess will attend a church service. She will later view the two Caravaggios in the Cathedral Museum.
Event 7: Access Centre
In Vittoriosa
The Duchess will visit Agenzija Zghazagh (Agency for Youth), a government agency which runs a number of initiatives for young people. HRH will hear about the work of the agency from the young people who use the centre and their support workers.
Event 8: Short Walk
Vittoriosa Square
The Duchess will take a short walk through the town square. She will then be taken to the Church of St Lawrence to view Maltese art before leaving for the harbour.
Event 9: Boat Tour
Grand Harbour
The Duchess will take a short boat tour across the Grand Harbour to see some iconic views between Vittoriosa and Valletta.
Event 10: High Commissioner's Garden Party
High Commissioner's Residence
Kate will attend an Independence Day Celebration hosted by the British High Commissioner.
Later she will view a reenactment of an historical event, the inspection of the fort and garrison by the Grand Bailiff of the Order of the Knights of St John. A variety of military drills will be displayed.
The Duchess will also travel to the National Library where she will view historical documents, including letters from King Henry V111 and George 11, and the original citation awarding the George Cross to Malta.
The pinnacle of her visit, however, will be as guest of honour at the official Independence Day Celebrations at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, set against the breath-taking backdrop of the Grand Harbour.
The following day, Sunday September 21, she will first attend an Independence Day Service at St John’s Cathedral and later view two Caravaggios in the Cathedral Museum – which will no doubt be of considerable interest to Kate given the 2:1 History of Art degree she obtained from St Andrew’s.
The Duchess will also visit the Agenzija Zghazagh or Agency for Youth, a government organisation which runs initiatives for young people. The Duchess will hear about the work of the agency from the young people who use the centre and their support workers.
Members of the public will be able to catch a glimpse of the 32-year-old royal as she takes an afternoon walk through Vittoriosa Square on route to the Church of St Lawrence to view a Maltese art collection.
She will also tread in the steps of numerous tourists before her as she takes a boat tour across the Grand Harbour to see the iconic views between Vittoriosa and Valletta.
Her final engagement of the trip will be the British High Commissioner’s Garden Party at their official residence, meeting a staff and notable local members of the community.
It is understood that the Duchess has discussed the trip at length with the Queen – and will no doubt be asked to report back on her return.
The Queen spent some of the happiest months of her life on Malta as a newly-wed.
Although she and Prince Philip were accompanied to the island by a retinue which included an equerry, a valet, a lady-in-waiting, and the Princess's childhood nanny, as well as their ever-present police bodyguards, the newly-weds were pretty much free to come and go as they pleased.
For the future Queen, this was simply unheard of. There were parties, picnics, swimming expeditions and boat trips. The young princess even went out shopping and on visits to the hairdressers with the other young officers' wives.
Philip, meanwhile, discovered a life-long love of polo. ‘It was a fabulous time,’ he later recalled.
The couple lived at Villa Guardamangia, an idyllic holiday home rented by Philip's uncle, Lord 'Dickie' Mountbatten.
During her stay in Malta the Queen left her first child, Prince Charles, back at Buckingham Palace with his nanny and grand-parents, although she returned home for frequent visits.
Her daughter, Princess Anne, was conceived on the island, and although she went back to England for her birth in August 1950, the Queen returned to Malta several times afterwards.
In July 1951, she and Philip were forced to move back to Britain for good, however, when her father, George V1, fell seriously ill - bringing an end to one of the most carefree periods of her life.
The Queen and her husband lasted visited Malta in 2007, to mark her diamond wedding anniversary.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said: ‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will visit Malta on 20th and 21st September 2014 to represent Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Malta's independence.’
Malta voluntarily became part of the British Empire in 1800 but achieved self-rule after the Second World War.
Following a constitutional referendum in 1964, the island became an independent state retaining the Queen as its Head of State.