UK prince says Sheikh Zayed taught him to love Middle East

Britain’s Prince Andrew reflected on his royal relationship with Sheikh Zayed at a celebration of the life of the Founding President of the UAE in London – saying he inspired his love of the region.

The Duke of York, speaking at an event marking the centenary of Sheikh Zayed’s birth hosted by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, reminisced about his personal encounters with Sheikh Zayed, including passing on a gift from him to Queen Elizabeth II.

He recalled being presented with about 10 cases of halwa – an Arabian sweet – on a visit to the Emirates decades ago, only to be unsure what to do with such a vast quantity of the confectionery.

On his return to London, he gave the gift to his mother, the queen.

“I walked into mother’s sitting room. ‘I have brought you a present’, I said.”

Speaking of Sheikh Zayed’s last years, he remembered him as a “truly interesting and engaging person right to the end”.

“He was a very influential figure in my understanding and my love of the region.”

Sir Harold Walker, a former British ambassador to the UAE, also shared his memories, recalling Sheikh Zayed’s “slow speaking, gravelly voice”.

“He had an air of authority, you knew he was a man of authority,” Mr Walker said.

“His Islam led him to believe that all men were worthy of respect.”

Adding an Emirati voice to the warm recollections, Rashid bin Shabib, editor of Brownbook, a guide to urban life in the Middle East, stressed it was important to recognise Sheikh Zayed’s legacy in moving the UAE forward.

Cautioning against nostalgia, he instead argued for the need to continue to build a “more pragmatic, more modern” UAE.