William the pilgrim
Israel trip ends with prayers at holy site and for the great-grandmother hailed as a heroine of the Holocaust
EYES closed, Prince william bends his head in contemplation at Jerusalem’s western wall yesterday.
The royal then placed a written prayer in a crack between the stones at one of the world’s most sacred sites.
amid tight security, it was a moment of calm reflection that wrapped up a historic tour of israel and the Palestinian territories, ending with a whirlwind tour of Jerusalem.
as well as taking in the stunning views of the historic Old City from the mount of Olives, william also lay flowers on the grave of his great-grandmother.
The Duke of Cambridge’s fiveday tour to the middle East to highlight humanitarian issues and the stalling peace process was the biggest test so far of his fledgling career as a frontline royal.
Not only was it the first time a member of the Royal Family had ever been allowed to visit israel and the Palestinian territories on an official tour, but the complex politics and ongoing hostilities in the region made it a diplomatic minefield.
Nevertheless, the 36-year-old carried out his delicate duties with aplomb with the help of his senior advisor and a former ambassador to the region, Sir David manning.
last night Government officials said the trip was considered a huge success. aides said the Prince had been genuinely moved by the people he met and the issues he discussed. His tour of Jerusalem started with a drive up to the mount of Olives to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Old City.
Dressed in a cool beige linen suit, dark tie and sunglasses, the second in line to the throne spent 20 minutes taking in the vista of sunbaked buildings.
Named after the groves that once lined its slopes, the mount of Olives features in many events described in the Bible.
in the Old Testament, King David is said to have fled over the mount to escape when his son absalom rebelled. and the New Testament describes how Jesus spent time there teaching and prophesying to his disciples. it is said that he prayed there with them the night before he was arrested – and is also the spot where Christians believe he ascended to Heaven.
after taking in the vista, william made what was described as a ‘profoundly moving’ visit to the tomb of his great-grandmother, Princess alice of Battenberg – hailed for saving a Jewish family during the Second world war.
at the entrance of the Church of St mary magdalene, a goldendomed Russian Orthodox church in the Garden of Gethsemane, william took bread and salt in keeping with Russian Orthodox tradition. He then made his way down the church steps to Princess alice’s crypt, where he laid flowers on her sarcophagus, picked from the gar-