Harry back in UK as exit from royal life looms
February 26, 2020, 9:53 am

Harry back in UK as exit from royal life looms

Britain's Prince Harry returned to Britain to fulfill the first of a final round of his duties as a royal before he and his wife Meghan step back from their role File photo AFP

Prince Harry was back in Britain on Wednesday for the first of a final round of public appearances before he and his wife Meghan step back from their royal duties.

The Duke of Sussex, who has moved his family to Canada, was pictured arriving in Edinburgh late Tuesday ahead of a meeting of businesses involved in his sustainable tourism project.

On Friday, he will be in London to meet US rock singer Jon Bon Jovi, who is recording a special song for the prince's Invictus Game Foundation for military veterans.

He and Meghan will then join Queen Elizabeth II on March 9 for a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which is expected to be their last official appearance as working royals.

The prince -- the queen's grandson who is sixth in line to the throne -- rocked the monarchy with the bombshell announcement in January that he and his wife wanted to step back from their roles.

They revealed plans to split their time between Britain and Canada, after complaining about media intrusion and expressing a desire to be financially independent.

Last week they announced that although they will retain their "His/Her Royal Highness" titles, they would stop using them when they step down from representing the queen from March 31.

Harry arrived at Edinburgh train station on Tuesday wearing jeans and a baseball cap and carrying a suit bag, ahead of the meeting on Wednesday of the Travalyst partnership of travel firms dedicated to sustainable travel.

The 35-year-old has faced accusations of hypocrisy for using private planes while advocating action to combat global warming but insists he mostly travels via commercial flights.

The meeting with Bon Jovi on Friday takes place at London's famed Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles recorded most of their albums.

In a BBC interview this week about the event, the singer quipped that following his exit from frontline royal life, Harry should be known as "the artist formerly known as Prince".

The late musician Prince was known as this after eschewing his name in favor of a symbol.

source: AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”