Prince William discusses landmark summer Middle East visit with Tony Blair
Duke of Cambridge held a meeting with he former Prime Minister and Middle East envoy at Kensington palace on Monday
The Duke of Cambridge has held a meeting with former prime minister Tony Blair about his summer visit to the Middle East.
William staged talks with Mr Blair, a former Middle East envoy, at Kensington Palace on Monday to discuss his June trip to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The official tour was an historic event – a first by a member of the monarchy to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The duke also held meetings with Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, president Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas during the milestone trip.
After meeting Mr Abbas, William said the Palestinians “have not been forgotten”.
Mr Blair was the Middle East envoy representing the US, Russia, the UN and the EU – known as the Quartet – after leaving Downing Street in 2007 and remained in the role for almost eight years.
The former prime minister was just a few months into office when William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a Paris car crash in August 1997.
At the time, Mr Blair summed up the mood of the nation when he dubbed Diana the “people’s princess” and described her as a “wonderful and warm human being”.
He said: “She was the people’s princess and that’s how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and in our memories forever.”
A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: “The Duke of Cambridge met with Mr Blair to discuss His Royal Highness’s visit earlier this year to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
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