The Duke of Gloucester will visit Malta from 13 to 16 April 2012 as part of the Royal tour to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of  The Queen. The visit will coincide with celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta by King George VI.

This will be the Duke's first visit to Malta although his father, the late Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, came here in November 1947 and February 1962.

The British High Commission said the Duke of Gloucester was delighted to accept when the Queen  personally asked him to visit as her representative.

The Royal Family's Diamond Jubilee tour includes visits to Realms, Commonwealth countries, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories. The Duke visited the British Virgin Islands last month as part of the tour.

The key event during HRH's visit to Malta will be a Jubilee reception on Saturday 14 April to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Queen's accession to the Throne. The reception will be held at the Lower Barrakka Gardens, and the  Duke of Gloucester will be planting a tree to commemorate both his visit and the Diamond Jubilee.

The Duke will be present for the re-enactment of the presentation of the George Cross to Malta in Palace Square, Valletta, on Sunday 15 April. He is expected to make a short speech, including a message from HM The Queen

HRH will visit Inspire, the Foundation for Inclusion, where he will meet four Maltese Paralympic hopefuls.

As a trained architect, The Duke is deeply interested in conservation and preservation, and will be viewing the restoration work carried out at Our Lady of Victory Church in Valletta.

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