Nearly 200 young participants of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award were welcomed by the Duke of Edinburgh himself as he inaugurated the organisation’s new headquarters at Mrieħel's Avenue 77 Business Centre.

A total of 190 of these participants had the chance to personally showcase their projects to the duke, as he toured the new premises.

The event featured a wide range of activities, including a demonstration by the Luxol basketball club, students from Verdala engaged in a physical education class, and scouts showing off their tent-pitching skills. Bagpipes and trumpets played by local scouts marked the duke's arrival.

Duke of Edinburgh with the Luxol Basketball club members Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The duke addressed a group of supporters, including educators, scout leaders, members of parliament, and trustees of the award, as he joked, "It’s great to see the new offices, but they could do with a bit more furniture!"

He added, “It’s brilliant to be back in Malta and find you all in such good health.”

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award is a voluntary programme for individuals aged 14 to 24. Participants design their own programme by choosing a challenge in four areas: service, physical recreation, skills, and an adventurous journey. The Award aims to foster personal development, leadership, and resilience.

The Duke of Edinburgh Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Lara Tonna Grima, the chairperson of the award's board of trustees, said programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh International Award equip young people with life skills, leadership, and emotional resilience, which go beyond the classroom.

Earlier, the royal couple opened a new monument to submariners who lost their lives in the Second World War – the Submariners’ Walkway.

They later sailed through the Grand Harbour before throwing a wreath and posy into the sea to commemorate British and Maltese lives lost during the Second World War. They also visited the National War Museum in Valletta. 

The duke celebrated past and present military links with Armed Forces of Malta’s UK-trained soldiers and Maltese-UK veteran associations at the Maritime Museum.

Sophie, 59, and Prince Edward, 60, are on a four-day visit to the island to mark the 60th anniversary of its independence.

On Wednesday, the couple will be visiting Villa Guardamangia, the former residence of the late Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, when they were a young married couple.