Queen Elizabeth II. and Prince Philip visited the High Tatras

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Our mountains, Goral music and life in the High Tatras – also this could see Queen Elizabeth II. and Prince Philip on 24 October 2008. In Stary Smokovec they were welcomed by the Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič, together with his spouse Silvia. Both pairs came to the Hrebienok by a ground railway. There they where impatiently expected by hundreds of people as well as mountain guides, porters and rescuers. They captured the Queen and Prince Philip´ attention, who originally didn´t want to believe that their cargo is true.

Royal visit to the High Tatras will resemble a memorial plaque. The Queen Elizabeth II. uncovered it together with the President Ivan Gašparovič on a barrier-free path at Hrebienok.

While Queen Elizabeth II. with the President Ivan Gašparovič visited Spišská Sobota, Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová had a separate program with Prince Philip. First, both collectively came to a conference of Tatry School of Regional Development, where they became familiar with the project aimed to cooperation of self-government, State Forests, Nature Conservation of the Tatra National Park and civic associations to proposing a together solution. At the same time they want project participants to contribute to transparency and openness in communication, which in the Tatras is missing after the devastating storm. Prince Philip has an intense interest for protection – he was chairman of the World Wildlife Fund for many years. This fact also appeared in the High Tatras, where he planted a mountain pine in front of the Grand Hotel to symbolize the restoration of the Tatra forests. Then in Poprad Mrs. Gašparovičová and Prince Philip also heard the ’Climate Advocates’ who work within the project of the British Council in Slovakia. The recreation complex AquaCity they familiarized themselves with the possibilities of using geothermal energy for recreational purposes.

In the afternoon, Prince Philip and Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová joined the Queen Elizabeth II. and the President Ivan Gašparovič, and opened a friendly ice hockey match between the Slovak and the England squad in the winter stadium in Poprad. After the farewell to the Slovak presidency, the British royal couple went to their homeland.

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