Prince Edward is set to embark on a major five-day tour of the
United States and Canada next week, with engagements focusing on
youth opportunity, education, the arts and the enduring
transatlantic relationship.
The Duke of Edinburgh will travel to New York, Baltimore and
Washington DC before continuing to Toronto, with his programme
running from Monday, September 28, until Friday, October 2.
The visit will mark Prince Edward’s second trip to the United
States in as many years. He last visited America in April 2025,
when he travelled to Philadelphia for a two-day visit.
His upcoming tour will place a particular emphasis on young
people and the opportunities available to the next generation,
while also highlighting the close links between Britain, the United
States and Canada.
The Duke will begin his visit in New York, where he is due to
meet figures from the cultural sector at the Metropolitan
Opera.
Discussions will focus on the role of education and public
programming in widening access to opportunity, as well as how
advances in technology can help equip young people with the skills
and confidence needed for the future.
Prince Edward will also take part in a roundtable hosted by BNY,
examining workforce challenges faced on both sides of the
Atlantic.
The discussion will explore how businesses and educators can
work together to prepare young people for an economy increasingly
shaped by innovation and technological change.
His New York programme will conclude with his attendance at the
Wren Gala, organised by the American Friends of St James’s
Piccadilly.
Prince Edward will then travel to Baltimore, where he will visit
Western High School.
The historic school is the oldest all-girls state school in the
United States and is preparing to become a new partner institution
for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
The Duke will meet pupils and staff as they prepare to launch
their first cohort on the Award USA programme.
Western High School is among seven Baltimore secondary schools
joining the Award’s growing American network.
The Duke of Edinburgh International Award now has 78 partner
organisations operating across all 50 US states.
Prince Edward has served as Patron of the organisation, which
was founded by his late father, Prince Philip, more than seven
decades ago.
In Washington DC, the Duke will visit the new education centre
at Mount Vernon, the historic home of George Washington.
He will also lay a wreath at George Washington’s tomb.
The engagement comes as the United States prepares to mark its
250th anniversary, providing an opportunity to highlight the
longstanding relationship between Britain and America.
Prince Edward will later attend the King’s Birthday Party at the
British Ambassador’s residence.
The event will bring together figures from the worlds of arts,
heritage and education.
A Gold Award ceremony will also be held at the residence,
celebrating young people who have completed the highest level of
the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
Following the conclusion of his American engagements, Prince
Edward will travel to Canada on Friday, October 2.
In Toronto, he will visit the Lassonde Art Trail before
attending an Experiential Education Gathering at Queen’s Park.
The Duke is expected to meet educators, Award providers and
young people involved with the Duke of Edinburgh International
Award Canada.
His visit comes after Ontario’s Ministry of Education announced
plans to expand access to the Award across schools in the
province.
The Canadian leg will therefore provide another opportunity for
Prince Edward to highlight the impact of the programme and its role
in helping young people develop skills, resilience and
confidence.
The Duke’s North American tour comes just days after his wife,
the Duchess of Edinburgh, returned from a five-day visit to Zambia,
where she undertook a programme focused on trachoma elimination and
met communities affected by the disease.
