site.btaNovember 6, 1998: British Crown Prince Charles Visits Bulgaria

On November 6, 1998, the Prince of Wales, Charles, arrived in Sofia for the establishment of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, founded by 12 leading multinational companies and non-governmental organisations under the patronage of President Petar Stoyanov (1997–2001) and the Prince. This was Prince Charles’s first visit to Bulgaria and it lasted until November 8. It took place at the invitation of President Petar Stoyanov.

The visit was part of the British heir to the throne’s tour of four Balkan countries – Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia – and marked the first time a British crown prince had visited Bulgaria.

Here's how BTA's English Service covered the visit:

Prince Charles Opens Visit to Bulgaria

Sofia, November 6 (BTA) - Britain's Prince Charles arrived to Bulgaria on a three-day official visit at the invitation of Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov. At noon Prince Charles landed at the Sofia Airport and departed for the Boyana government residence where the official welcoming ceremony and his meeting with the Bulgarian Head of State took place.

Prince Charles wore red paper poppies which the British wear in November in memory of those who died in the two world wars.

The visit started shortly behind schedule. After a brief confusion Prince Charles refused to have his umbrella carried by the President's bodyguards. President Peter Stoyanov went out to meet his guest and after the two countries' anthems were played, the Bulgarian Head of State and the Prince of Wales headed for the residence with Prince Charles protecting Stoyanov with his umbrella against the rain.

Stoyanov and the Prince held 35-minute one-to-one talks and drank tea.

The Bulgarian President presented the guest with a copy of a clay table for religious practices dating back to the Neolithic era, the President's Press Secretary Neri Terzieva said.

The President's wife, Antonina Stoyanova, gave the Prince as a present seeds of typical of Bulgarian herbs: basil, thyme, harefoot and St John's wort. They are designed for a special Bulgarian lane in Prince Charles' estate in Highgrove.

The Prince of Wales, who is known for his interest in gardening, is accompanied by a horticulturist. His cook has also come to Sofia.

After the meeting with Stoyanov, the Prince of Wales went to see the Boyana Church famous for its 13th century wall paintings which was not envisaged in the schedule.

In the afternoon the British Crown Prince visited the Queen Joanna University Hospital. Supporters of the Kingdom of Bulgaria federation welcomed him at the entrance. They carried slogans, reading "We Want Our King", and portraits of Bulgarian King Simeon II who lives in Madrid.

The royalists said that the Prince told them he was glad to see the picture of the Bulgarian King. Breaking the protocol, the British Crown Prince shook hands with some of the people. He told them he was sorry about the bad weather.

Prince Charles handed over a donation of 10 ambulances to the hospital on behalf of the British organization, Staffordshire Ambulance Staff Humanitarian Aid (SASHA).

The ambulances were driven to Bulgaria by Staffordshire paramedics who organized Friday the serial seminar here on pre-hospital urgent care. SASHA also donated some 5 million leva's worth equipment.

In the hospital yard Prince Charles stopped to talk to six-year old Kristiyan, Mitka and Plamenka from the orphanage of the Rabisha village, near Montana. SASHA recently donated to the 36 children from the orphanage a wall-to-wall carpet, mattresses and toys.

While the Prince talked to the donors a small stray dog crept through the crowd-control barriers and walked undisturbed around the ambulances. This prompted an outburst of laughter and the British journalists were told that stray dogs are one of the country's most serious problems.

In the children's Oncohematological Department Prince Charles visited 12-month Bozhidar and asked his mother about the boy's problems and treatment.  He got acquainted with another eight hospitalized children, aged between 4 and 17, and gave an autograph to one of them.  "Do you speak English," the Prince asked him and exchanged a few words with one of the children who dared to speak in English.

The Prince of Wales conferred with the hospital's management and Health Minister Peter Boyadjiev.

Later in the day he inaugurated the Bulgarian branch of the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum (an organization under the Prince's aegis) at the Sheraton hotel. The prince delivered some 20-minute address before the participants.  The Prince of Wales heads the Business Leaders Forum since 1990.  Speaking before him, President Stoyanov said that the organization, which has been operating in Bulgaria since 1994, has succeeded to engage businessmen in projects oriented towards the public sector and the civil society.

The forum was set up by 12 companies and has implemented 49 projects in 12 Bulgarian towns since.

Prince Charles paid a floral tribute to the Unknown Soldier Monument.

Friday evening the President and his wife give an official dinner in honour of the guest.

Saturday Peter Stoyanov and the Prince will visit Bulgaria's second largest town of Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria).  EK,ST/TT

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Prince Charles, President Stoyanov Sing Beatles Songs in Old Plovdiv

Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria), November 7 (Vesselin Trajkov, Antoaneta Momcheva of BTA) - British heir to the throne Prince Charles and Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov sang together Beatles songs in the unique atmosphere of the Old Town in Plovdiv. Prince Charles, who arrived here Friday as part of a Balkan tour, visited this country's second biggest city which is also the hometown of President Stoyanov.

The guest's agenda included visits to the Roma neighbourhood Stolipinovo and the Old Town that is famous for its architecture.

Prince Charles arrived in the morning and was met by the local authorities with no lavish ceremonies but under tough security. Minutes after the official welcome he drove on to the notorious Roma neighbourhood whose residents had been preparing for the visit for weeks.

The whole Stolipinovo population was there to see the royal guest. People had taken positions on the roofs of pre-fab apartment buildings for a better view.

The British heir to the throne and the Bulgarian head of state were cheered by a children dance ensemble comprising Gypsies of the local school. The junior football team with the local Roma foundation stood in ranks in the chilly morning to shake hands with the Prince.

Prince Charles was acquainted with the programme of the local community centre that won it a month ago the European Union award for work on the social integration of minorities. He also met single mothers who live off benefits paid by the centre and get from it support in bringing up their children.

He received as a present from local blacksmiths cow bells and fireplace gear. A Gypsy wedding with all colourful rituals started upon the departure of the high guests.

Curious Plovdiv people were swarming the streets where the route of the royal motorcade passed, to see with their own eyes one of the world's celebrities. But very few had the chance to get a glimpse of the Prince behind the windows of his car.

Hundreds were waiting in the cobbled streets of the old town outside the famous Balabanov House, the SS Konstantin and Elena church and the Zlatyu Boyadjiev gallery - a few of Plovdiv's cultural prides that were shown to the Prince.

The guest showed particular interest in the Ancient Theatre, a remain of the Roman town of Trimontium unearthed in the foundations of present-day Plovdiv.

Charles received from Plovdiv Mayor Spas Gurnevski a hand-made sporting knife and paid for it a symbolical price of Bulgarian coins because tradition requires that one pays for a knife received as present.

Later in the day Charles visited the office of the British company AMEC which is one of the strongest candidates for the gasification of Plovdiv. AMEC representatives briefed the guest on the gasification project and the company's ambitions to have a successful business in Bulgaria. AB,BT/EK/LN