Gandaki, 7 February: His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and His Royal Highness Princess Sophie, Duchess of Sussex, today observed a parade presented by 274 Nepali youth who formally joined the British Army at a program organized at the British Camp in Pokhara.
British Prince Edward and Princess Sophie, who are visiting Nepal, visited the annual certification parade and met with their families to learn more. At the ceremony, Prince Edward said, “You have now become a Gurkha soldier. You are one of only 274 new Gurkhas out of more than 13,000 who are expected to be recruited this year. This has been one of the biggest challenges of your life. You can be very proud of your achievements.”
The ceremony was witnessed by the British Ambassador to Nepal, Rob Fenn, and the Colonel Commandant of the Gurkha Brigade, Major General Strickland DSO MBE, among others. 38 Coronation Medals and two Long Service and Good Conduct Medals were also presented during the parade.
The 274 successful trainees will join the British Army after a year-long selection process. They will travel to the Army Training Centre (ITC) in Catterick, UK, where they will undergo nine months of training, the program said.
In Pokhara, Britain’s HRH Prince Edward and HRH Princess Sophie also observed first-hand how the Gorkha Welfare Trust (GWT) Area Welfare Centre (AWC) is providing support to former British military personnel in Nepal. They observed the work being done at the GWT’s residential home, which provides housing and other support to 20 of the most vulnerable former Gurkha soldiers and their widows.
British HRH Prince Edward and HRH Princess Sophie also learned about the work of the Kaduri Agricultural Assistance Association (KAAA) in Nepal. During their visit to the residential home, HRH Prince Edward and HRH Princess Sophie met 104-year-old Asha Kumari Tamang. Tamang’s late husband served in the 4th Gurkha Rifles during World War II. Asha Kumari has been living at the residential home since 2011. During the event, she also took a group photo with selected soldiers of the British Army.
गण्डकी, २५ माघः नेपाल भ्रमण रहनुुभएका संयुक्त अधिराज्य बेलायतका अधिराजकुमार एडिनब्राका ड्यूक एड्वर्ड पोखरास्थित ब्रिटिस क्याम्पमा आयोजित एक समारोहमा बेलायती सेनामा औपचारिक रुपमा सामेल भएका नेपाली युवा तथा परिवारजनलाई भेट्नुहुँदै । तस्बिरः वासुदेव पौडेल÷रासस His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, who is on a visit to Nepal, meets Nepali youth and their families who have formally joined the British Army at a ceremony organized at the British Camp in Pokhara. Photo: Vasudev Poudel/RSS
The Gorkha Welfare Trust is a leading charity dedicated to supporting former Gorkha soldiers, their families and communities. It was established in 1969 to provide financial assistance to welfare pensioners (those who left the British Army before becoming eligible for an MOD pension). The Trust has had a significant impact across Nepal and has spent money on various causes every year.
