Edward and Sophie visit Florida

TRH Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex made a quick trip to Florida to attend the ORBIS International Ball.  The Earl of Wessex was awarded with the International Humanitarian Award for his work with the International Award Association.

TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended the ORBIS Global Ball in Palm Beach, Florida.  The ball was held in a hangar at Palm Beach International Airport to show off the organization's DC-10 flying hospital and classroom which visits 60 countries a year to provide vision care.

The Earl and Countess arrived on the Thursday by commercial jet with a small entourage, including Edward's private secretary and personal attendants for both Edward and Sophie and stayed at the The Colony hotel.  On Friday they attended a a reception at the home of gala chairman Audrey Gruss for 20 guests who contributed at least $25,000 each to the event. The royals bowled over guests at the event co-hosted by Celia Lipton Farris to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award program.

On Saturday evening, event planner Bruce Sutka transformed an ugly aluminum airplane hangar into a fairyland of white drape and twinkling lights. Caterer Ann Z's menu included smoked salmon rosette with caviar and crème fraiche, baby lamb chops, "Poire William" pear sorbet with berries and white and dark chocolate, demitasse and cognac. Peter Duchin's New York orchestra kept guests dancing. "I sneak in once in a while," Duchin said of his occasional Palm Beach sorties. "All I have to do is go (he gave a little chop motion with his arm) and hope they're watching."

Edward and Sophie arrived at 7 p.m. sharp and were announced by Dinner Chairman Winston S. Churchill, grandson of the late prime minister. They mingled with VIP guests for 15 minutes and then joined ORBIS president Oliver Foot to tour the DC-10. Both were animated, asking questions of ORBIS staffers, including nurses representing 15 nations. Reacting to a video being shown of a cornea transplant, Sophie asked the nurses if they ever felt squeamish. She and Edward also asked detailed questions about the technology, the services provided and the number of patients treated.

Back in the gala tent, they barely had time to eat as friends and guests wanting to meet royalty stopped by their table. Among their friends was Palm Beacher Barbara Wainscott Berger .  After dinner, Edward accepted the ORBIS Global Humanitarian Award more, he said, on behalf of his father, whose Duke of Edinburgh International Awards, like ORBIS, reach around the globe to provide opportunity to people. The night then was given over to dancing, but Edward and Sophie remained at their tables chatting with Gruss, well wishers and Winston S. Churchill. 

The event was essentially a low key event. Described by Prince Edward's private- secretary Smedley as a quick "in and out" visit. He noted Edward spends about 70 percent of his time on the road.The royals were scheduled to have breakfast with friends on Sunday and then fly out of Miami directly to London. "We'll be back at work Monday morning, 8 o'clock sharp," Smedley said.

I nterview with HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex

Prince Edward granted a small interview to the Palm Beach Daily News to ask for support for the International Award Association.  He explained that the program is a self-development challenge available to young people from age 14 through young adulthood. Established in the United Kingdom by Prince Philip in 1956, the program is now in more than 100 countries. E

It is a four-part challenge involving community service, skills enhancement, physical acuity, and an excursion or adventure. The challenge is available in varying levels of rigor - bronze, silver or gold.

" Few young people are motivated by academics alone ," said the prince in a rare informal moment. "The program is about sport, skills, service to the community and adventure. It emphasizes all of them. One of them is likely to already be a passion. Developing that one passion may ignite another, " he said.

Nearly 6 million young people have taken part in the program. Still, Edward said there is not a typical participant. "Describing a 'typical' participant is like describing a 'typical' young person," he said. "It can't be done. There is none." Although the program is the same in all countries, "the choices made within the program by participants are determined by their backgrounds, interests and strengths, " he said. "They see the award as the challenge that it is. They may already be performing community service, which is required by many schools now, but perhaps the adventure part appeals to them."

Edward underscored that the Duke of Edinburgh Awards is a program, rather than an organization, differing in three crucial ways. "First of all, we work with already existing organizations so we don't have to reinvent the wheel," he said. " We enhance existing experience. In the U.S., for example, we work closely with the Boy Scouts. After a Scout reaches the Eagle level, what is there? Well, there's this program." Secondly, he said, "It is open to all. There are absolutely no barriers. Anybody who wishes to participate may do so." And finally, because participants choose what they want to do, rather than being forced to conform to a predetermined agenda, " We don't need to reinvent the program every year. It reinvents itself for each and every participant." He noted that in addition to the self-knowledge gained, participants also come away with a different world view.  "It's a completely new, different perspective. It's about looking outward, " he said. " The gold level's residential aspect encourages participants to live in a completely different environment, to step outside what they're accustomed to."  Program participants consistently describe it as life-changing, with many returning to the program as volunteers or mentors. " Especially within the program. The groups who have done the gold level help out the ones doing the bronze or silver." Ultimately, he said, "the program turns out self-confident young people who develop into good citizens with an awareness of others and a keen social conscience who strive to make things better."