HRH the Crown Prince attends WWII memorial opening by Queen Elizabeth II

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, today joined Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of ‘The Wing’, a new visitor centre and permanent memorial to the Battle of Britain, located in Kent, England.
His Royal Highness attended the ceremony on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Michael of Kent, the trust’s patron, also attended the ceremony.

The Crown Prince’s visit underscores the long standing ties between Bahrain and the United Kingdom, which were established more than two centuries ago. In 1939, at the start of the Second World War, during the reign of the late ruler of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom of Bahrain funded the acquisition of a number of the iconic Spitfire aircraft.

In recognition of the Kingdom’s generosity and contribution, six Spitfires in use by the Royal Air Force between 1941 and 1943 were named ‘Bahrain’. A plaque providing details of the six aircraft will be displayed in ‘the Wing’ in honour of the Kingdom’s support to Britain during the war.

The opening of ‘The Wing’ marks the completion of the project, supported by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, that includes a state-of-the-art audio visual experience to educate visitors about the significance of the Battle of Britain in 1940.

At the ceremony, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was accompanied by His Excellency Alice Samaan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the UK, and Lt Col Shaikh Ahmed bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Aide-de-Camp to the Crown Prince.