Prince of Wales is taking his interest in Middle East affairs to a new level by having lessons in Arabic.
The Prince modestly told guests at a reception in Qatar that the language “goes in one ear and out the other”, but an aide disclosed that he is so keen to learn it that he has been having private tuition for more than six months.
Understanding Arabic would enable the Prince, who is passionate about encouraging dialogue between different religions, to read the Koran in its original form.
It would also mean he could decipher Arabic script during visits to mosques and museums of Islamic art.
