Singapore, Nov 6 (EFE).- England’s Prince William on Monday took part in a dragon boat race on the second day of his trip to Singapore.
Britain’s Prince William (C) takes part in a dragon boat practice with members of The British Dragons club at the Kallang River in Singapore, 06 November 2023. EFE-EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG
William, wearing a black cap and white polo shirt, joined the British Dragons club – formed in 2000 – during their practice on Singapore’s Kallang River.
The prince took part in the race on a 22-seater boat decorated with dragon heads at the bow and tails made of teak wood.
The history of the water sport, which began to gain international fame in the 1970s, dates back to 278 BC, when Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and official, committed suicide on the Miluo River in Hunan Province in protest of the court’s alliances and betrayals during the Zhou dynasty.
Legend has it that the inhabitants of Qu’s village went out in their boats, beating drums, and threw rice balls into the water to feed the fish and prevent them from eating his body.
Prince William, heir to the British throne after King Charles III, arrived in Singapore on Wednesday on a four-day official visit to take part in several events, including the Earthshot Prize ceremony.
The awards ceremony of the initiative, which was launched by William in 2020 and seeks to give visibility to the most innovative solutions to the world’s environmental problems, will take place in the city-state on Tuesday.
William, who was welcomed on Sunday by people waving British flags, visited the Rain Vortex, the world’s largest indoor waterfall at the Singapore Changi Airport, and is scheduled to meet Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday. EFE
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