King and Queen arrive home safely after UK trip

KUANTAN (Bernama): Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have arrived home safely after their special visit to the United Kingdom (UK).

The special plane carrying the royal couple landed at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base in Kuantan at 3.45pm, and Their Majesties were greeted by their son, Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri'ayatuddin Shah.

Also present were members of the Pahang state administration led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak and Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Osman.

Upon arrival, the King and Queen underwent a Covid-19 screening test as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Ministry of Health, before heading to Istana Abdulaziz here, to undergo self-quarantine.

They had also undergone screening tests in London, three days prior to leaving for home.

The King and Queen left for the UK on Sept 17 for a special 10-day visit, the second since Al-Sultan Abdullah was installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the first being a seven-day visit in December 2019.

In London, Their Majesties visited the Battersea Power Station Project in London, the Malaysian High Commission in Belgrave Square and the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in Brickendonbury, Hertford besides meeting the Malaysian diaspora there.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also attended a reunion dinner with his former fellow cadets at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he studied between 1978 and 1979.

His Majesty also met with two Malaysian cadet officers Muhammad Yaasin Kamaruddin and Muhammad Haikal Mohd Tukiman who were studying there, as well as his coach, Colin John.

Apart from that, Al-Sultan Abdullah also granted an audience to the UK’s chief of the defence staff General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, who had also studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

After the 10-day special visit, Their Majesties stayed back in the UK before returning to Malaysia.

During Al-Sultan Abdullah’s absence, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, who was also the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, performed the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. - Bernama