The Prince of Wales Pays Official Visit to Estonia

The Prince of Wales undertook an official visit to Estonia from Thursday, 20th March to Friday, 21st March 2025. His Royal Highness travelled to the Baltic nation in his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment to engage with British troops and observe their contributions to NATO’s eastern defence as part of Operation Cabrit.

Thursday, 20th March

On the first day of his visit to Estonia, The Prince of Wales met with the President of Estonia at the Presidential Office, marking the beginning of his official engagements in the country.

Following this, His Royal Highness visited The Freedom School in Tallinn. Established by the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia in May 2022, the school was created in response to the war in Ukraine and serves as a vital educational resource for displaced Ukrainian children.

At the school, The Prince spoke with Ukrainian teachers to learn about their personal experiences and how they have supported students in adjusting to life in Estonia while prioritising their mental wellbeing. His Royal Highness also took part in a sports activity alongside pupils and attended a Ukrainian language lesson, engaging directly with the school community.

The final engagement of the day saw The Prince of Wales attend a workshop featuring a range of renewable energy startups. These organisations are part of the Cleantech Association, a business network that represents the interests of Estonia’s cleantech sector.

The association works to promote the success of innovative companies and contribute to the broader development of a sustainable economy. Its efforts include fostering collaboration, maintaining open dialogue with policymakers, and establishing international partnerships.

During the visit, His Royal Highness heard from different energy and clean tech startups about how they are developing renewable energy and how Estonia is growing its energy security.

Friday 21st March

On arrival to Tapa Camp, The Prince met Estonian troops to hear about their experiences training at the base.

In his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment, The Prince of Wales visited the Parade Square at Tapa Camp to participate in a formal handover ceremony between The Royal Dragoon Guards and the Mercian Regiment, marking a symbolic transfer of authority at the base.

His Royal Highness also had the opportunity to observe a range of military equipment that the Mercian Regiment will be using for training and operational purposes during their deployment in Estonia.

Later in the day, The Prince visited the training grounds to learn more about how the Mercians are engaging with different weapon systems and adopting new training and operational techniques while stationed in Estonia.

His Royal Highness also visited the Welfare team, who told him about the emotional and mental wellbeing support that is available to soldiers deployed in Tapa on Operation Cabrit.

Finally, The Prince met troops from the Mercian Regiment Battle Group and NATO partners at The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) shop and canteen. The space provides a relaxed and informal space for soldiers and other personnel on base to shop, eat food, socialise and play games.