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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

14th November 2012

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to Australia

Prime Minister Julia Gillard with TRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

TRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall paid a Jubilee visit to Australia last week. He had visited many times before and is very fond of the country. For the Duchess it was her very first visit.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard with TRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

They had a full programme travelling all over Australia, taking in the outback in Queensland, as well as Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney and Canberra.

In Queensland he visited the Flying Doctors, of which he is the Patron. He also participated in events which highlighted South Australian food and wine, and Australian wool, and supported Australian cricket stars working with disadvantaged youth.

He also had an opportunity to engage with many Australians at events hosted by the Governor General and state Governors.

Since TRH visit Australia as the family of Australia’s Sovereign, the British High Commission has no formal involvement in their programme. But we did get a chance to chat to Their Royal Highnesses at the Melbourne Cup – the famous “race that stops the nation”.  

They seemed to be very much enjoying their time in Australia. Certainly the public and media reaction has been very positive.

TRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Melbourne Cup

Before leaving Australia, the Prince of Wales laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in Canberra on 10 November. I have also been busy with Remembrance Services this weekend. I took part in the national ceremony in Canberra on Sunday, laying the UK wreath alongside those of the Governor General and Prime Minister.

I also participated in a separate service at the French Embassy and was invited to address an event at the Polish Embassy which marked the 70thanniversary of the evacuation of exiled Polish citizens from wartime captivity in the USSR.

Many of them went on to fight with great distinction with British and allied forces in WWII, and afterwards many settled in Britain and Australia.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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australia canberra diamond jubilee Diamond Jubilee Tour hrh Lady Camilla Prince Charles Remembrance Day war memorial