The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in a smog bound New Delhi amid revelations of Charles’ financial affairs back home.
Charles is due to hold talks with India’s prime minister Narendra Modi but the meeting is likely to be overshadowed by reports, by the BBC and the Guardian, that the heir to the throne invested in an offshore carbon credit trading company, then lobbied for two climate change deals to be altered.
The royal couple began the last leg of their autumn tour by flying from Malaysia to India and landed at an airforce base in the Indian capital where the sun was obscured by a smoky haze.
Smog had descended on the city on Tuesday, causing some to panic, according to reports, when they woke up and found the capital engulfed.
The Indian Medical Association has declared a public health emergency, urging administrators to “curb this menace” and all Delhi schools have been closed until Sunday.
The serious problem with the pollution comes after emissions from diesel engines and coal-fired power plants were further exacerbated by smoke from farmers burning crop stubble and from fireworks set off for last month’s Diwali celebrations.
Charles and Camilla plant a Banyan tree at the British Council in New Delhi (Yui Mok/PA)
India is the last leg of an 11-day trip, which has seen the prince and duchess tour Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.
Although the stop to India is brief, just two days, the meeting with the leader of the world’s largest democracy is an important one.
Charles has spoken of his passion for the Commonwealth during the tour, and with a major gathering of leaders from the family of nations being staged in London next April, the meeting of the prime minister and the prince will further strengthen UK-India relations ahead of the summit.
Charles and Camilla at the British Council in New Delhi (Yui Mok/PA)
According to reports, the leaked Paradise Papers show Charles’ private Duchy of Cornwall estate paid 113,500 dollars (£58,000) in 2007 for 50 shares in the Bermuda-registered Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd in 2007.
Following the purchase, Charles lobbied for a change to two climate change deals that would have directly benefited the business, the BBC and the Guardian said.
A spokesman for Clarence House denied that Charles had spoken out on the two deals in order to benefit financially.
“The prince has never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company that The Duchy may have invested in,” he said.
“In the case of climate change his views are well-known, indeed he has been warning of the threat of global warming to our environment for over 30 years.”
Charles and Camilla paint a model elephant during an Elephant Family charity event at the British High Commissioner’s Residence in New Delhi (Yui Mok/PA)
The spokesman added that carbon markets were just one of many strategies Charles had championed to try and slow the pace of climate change.
Margaret Hodge MP, a former chair of the Common’s Public Accounts Committee, told the Guardian: “What is clear is that there should be proper transparency of all investments made by the Duchy of Cornwall, that the Prince of Wales should not be involved in investment decisions and that the Treasury should monitor the investments to ensure that the reputation and integrity of our royal family is protected.”
During the royal couple’s first Indian engagement, Camilla watched the world premiere of a contemporary dance piece she helped create – and was transfixed.
At an event celebrating the UK-India Year of Culture, Camilla sat in the front row, next to Charles, as four dancers performed her piece created online as part of the Mix the Body interactive experience.
By using a cursor users can direct the movements of the performers in an experience created by award-winning choreographer Wayne McGregor, and featuring dancers from India’s Attakkalari Dance Company.
As bass-heavy music played, the four-strong troupe mixed balletic movements with street-dance and at the end were thanked by the royal couple who went on stage at the British Council’s New Delhi headquarters.
Charles and Camilla join members of the Attakkalri Dance Company on stage at the British Council in New Delhi (Yui Mok/PA)
Earlier, Charles and Camilla chatted to music producer Aditya Balani, who has helped create the online Mix the City musical experience, where musicians, from guitarists to sitar players, recorded sound clips around New Delhi that can be mixed online to create unique performances.
Exeter University graduate Ratik Saboo, from India, described to Charles the electric rickshaw invention he has developed into a business with support from the British Council.
Mr Saboo said the Prince quipped about the smog: “He said to me, ‘give the driver a mask’.”