Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, has attended mass in Malta to mark the tiny island country's 50 years of independence from Britain.
Leading national figures were also at the mass at St John's Co-Cathedral in the capital Valletta.
It is believed to be the first time that the prince, who will be Head of the Church of England when he is king, has attended a public Catholic mass.
He is a replacement for his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who had to withdraw on doctors' advice after suffering severe morning sickness.
It would have been the first solo official overseas visit for the duchess, who is pregnant with her second child.
During the mass, prayers were said and hymns sung in thanksgiving for the five decades of self-rule since Malta gained its independence from the UK on 21 September 1964.
Today, like Britain, Malta is a member of both the EU and the Commonwealth, joining the former in 2004. With a population of just over 41,000 and a land area of just 121 sq miles, it is the EU's smallest Member State.
Prince William in Malta: Mass marks 50 years of independence
21 September 2014
BBC News
The Duke of Cambridge has attended a mass in Malta to celebrate the country's 50 years of independence.
Leading national figures were also at the mass at St John's Co-Cathedral in the capital Valletta.
It is believed to be the first time that the prince has attended a public Catholic mass.
He is a replacement for the Duchess of Cambridge, who had to withdraw on doctors' advice after suffering severe morning sickness.
It would have been the first solo official overseas visit for the duchess, who is pregnant with her second child.
During the mass, prayers were said and hymns sung in thanksgiving for the five decades of self-rule since Malta gained its independence from the UK on 21 September 1964.
The mass was held at St John's Co-Cathedral, known for its highly-decorated and recently restored interior
The prince sat in the front pew with Britain's High Commissioner to Malta, Rob Luke, during the hour-long mass at the lavish cathedral.
It was built in the 16th century as the church of the Order of the Knights of St John, former rulers of Malta.
On Saturday, Prince William told Malta's President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca that his wife was feeling "so-so".
He also told the president: "I was asking my grandmother all about her time in Malta just a week ago. I'm very interested in the history."
The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, lived in Malta at various times between 1949 and 1951, when the Duke of Edinburgh was on naval service.
Also on Saturday, Prince William met Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and was shown documents in Malta's national library, including letters from Henry VIII and George II.
He also saw the original citation awarding the George Cross to Malta for its bravery in facing a sustained bombardment by Germany and Italy during World War II, when it was a vital British base in the Mediterranean.
Malta has long been a good ally of Britain and is the only country in the world to have been awarded a George Cross, second only in ranking to the Victoria Cross. It was awarded to Malta by King George VI in a letter dated 15 April 1942 to the island's Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie, so as to "bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people" during the great siege it underwent in the early parts of World War II. The George Cross is woven into the Flag of Malta and can be seen wherever the flag is flown.
Among those attending the mass was Malta's President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca
Prince William listened to a brass band before attending the Independence Day Service
An Armed Forces of Malta sniper team kept watch from the roof of St John's Co-Cathedral
BBC News - Prince William in Malta: Mass marks 50 years of independence
Leading national figures were also at the mass at St John's Co-Cathedral in the capital Valletta.
It is believed to be the first time that the prince, who will be Head of the Church of England when he is king, has attended a public Catholic mass.
He is a replacement for his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who had to withdraw on doctors' advice after suffering severe morning sickness.
It would have been the first solo official overseas visit for the duchess, who is pregnant with her second child.
During the mass, prayers were said and hymns sung in thanksgiving for the five decades of self-rule since Malta gained its independence from the UK on 21 September 1964.
Today, like Britain, Malta is a member of both the EU and the Commonwealth, joining the former in 2004. With a population of just over 41,000 and a land area of just 121 sq miles, it is the EU's smallest Member State.
Prince William in Malta: Mass marks 50 years of independence
21 September 2014
BBC News
The Duke of Cambridge has attended a mass in Malta to celebrate the country's 50 years of independence.
Leading national figures were also at the mass at St John's Co-Cathedral in the capital Valletta.
It is believed to be the first time that the prince has attended a public Catholic mass.
He is a replacement for the Duchess of Cambridge, who had to withdraw on doctors' advice after suffering severe morning sickness.
It would have been the first solo official overseas visit for the duchess, who is pregnant with her second child.
During the mass, prayers were said and hymns sung in thanksgiving for the five decades of self-rule since Malta gained its independence from the UK on 21 September 1964.
The mass was held at St John's Co-Cathedral, known for its highly-decorated and recently restored interior
The prince sat in the front pew with Britain's High Commissioner to Malta, Rob Luke, during the hour-long mass at the lavish cathedral.
It was built in the 16th century as the church of the Order of the Knights of St John, former rulers of Malta.
On Saturday, Prince William told Malta's President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca that his wife was feeling "so-so".
He also told the president: "I was asking my grandmother all about her time in Malta just a week ago. I'm very interested in the history."
The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, lived in Malta at various times between 1949 and 1951, when the Duke of Edinburgh was on naval service.
Also on Saturday, Prince William met Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and was shown documents in Malta's national library, including letters from Henry VIII and George II.
He also saw the original citation awarding the George Cross to Malta for its bravery in facing a sustained bombardment by Germany and Italy during World War II, when it was a vital British base in the Mediterranean.
Malta has long been a good ally of Britain and is the only country in the world to have been awarded a George Cross, second only in ranking to the Victoria Cross. It was awarded to Malta by King George VI in a letter dated 15 April 1942 to the island's Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie, so as to "bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people" during the great siege it underwent in the early parts of World War II. The George Cross is woven into the Flag of Malta and can be seen wherever the flag is flown.
Among those attending the mass was Malta's President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca
Prince William listened to a brass band before attending the Independence Day Service
An Armed Forces of Malta sniper team kept watch from the roof of St John's Co-Cathedral
BBC News - Prince William in Malta: Mass marks 50 years of independence
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