Prince Charles: Arabic is tough to learn
By Ben Brumfield, CNN
updated 8:04 AM EDT, Thu March 14, 2013
Qatar's Sheikh Abdul Rahman Bin Saud Al Thani escorts Prince Charles and his wife Camilla in Doha on Wednesday.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- At a networking event, the prince complimented guests' impeccable English
- Qatar's energy minister asked if Charles spoke any Arabic
- He said he was learning but it was not easy
(CNN) -- Prince Charles is learning Arabic but said he's having a difficult time of it.
At a networking event Thursday in Qatar for alumni of UK universities, he complimented guests on their impeccable English.
Qatar's energy minister inquired if Charles spoke any Arabic.
"I tried to learn it once but I gave up. It goes in one ear and out the other," he answered.
Read: Prince Charles visits Syrian refugee camp in Jordan
Laura Sullivan, a spokeswoman at Clarence House, confirmed Thursday that Prince Charles has taken lessons.
"He definitely has been having Arabic lessons," she said.
Sullivan was quick to point out the prince has mastered other languages.
"He definitely speaks Welsh as I've heard him myself," Sullivan said. "French is a definite, and he is very good at that."
The Prince of Wales is on a tour of the Middle East with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.
On Wednesday, they visited a camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan.
In Qatar, the Duchess will attend workshops on literacy and women's empowerment while Charles meets with the Crown Prince of Qatar and the country's prime minister.
Part of complete coverage on
updated 8:23 PM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
A man who silently stood and stared at a portrait of Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish state, in Taksim Square drew hundreds to his vigil.
updated 2:31 PM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
Could the end of the war in Afghanistan be in sight? A flash of hope flickered at the end of the tunnel Tuesday.
updated 11:14 PM EDT, Mon June 17, 2013
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden is laying low, but that's becoming increasingly difficult. CNN's Ian Lee reports.
updated 9:20 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
Chinese netizens are outraged as photos surface of tourists posing with a dying dolphin on Weibo.
updated 6:17 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
With global food supply needing to increase by an estimated 70% by 2050, the continent is at the heart of the challenge of food security.
updated 6:36 AM EDT, Mon June 17, 2013
Snipers are doing most of the fighting in one war-torn Damascus suburb in Syria. CNN's Fred Pleitgen finds that death can come any minute.
updated 7:36 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
CNN's The Gateway goes behind the scenes of the world's major transport hubs, revealing the logistics that keep goods and people moving.
updated 7:53 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
Those countries in the Middle East that have been spared political upheaval find themselves enmeshed in a different sort of battle of late...
updated 10:14 PM EDT, Mon June 17, 2013
Chris Kreis talks exclusively to CNN's Piers Morgan about his trip on a whale shark's back.
updated 10:32 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
Mifalot is an Israeli NGO which brings together children from all backgrounds through football.
updated 8:52 AM EDT, Tue June 18, 2013
From Charles Lindbergh's record-breaking landing to his solar flight, CNN takes a look back at the Paris Airshow's most memorable moments.
updated 6:40 AM EDT, Thu June 13, 2013
Scenes of violent clashes between protesters and police may make visitors to Istanbul think twice. Is it time to cancel your trip?
updated 1:07 PM EDT, Fri June 7, 2013
CNN received more than 1,000 iReports from Turkey in less than a week from people demanding their voices to be heard.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|