Tuesday 23rd November was a wonderful day in the history of Belle Vue Girls’ School, when we received our first ever royal visitor – His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the future king.  Every student and member of staff lined the driveway at 11 o’clock, looking for the royal car to arrive.  All the flags were flying high, from Union Jacks to community colours.  The sky was sunny and clear and there was an air of great excitement.  At last, the car appeared at the bottom of Thorn Lane and the cheering and clapping rose to enormous proportions!  The chauffeur drove as slowly as he could without actually stopping and Prince Charles waved and beamed at everyone as he went past.  Pulling up in the school grounds, the prince stepped out to be greeted by the fabulous school samba band, and by the Headteacher, chair of governors and other VIPs.
The purpose of the visit was for Prince Charles to meet students and staff at Belle Vue Girls’ and hear about the school’s work with Mosaic.  This is a charity which Prince Charles founded in 2007.  Its purpose is to engage Muslim professionals in working with local communities andschools, to empower and motivate people.  Ours was one of the first schools to join Mosaic and in the light of our work with them, Mosaic leaders tell us that Belle Vue Girls’ is their flagship national school. During his visit, Prince Charles met many students and staff, holding several in-depth conversations about the school and Mosaic-related activities.  He took a particular interest in our school’s specialisms, our global links, internationalism and our outdoor classroom, and in the efforts of students and Mosaic supporters in fundraising for the Pakistan FloodTowards the end of his visit, Prince Charles came out to the front of the school, where he and Mrs Copeland unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit. Local, national and international media were there, with photographers snapping and clicking away. Prince Charles was presented with a magnificent framed portrait of himself by Year 13 student Rizwana Bibi.  His Royal Highness talked to Rizwana for some time, asking her many questions about her artistic technique. Afterwards, Rizwana said: “I was so nervous and he asked me so many questions, I forgot to ask him where he was going to hang it !”  He also received a commemorative calendar ‘Celebrating Bradford’s Architecture’, for which several Then Prince Charles said his farewell to the school and went on into Bradford, accompanied by some Belle Vue Girls’ staff and students and other guests, to make further visits in support of Bradford’s wool trade. And the school, somehow, went back to normal.  But an amazing number of students and staff are telling the story : “ Prince Charles waved specially at me…..” photographs had been taken by Belle Vue Girls’ School students for Bradford Civic Society . relief campaign.