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THE tortured relationships between two royal families, Jerusalem, Israel and the Jews came to a head this week as Britain's future king (and unless something changes, the future head of the Church of England) toured the city, which is held dear by three monotheistic religions.
His itinerary included the Western Wall, where he stood in prayerful silence, wearing a Jewish head-covering, and the peak known as both the Temple Mount and Haram al-Sharif, which is revered by Jews and Muslims. He also visited the Holy Sepulchre, the tomb of Jesus Christ where six Christian confessions exercise joint stewardship, but a Muslim dynasty holds the keys.
For Prince William, the emotional high point may have been a visit to the tomb of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, in an awesomely beautiful Russian Orthodox convent on the Mount of Olives. The princess, who became a Greek Orthodox nun and battled with mental-health problems, is honoured in Israel as a "righteous Gentile" because of the help she gave a Jewish...Continue reading
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