The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh undertook a four-day State Visit to Ankara, Bursa and Istanbul at the invitation of President Abdullah Gül.
Having arrived at Esenboga Airport, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Ankara.
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The Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Ankara
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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led the Turkish national movement and went on to establish the republic of Turkey and become its first President in 1923.
The Queen laid a wreath at the mausoleum before the Royal party drove to the Presidential Palace for the official welcoming ceremony at which Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were received by The President of the Republic of Turkey and Mrs. Gül.
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The Queen and President Gul at the official welcoming ceremony
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A State Banquet was held in the evening at the Presidential Palace.
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The Queen and President Gul at the State Banquet
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In a speech to guests The Queen remembered her previous visit to the country 36 years ago:
"Here in 1971, I remarked on the tremendous achievement of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in guiding this country of rich and ancient traditions along a course towards a modern, enlightened and democratic state. One could hardly have imagined then the further strides that Turkey would take to become today's confident and dynamic democracy".
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The Duke of Edinburgh with the President's wife, Hayrunnisa Gul, at the State Banquet
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The second day of the visit was spent in the northwestern city of Bursa where The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh met shopkeepers in the Koza Han, which literally translated means the 'silk cocoon market'.
Koza Han was built in the 15th century as both an inn and a silk market, Bursa being the last stop on the Great Silk Road from China. To this day, silk farmers bring their silk cocoons there to be spun.
Her Majesty and His Royal Highness watched a fashion show and a shadow puppet show before undertaking separate programmes. The Queen visited the Green Mosque and the Green Tomb whilst The Duke of Edinburgh met workers at the Tofas car factory.
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The Queen is presented with a copy of the Koran during a visit to the Green Mosque
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Day three of the State Visit saw The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh in Istanbul for a visit to Kabatas School which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
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The school was established in 1908 by the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II in order to educate new generations for the Islamic World. In its early years only boys were educated in the school. However, as of 1994, girls have also been educated there.
Her Majesty and His Royal Highness saw pupils perform a traditional song and watched them take part in science and maths experiments during their tour before visiting a nearby bazaar and taking a boat journey down the Istanbul Strait to the Istanbul Modern art gallery.
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The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh (centre back, in hat) travel down the Bosphorus
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In the evening, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh entertained The President and Mrs. Gül and Turkish guests at a reception on board HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. |
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On the final day of their visit, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness visited the British Embassy in Ankara where they attended a ceremony for young people who have achieved the Gold Standard in The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Scheme.
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The Queen is introduced to Turkish footballer Haken Sukur at a garden party at the British Embassy in Ankara
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Afterwards, the Royal couple viewed a 'street football' match in the Embassy grounds and a musical production by pupils of the British Embassy Study Group before attending a garden party hosted by Her Majesty's Ambassador. |
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