Prince Charles to meet Gurkha soldiers' kin

The Prince of Wales, Charles, will meet relatives of serving British Gurkha soldiers currently deployed in Afghanistan, according to British media reports.

He will meet with families of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR), stationed at Sir John Moore Barracks in Folkestone, southeast England when he visits Kent shortly.

Prince Charles will also meet soldiers injured in Afghanistan and undergoing rehabilitation at Headley Court in Surrey.

Around 650 members of 2 RGR are currently deployed in Afghanistan. The battalion lost two of its serving members during fighting in Afghanistan last November. Rifleman Yubraj Rai, 28, was killed on November 4, and Colour Sergeant Krishna Bahadur Dura, 36, died on November 15.

During a recent tour of the Far East with the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales met one of the Gurkha fighters who served with his son Prince Harry in Afghanistan. Charles met Lance Corporal Bhim Garbuja, 25, from 1 RGR during a visit to Brunei in October last year. British Royals keep special attachment with Gurkha soldiers. Earlier, Prince Harry while in Afghanistan said he felt most secure when he lived with Gurkhas. nepalnews.com Jan 28 09