Harry tests out linguistic skills

Prince Harry has spoken Arabic at a fundraising dinner in Dubai in aid of his charity Sentebale.

The royal, looking smart in a dinner jacket and black-tie for the exclusive event, told guests that the funds raised by a charity auction would not disappear into a "box" but were destined for a vital project.

The dinner raised more than a million dollars (£624,000) to help build Sentebale's Mamohato Children's Centre of Excellence in the African kingdom of Lesotho.

The centre will allow the charity to scale up its Mamohato programme, which addresses the emotional and psychological needs of children living with HIV.

Harry told the guests who enjoyed dinner at an exclusive hotel in remarks reported by gulfnews.com: "Your money is not being thrown in a box where you don't know where it's going. It is going into brickwork. It means a lot to us to be able to provide this opportunity to so many children."

Sentebale was co-founded by Harry and supports projects that help disadvantaged children in Lesotho.

And speaking in Arabic the prince wished the Emirates well in its bid to host the World Expo 2020 saying: "Thank you for your generosity and all the very best with Dubai's bid for 2020."

During the evening items were auctioned to raise funds including rare Islamic gold and silver coins and a polo weekend.

Singer Joss Stone, who in 2007 performed at the 10th anniversary concert in memory of Harry's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, sang for the guests.

Sentebale has entered into a partnership with the Al Jalila Foundation, a not- for-profit healthcare organisation established by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice- president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, to raise money for Harry's charity.

Harry left Dubai for the UK soon after the dinner finished and had spent the weekend on a whistlestop tour of Australia.

He received a welcome reserved for pop stars for his first official visit Down Under.

The royal was guest of honour at the International Fleet Review in Sydney which commemorated 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy's first modern warships sailed into Sydney, seen as a defining moment in the country's maritime history.

Harry's visit also included a trip to Perth where he made an unannounced visit to the headquarters of the Australian SAS to honour special forces soldiers killed in the line of duty.