The Princess is a young lady of 22, who studies art history. When I met her I found that she is very knowledgeable and wanted to have an adventure here. She entered the Great Pyramid and went all the way through into the burial chamber. Then we walked together to the east side of the pyramid, where she could see the queens’ pyramids, the boat pits, and also the new pyramid that I found a few years ago. Then we entered the boat museum, where I showed her Khufu’s solar boat, and we sat and talked.

Then we drove to the sphinx, and I told her the story inscribed on Tuthmosis IV’s Dream Stele, between the paws of the sphinx. The story relates that Tuthmosis IV, as a prince, went to sleep beside the sphinx. The sphinx then appeared to him in a dream and told the young Tuthmosis that if he removed the sand from around his body he would make him king of Egypt. The princess enjoyed this story a lot. Then, together with her friends, who had accompanied her, we took some lovely photos in front of the sphinx. I was deeply impressed by the kindness that I could see in the young princess’ eyes; it was exactly as I had seen in the eyes of her aunt when I first met her at the pyramids, and also when I saw her in Thailand last year.

It was a great honour to take the princess to see the pyramids; the Thai people have been very generous to me, having already given me the beautiful gift of an honorary doctorate from one of the best universities in the country. Normally, if an Egyptology department gives out an honorary degree it is due to the person’s relations and connections within Egyptology; but the Thai people do not work in Egypt, and they do not ask for anything. They awarded me this doctorate from their hearts, and I felt this very clearly when the Ambassador of Thailand in Egypt, and the Professors from the university came to award me the degree. Also I cannot forget that Thailand was the first country to announce that they would give their vote to Farouk Hosni as a UNSECO candidate.