The new Prince and Princess of Wales have kept to their promise by visiting Wales at the earliest opportunity since they were gifted their new titles.
The day after the late Queen's death, the new King Charles declared he would be giving his eldest son and daughter-in-law new titles, with Kate the first person to use the Princess of Wales style since her late mother-in-law Princess Diana. Today, the first day since royal mourning ended, William and Kate are in Holyhead in Anglesey, North Wales, before later travelling to Swansea in South West Wales. The royal couple had promised to visit at the earliest opportunity following the death of the Queen, and return hoping to begin “deepening the trust and respect” they have with the people of Wales.
To mark the occasion, Kate wore a vibrant red coat, with red being the national colour of Wales, from high-end retailer LK Bennett.
And it could be that the coat is a nod to Diana, the last Princess of Wales, as the coat is called the Spencer coat - with Diana's family name of course being Spencer.
In addition, Prince William’s first royal engagement, aged eight, was in the Welsh capital of Cardiff with his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
While in Holyhead, the couple are visiting the local RNLI Lifeboat Station where they are meeting the crew, volunteers and some of those who have previously been rescued by the team.
It is one of the oldest lifeboat stations on the Welsh coast and, across the years, members have received a total of 70 awards for gallantry.
They are then taking a walk to the Holyhead Marine and Cafe Bar where they will meet people from local small businesses and organisations, including the coastguard and sea cadets.
Holyhead is only a half-hour drive from the four-bedroom farmhouse the prince and princess rented as newlyweds on the Isle of Anglesey, or Ynys Mon, between 2010 and 2013 when William was an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Having made their first home together in Wales is part of why they say they hold such a “deep affection” for the country.
It is also where they raised their eldest child, Prince George, for the first few months of his life.
After leaving Holyhead, they will travel to St Thomas Church in Swansea which has transformed over the last two years into a community hub.
The church now provides vital services to hundreds of people in the city such as a not-for-profit cafe and facilities for the homeless including food, showers and toilets.
William and Kate will get a chance to meet volunteers who work in the church’s food bank and the Swansea Baby Basics initiative, which distributes essential items such as toiletries and clothing to vulnerable mothers.
Kate has previously worked with baby banks and in 2020 brought together 19 British brands and retailers to donate over 10,000 new items to more than 40 such banks nationwide.
Both the princess and William will spend some time meeting members of the public gathered outside the church.
The last official visit the pair made to Wales was as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Cardiff Castle in June, where rehearsals for the Platinum Jubilee concert were taking place.
It was Prince George and his sister Princess Charlotte’s first official outing in the country and the family were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers. The siblings will not be joining their parents on Tuesday’s visit as both will be in school.
William and Kate will now be making more regular visits to Wales as part of their roles as prince and princess, and are expected back in the country before Christmas.
