Kate and William return to St Andrews where they met 20 years ago
Back to where love royally blossomed! Kate Middleton looks sleek in £549 Holland Cooper blazer as she returns to St Andrews University where she met Prince William 20 years ago
- Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to St Andrews University where they met 20 years ago
- The couple visited St Salvator’s, the halls of residence where the homesick young prince met his future wife
- Smartly dressed in a striped jumper and £549 blazer by Jane Holland Cooper, Kate beamed at students
- Earlier the couple went head-to-head in a land yacht race – with sporty Kate showing her competitive streak
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today returned to St Andrews University where they first met as students 20 years ago.
Prince William, 38, and Kate Middleton, 39, spoke to students about their pandemic experiences and visited St Salvator’s, the halls of residence where the homesick young prince met his future wife.
The couple met in their first year and became friends before romance blossomed. William proposed in 2010, five years after they graduated. This year the couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.
Smartly dressed in a striped jumper and £549 blazer by Jane Holland Cooper, Kate appeared in excellent spirits as she waved to students waiting to meet the royal couple.
It was a quick change from the practical £159 Barbour jacket and See by Chloe boots wore to race land yachts with Prince William on nearby West Sands Beach.
The Duchess also let down her ponytail, added a slick of makeup and swapped her gold hoop earrings for a slightly more decorative pair.
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today returned to St Andrews University where they first met as students 20 years ago
Smartly dressed in a striped jumper and £549 blazer by Jane Holland Cooper, Kate appeared in excellent spirits. William was more sombre as he arrived at St Andrews (right)
University sweethearts: Prince William and Kate Middleton on the day of their graduation ceremony at St Andrews University in June 2005. The couple met as freshers four years prior
Earlier the couple had gone head-to-head in a land yacht race, with Kate dressing down in a £159 Longshore Barbour jacket, £310 See by Chloe boots and a £115 Campbell’s of Beauly Fairisle Jumper.
On St Salvator’s Lawn, The Duke and Duchess joined Geography and History of Art students contributing to the ‘Can Do’ scheme, a joint initiative between the University and the St Andrews Students’ Association, to discuss their experiences of the pandemic.
The Duke and Duchess also paid a visit to the Can Do marquee, meeting students who were able to plan and host their Covid-secure extra-curricular activities and society events in the space.
From Ballroom and Latin dancing to charity and wellbeing activities, the Can Do marquee has hosted a diverse range of over 500 events since its launch, acting as a vital morale boost for students on campus.
Their Royal Highnesses also joined an interfaith discussion with students from the University’s School of Divinity, campus inter-faith groups including the student-run St Andrews Coexistence Initiative and the University Chaplain, to hear how the university encourages inter-faith dialogue, and how different faiths have come together to understand each other better and provide emotional support during the pandemic.
Finally, The Duke and Duchess planted the first tree for the St Andrews Forest, one of the key initiatives in the University’s action plan to become carbon neutral by 2035.
Conceived by students on the University’s Environmental Sustainability Board during the pandemic, the forest will have multiple sites across the world, and provide new habitats for wildlife, green spaces to aid mental health and wellbeing, as well as opportunities for education and research.
There she blows! The Duchess of Cambridge had her land yachting kart lifted off the sand in a safety demonstration
Thrilled: The couple beamed as they crossed West Sands Beach, St Andrews, despite the bad weather
Head-to-head: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sailed down the sand at West Sands Beach, St Andrews, this morning
Casual Kate: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dressed down in jeans, jackets and boots for the land yachting session. At one point Prince William placed a hand on his wife’s back (right)
And she’s off! Competitive Kate was in her element as she took on her husband in the land yacht race on the blustery beach
All good! Smiling Kate waved at the young carers who joined them in the session. Right, Will gives them a thumbs up
Pulling ahead! The Duchess of Cambridge beamed as she overtook her husband in their land yachting race
… Wills takes the lead! The Duke of Cambridge had his game face on as he edged in front of Kate on the sandy course
Sharing a joke: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met young carers living around Fife and workers from Blown Away
In her element: Sporty Kate was thrilled to get involved in the activity on West Sands Beach, at St Andrews
The royal couple were joined by a group from Fife Young Carers, which helps young carers maintain their well-being through a range of outdoor activities, workshops, and residential trips.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke to young carers about the challenges they have faced during the pandemic.
The Duke and Duchess also heard about the charity’s work to raise awareness of the role of young carers in the local area, including introducing a ‘Young Carers Authorisation Card’ scheme in schools, pharmacies and other medical settings.
The card helps young carers easily identify themselves, without having to repeatedly outline their circumstances and personal stories to those in the local community.
The session was hosted by Blown Away, a local company who are the only commercial land yachting company in Scotland, and host sessions in St Andrews and other iconic Scottish locations.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled to St Andrews from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, where they are staying while on their week-long tour of Scotland. The couple will return to London tomorrow.
Challenge accepted: The Duchess of Cambridge beamed at Prince William as they prepared to set off on their land yachts
Catch me if you can! Kate beamed as she pulled ahead of Prince William during the land yachting challenge
Ready to race! Competitive Kate looked in her element as she and Prince William tried their hand at land yachting
Blustery day: At one point the Duchess of Cambridge’s back wheel lifted off the sand as she turned
Keeping control: The Duke of Cambridge remained calm as the kart was almost blown over by a gust of wind
Tight corner: The couple were challenged with steering the wind-powered vehicles through a series of cones
Concentration: Kate had her game face on as she set off on her land yacht for the friendly race on West Sands Beach
Getting the hang of things: The Duchess of Cambridge smiled as she set off down the beach in the land yacht
Don’t topple over! Kate Middleton laughed as the instructor lifted up the Duchess in the safety demonstration
Gone with the wind… The Duchess of Cambridge sped down the beach, which is close to St Andrews University
Getting close! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge both tried their hand at the activity in St Andrews today
Which way are you going? The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed off in opposite directions on their land yachts
Yesterday William and Kate spent several hours in Orkney, opening a new hospital in Kirkwall and visiting a marine turbine machine. They also stopped at the home of a local family, the Bichans, to hear more about life in Orkney over a cup of tea.
The visit is part of a broader royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence.
Prince William arrived in Scotland on Friday and has carried out a number of engagements focused on the environment, young people and mental well-being.
The Duchess of Cambridge joined her husband on Monday and the pair have continued with a busy schedule of royal engagements.
Important work: The royal couple were joined by a group from Fife Young Carers, which helps young carers maintain their well-being through a range of outdoor activities, workshops, and residential trips
Beach day: The Duchess of Cambridge laughed while speaking to employees of activity company Blown Away
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a cap pulled down over her hair (left). Right, the royal learns more about Blown Away
Quick sprint: The Duchess of Cambridge hurried across the rainy beach during the engagement this morning
Challenging conditions: The couple had to wrap up in several layers for the outing. Right, Kate wipes her eyes
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went for practicality over style in choosing their outfits for the beach enagement
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked on at a group of young carers taking part in the land yachting
On Monday the pair visited Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.
The couple learned about the support the organisation provides to those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse. Later in the afternoon they visited the pioneering Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU), and learned about the support it provides to community organisations across the country.
In the evening they were joined in the café kitchen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where they are staying, by Sikh Sanjog to prepare meals which will be distributed to vulnerable families across the Edinburgh community.
Over the weekend William gave a deeply personal speech in which he described the ‘special place’ that Scotland had in his heart, a country which he said held both some of his ‘happiest memories’ and his ‘saddest’.
It was at Balmoral where he learned of the death of his mother Diana, in 1997. And it was at St Andrews where he met and fell in love with Kate Middleton.
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