The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are all set to pay tribute to the inspiring work of those who have gone above and beyond to support communities during the challenging period of COVID-19 in 2020. Prince William and Duchess Catherine will be embarking on the nationwide Royal Train Tour in which they will be covering 1250 miles, making 10 stops, in England, Scotland and Wales in three days.
Starting on Sunday, while following the Government guidelines, The royal couple is set to bring royal cheeriness to the nation ahead of the Christmas Holidays. From December 06th to December 08th, William and Catherine will undertake working visits meeting frontline workers, volunteers, care-home staff, teachers, schoolchildren and young people to hear about their experiences, sacrifices and inspiring work they have done through this challenging year. The locations of the tour are going to remain embargoed to avoid public gatherings and follow the social distancing guidelines.
Kensington Palace
Ahead of the tour, the Palace commissioned 10-year-old Joe Whale (TheDoodleBoy1) to bring the upcoming tour to life. TheDoodleBoy1 designed this beautiful artwork showcasing the spirit of the tour. Kensington Palace spokesperson said,
The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to shining a spotlight on the incredible work that has been done across the country throughout the difficult year and to sharing their gratitude on behalf of the nation for all those supporting their local communities ahead of the Christmas holiday.
The tour is an opportunity for the couple to pass on the sincere thanks and gratitude to those who put their lives on the line to keep the country and community safe during the pandemic. The three days long Royal train tour is going to celebrate community spirit and demonstrate the impact of the UK people’s generosity by showcasing organizations and initiatives that have been supported by community relief funds, including NHS charities.
The Royal train tour will showcase the UK’s arts, heritage, and live performance sector that had been impacted by the pandemic in the worst possible way and is being supported by the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. Throughout the tour, there will be festive performances by the local artists, celebrating the inspiring work of the organizations William and Catherine will be visiting.
On the last day of the tour, the couple might be seeing Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, who will be celebrating Christmas together away from the rest of the family at the Windsor Castle this year. William and Catherine will also see The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall on the last day.
This will be the first time when The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be using the Royal Train. Her Majesty the Queen has been a frequent user of the train. The couple had access to the Royal train for a long time but never had the opportunity to use it. Emily Andrews shared these couple of photographs showing the interior of the train.
From The Express’s report, Prince William has traveled on the train on multiple occasions. The luxurious mode of transport was first used by Queen Consort Adelaide in 1840. And in 1842 Queen Victoria became the first reigning monarch to ride in the train. The train is fitted with several small bedrooms and bathrooms. There is also an office onboard and a dining room which can cater to up to a dozen diners. Director of royal travel Tim Hewlett previously told the BBC that despite the hype, the décor is not as fancy as the Queen’s homes. He said: “There is a perception the train is a bit like the Orient Express. “But there are not many bathroom furnishings you could not get in Homebase or B&Q.”
Prince William was tested positive for Coronavirus in April after Prince Charles got infected. The Royal family had led the nation in this difficult period with strong and smiling faces. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been championing the Nation and frontline workers throughout the pandemic and had been a front face of the Royal family during the difficult year. Prince William set up the fund to help various organizations, became a volunteer of SHOUT UK. The Duchess of Cambridge launched a community photography project ‘Hold Still 2020‘ that showed the story of life during the lockdown.
I am really excited about this tour and wish the couple and their whole team, who will be joining them on the tour, a safe journey. Stay tuned for the regular updates throughout the tour!
