The last day of The Royal Train Tour saw The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Wales. Prince William and Catherine yesterday spent time in Edinburgh, Batley, and Manchester visiting various organizations and thanking people for their hard work during the pandemic. By the time, this tour comes to an end, The royal couple would have traveled 1250 miles.
Today’s first stop was Cardiff Castle to highlight how the local tourism industry has coped with the pandemic and meet students from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan and University, and the University of South Wales to discuss how their mental health was supported during the lockdown. The walking path of the castle was adorned with huge Alice in Wonderland figures. Prince William and Duchess Catherine toasted marshmallows with students at the Cardiff Castle and participated in Secret Santa Exchange. They played Secret Santa with students from Cardiff Metropolitan University who were allowed to spend a maximum of £10 on the gifts.
The Duchess bought Gwennan Lewis – a £13.99 Prosecco Pong game. Prince William bought Dewi Morgan, a finger flick football game. In return, Luke Wilson, 19, a PE and sports health student at Cardiff Metropolitan University, got William a Guinness coaster set while Cathrine got a Welsh lovespoon – a wooden carved memento of Wales – by sports coaching student Gwennan Lewis, 20.
Princess Kate and Prince William talking to some of the local university students at Cardiff Castle about their wellbeing and how they’ve coped during the pandemic #RoyalTrainTour #dukeandduchessofcambridge #princewilliam #katemiddleton pic.twitter.com/KTo86b0fHL
— Simon Perry (@SPerryPeoplemag) December 8, 2020
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talked to University Students about their life during the lockdown and how they dealt with mental health and what support they received. From People’s report,
The royal parents were asking how the students were making arrangements for their family Christmases. “They said it’s hard to make plans with all the guidelines and they were trying to work out what the safest plans were for them,” Lily Faulkner, 21, a Cardiff University politics and international relations student tells PEOPLE. “They are great mental health advocates. When you struggle with your mental health and are lonely and you hear that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are supporting you, and what you’re going through, it is uplifting.”
The royal couple received a musical welcome in the Welsh city. With the Welsh Samba band playing within the castle walls, The Duke and Duchess were able to hear how they have been supported during the pandemic through the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
The couple told the students that they do not know what they will do for Christmas. From Daily Mail’s report,
Lily Faulkner, 21, a second year Politics and International Studies student at Cardiff University said after her chat with the Cambridges: ‘They were trying like the rest of us to make Christmas plans with their family and still weren’t 100 per cent sure of what they were going to do or where they were going to be.
The couple had a mini-tour of the Christmas stalls set in the castle. A beautiful shot of Prince William and Duchess Catherine roasting marshmallows in Cardiff. Continuing Daily Mail’s report,
The couple grabbed sticks loaded with giant marshmallows to toast around a small bonfire with Lily and two fellow students, Azaria Anaman, 23, who is in her first year of accounting and finance, and Shahzeb Akhtar, 21, who is his third year of studying optometry.
Kate struggled with her marshamallows, which kept sliding on her stick, and at one point giggled as it got stuck on her gloves. ‘I think I am going to have marshmallows on my fingers all day,’ she joked.
William eventually had to put his down on the fire. ‘It’s got to go a little bit brown bit not as brown as this one,’ he grimaced. ‘I’ve not been paying attention. ‘ Kate told the students that she had ordered marshmallows for their three children – Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two – for their bonfire night celebrations.
Welsh entertainer Max Boyce read out his beautiful lockdown poem ‘When Just The Tide Went Out’ for the couple. Boyce wrote the poem as a tribute to NHS during the lockdown. Kensington Palace shared this short clip of the Royal couple leaving Cardiff.
The next stop of the day was Bath. The Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset welcomed The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Bath Spa Station.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Cleeve Care Home in Twerton. They were welcomed by Mr Edward Bayntun-Coward DL at the care home. William and Catherine met a few residents outside and pay tribute to the nation’s care staff and their work during the pandemic.
They talked to 94-year-old Ted Hogg, who is a resident at Cleeve Court Care Home, and his support worker Lorraine Perdicchia.
Another great shot of the couple waving good-bye to the residents at the care Home Bath Abbey Choir performed Christmas songs during the visit. A small crowd gathered outside the care home to meet The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
During their time in Bath, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met with 8-years old Otto Warner and his family. Otto has today come out of cancer treatment.
Then the couple visited a very specal place – Reading, Berkshire. The Duchess of Cambridge was born in Reading and her family still lives in Berkshire. William and Catherine have spent some real quality time in the town during their long courtship and after getting married.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Royal Berkshire Hospital – Catherine was born in the same hospital. Upon arrival, they were received by the Chair of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Graham Sims. William and Catherine met with the hospital’s Lead nurse Rafael Fernandes who designed a special badge to mark the 2020 year of the nurse and midwife. The Duchess of Cambridge was the patron of the Nurses2020 mission.
Throughout the pandemic, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been championing the frontline workers and NHS. They set up charity and support systems for the frontline workers and campaigned for their mental health. Today, during the visit Prince William remarked, “I am still clapping for NHS”.
The Royal couple arrived under the beats of drums played by two drummers group called Raspo, who played a mixture of Calipso and Christmas Carols. The rasp is another musical group that received funding from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Talking about the meeting with the Royal couple, the drummers later on said,
It was really exciting, talking to Kate, they’re both really friendly and you could see they were absolutely itching to have a go but of course because of covid they couldn’t.
For the day, The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing her Alexander McQueen Red Wool Blend Coat that she debuted in October 2020 when she visited Hold Still 2020 Community Exhibition in London.
The long coat featured the classic tailored silhouette with black metal embossed button at the front and cuffs with slightly padded shoulders. Katie on Twitter noted that coat could be a custom version of Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2020-2021 Golden button detailed wool-blend coat.
Today we saw the return of one of the most Christmassy pieces from Catherine’s wardrobe – Emilia Wickstead Pris Pleated Tartan Flannel Skirt. The Duchess of Cambridge wore Emilia Wickstead Pris Pleated Tartan Flannel Skirt in December 2018 at the Christmas party she and William hosted at Kensington Palace for the families of Military personnel deployed in Cyprus.
The skirt was from the label’s Autumn-Winter 2018 collection that was inspired by the 1970s film ‘Love Story’. The skirt was described as, “Pris’ skirt is cut in an a-line silhouette from sturdy flannel that has sharp knife pleats throughout. Cinched with a belted waist, it’s designed in classic tartan check“.
The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing her Spells of Love Alia Hoops debuted in August 2020 when she visited Barry Island in Wales with Prince William.
Catherine was carrying her Grace Han Love Letter Small Top Handle Bag premiered during a visit to Hold Still 2020 Community visit in October 2020.
The new piece of her wardrobe was a red tartan scarf. The print of the scarf matches with her Emilia Wickstead Pris Pleated Tartan Flannel Skirt so I guess it could be from the same label. I will update the post once we have any confirmation.
The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing her suede long boots that she wore on Sunday at the beginning of the tour and then yesterday in Edinburgh. Many Royal Watching Fashion experts believe they are Ralph Lauren Collection Black Suede High Heel Boot.
The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing Cornelia James Emilie Classic Leather Gloves. Thanks to Barbara Malgina on Twitter for the id.
In Bath the Duchess of Cambridge was wearing her Amaia Kids Reusable Cotton Face Mask in Liberty Print.
and in Reading she wore Emilia Wickstead Tartan Face Mask.
