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Kate Middleton Prince William 14th wedding anniversary: Prince and Princess of Wales visit Isle of Mull in Scotland on two-day royal tour
As far as wedding anniversary celebrations go, the Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen to spend theirs on a picturesque and rugged island off the Scottish coast.
Prince William and Kate are marking 14 years as husband and wife by visiting the Isle of Mull, as part of a two-day tour of the region.
The visit is significant not only because it began on the couple’s wedding anniversary – April 29 – but also because it is the first time Kate has been on an overnight stay during an official engagement since her cancer treatment.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales spent their first night on Mull inside a self-catering cottage following a busy day of engagements on Tuesday local time.
In Scotland, however, Prince William and Kate are not known by their ‘Wales’ titles.
Instead, they are addressed by their Scottish titles, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.
Prince William and Kate also hold the Scottish titles of the Lord and Lady of the Isles. Mull, which is on Scotland’s west coast, is part of lands once ruled by the Lord of the Isles – one of a number of Scottish titles Prince William inherited from his father when Charles became King.
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The couple’s visit is not their first to Mull. They were there in 2003 as students at St Andrews University, telling volunteers and hall committee members how they visited Tobermory almost 25 years ago, in private.
Prince William and Kate were friends first before their romance blossomed while at university.
William said: “It was 2003 when we were here. We had a lovely time here – it’s wonderful.”
They married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, and later stood in front of a crowd of thousands as they kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
On Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning in Australia) the couple shared a photo honouring their special day.
“Wonderful to be back on the Isle of Mull. Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome”.
The post, shared on Instagram, including a red love heart and was signed “W & C”, meaning it was a personal message and not one written by their media team.
Earlier in the day, Prince William and Kate – who wore a Holland Cooper blazer and a necklace featuring the initials of her children – were welcomed to Tobermory, on the island, for the visit focused on strengthening local communities and the environment.
The princess recently spoke about how “nature has been our sanctuary” during her battle with cancer and said she experiences a “very spiritual and very intense emotional reconnection” when spending time outdoors.
They toured a artisan market and spent more time than expected meeting with people who had lined the harbour-front area to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
The princess met James Thornton, who was on holiday with his family, and told media he introduced himself as “one cancer survivor to another”.
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“My opening words in the conversation were from one cancer survivor to another, well done” he said, “she shook my hand….it was so amazing.”
According to The Telegraph UK, a little girl aged around six told Prince William she would rather give her flowers to his wife, so he ushered her across the road to the princess.
Prince William and Kate’s Royal Foundation has announced grants of an undisclosed amount which will be spent renovating two local community halls, including a new soft play area for young children.
They were invited to help with renovations at the Aros community hall, where Kate surprised many by picking up a nail gun and helping to build a kitchen cabinet.
The 43-year-old told staff she had received a chainsaw for Christmas and has started keeping bees, which she called her “summer project”.
They also helped to paint flowers on a children’s wall mural in the hall, with Kate seen encouraging William to have a go.
Kate was heard speaking about her visit to Mull in 2003.
“I brought home some watercolours and they’re now in the bedroom on either side of the bed in Norfolk,” she said.
“I love collecting things and memories away from home.”
In the afternoon they toured a combined croft and restaurant on the west coast of Mull, where they learned about sustainable farming and saw the Hebridean sheep farmed on site.
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Prince William and Kate also helped prepare a meal, cooking outdoors with Kate learning how to cook charred haggis dumplings with whisky.
Their engagements will continue in Mull, and the nearby island of Iona, tomorrow.
Prince William and Kate’s three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – have remained at home in Windsor.
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