The Duchess of Cambridge looked polished in a green blazer as she joined Prince William at an Edinburgh park this morning.
Kate, 39, recycled a favourite £140 teal jacket from high street chain Massimo Dutti for the visit to Starbank Park, where the couple bonded with children from a local nursery.
The Duchess of Cambridge, who has spent three nights away from her own children, looked delighted to be spending time with the youngsters.
Prince William and Kate will return to London later today after an action-packed week of engagements. The visit is part of a broader royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence.
In her element! The Duchess of Cambridge crouched down to speak to children from Edzell Nursery, in Edinburgh, today
Polished pair: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked smartly dressed for the outing to Starbank Park today
The Duchess of Cambridge cooed over Penelope Stewart on the visit to Starbank Park, in Edinburgh, today
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were presented with a gift to take away during the visit to the park today
The Duchess of Cambridge was delighted to speak to the youngsters from the Edinburgh nursery
Kate Middleton was animated as she discussed gardening on the visit to the park this morning
Kate Middleton and Prince William spoke to little Penelope Stewart (left). Right, Kate talks to a little girl in the park
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also learned more about work to improve access to green spaces across the UK
Yesterday William, 38, and Kate, 39, popped into the award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar, in the coastal town of Anstruther, where they were ‘regular customers’ while students at St Andrews University 20 years ago.
The couple ordered a £7.95 takeaway haddock supper, wrapped in paper, which they ate on a bench on the pier. They went back for ice creams – William’s in a cup, Kate’s in a cone – and chatted to staff, with Kate saying it had been a ‘trip down memory lane’.
It was a day full of nostalgia for the couple with events centered around the university where they met as freshers.
The Cambridges arrived in St Andrews on Tuesday night, the day before their engagements in the town, and enjoyed a private ‘date night’ dinner at Forgan’s restaurant where they were seated in a ‘secluded’ corner table.
After staying locally, rather than at the Queen’s Edinburgh residence of Holyroodhouse, the couple enjoyed a morning of land yacht racing on a St Andrews beach.
Getting stuck in: William, 38, and Kate, 39, spoke to the children about gardening and getting out in the park
The Duchess of Cambridge looked polished in a green blazer as she joined Prince William in Starbank Park, Edinburgh, today
The Duchess of Cambridge crouched down to speak to a little girl from Edzell Nursery during the visit
Later they met students and toured university grounds before making the short drive to the coastal village of Pittenweem to meet local fishermen and their families.
At the end of these official engagements, the Cambridges continued on to Anstruther, just four minutes’ drive away. After their fish and chips they were met by a royal helicopter, which landed in the children’s park, and flown back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to host a special drive-in screening of Disney’s Cruella for NHS staff.
Before the screening, Kate delivered a short speech in which she paid tribute to NHS staff across Scotland and thanked them for their dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice.
She said: ‘As Joint Patrons of NHS Charites Together, William and I are absolutely delighted that so many of you could join us here tonight. We wanted to thank you for the extraordinary dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice you have shown in supporting our communities through this pandemic.
‘It is a real privilege to work with NHS Charities Together. For the last 13 years it has worked tirelessly to improve services for patients and support NHS staff and volunteers, both practically and emotionally. Today, this work has never been more important.
‘So, with an enormous thank you to Her Majesty The Queen for allowing us to host the first-ever drive-in film night here at Holyrood. And with a huge thank you to Disney and BAFTA, for putting on this evening, and to the fabulous actress Tipper for joining us here tonight, William and I invite you to grab your popcorn, cuddle up under your blankets and be transported to 1970s Britain for an evening of much-deserved fun, drama, glamour and escapism!’
Disney is giving Cruella de Vil the live-action treatment with its anticipated new film Cruella, starring Emma Stone as the sinister protagonist, Tipper Seifert-Cleveland as ‘young Cruella’ and Emma Thompson as Baroness von Hellman.
Local haunt: William, 38, and Kate, 39, popped into the award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar, in the coastal town of Anstruther, some 20 miles east of Fife, where they were ‘regular customers’ while students at St Andrews 20 years ago
The couple ordered a £7.95 takeaway haddock supper, wrapped in paper, which they ate on a bench on the pier. They returned for ice creams – William’s in a cup, Kate’s in a cone – before returning to Edinburgh by helicopter
Kate Middleton continued her Scottish-themed wardrobe, sporting a full-length tartan trench coat to host NHS Charities Together and NHS staff at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh with Prince William
The couple arrived to greet their guests in a Land Rover Defender that previously belonged to Prince Philip, who passed away aged 99 on April 9
Plenty to smile about! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today returned to the University of St Andrews where they met as students 20 years ago. The couple were in excellent spirits despite the rain
University sweethearts: Prince William and Kate Middleton on the day of their graduation ceremony in 2005
Head-to-head: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sailed down the sand at West Sands Beach, St Andrews, this morning