Forget the constitution and their relationship with Harry and Meghan – some Orkney children really wanted Prince William and Kate to answer some more pressing questions.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were grilled about royal titles and shoes on their first visit to Orkney.
The couple – known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn in Scotland – met a group of nursery pupils who stole the show, with one asking if Kate was a prince and another schooling Prince William on the importance of flashing footwear.
Chance meeting
William and Kate were making their first visit to the archipelago as part of the official opening of the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.
But a group of Glaitness Nursery children and staff–just out for a stroll in the harbour at the perfect time–stopped them along their way by
“The encounter was absolutely by chance,” said Shaun Tulloch, Glaitness’s early learning and childcare manager.
“Some of the nursery children were out for a walk to look at the boats down at the harbour. The children are delighted with the encounter and have come back with their stories about meeting a real prince and princess.”
There was a bit of confusion during the introductions, when 4-year-old Robert Rorie-Munro asked Kate if she was a ‘prince.’ The Duchess didn’t miss a beat:
“I’m not the prince,” she said with a laugh. “I’m the Duchess of Cambridge.”
Meanwhile, another curious member of the public, four-year-old Hamish Sclater, was grilling her husband. Hamish wanted to know what the Prince thought of his shoes.
William provided a polite compliment, as befitted the official question. But when he asked in return if Hamish liked William’s own footwear, the bairn felt he had to be honest.
“No, I like mine better because they are new and they flash!”
First timers
The royal visit marked the couple’s first trip to the Orkney Islands. During their stay, they attended the opening of the £65million Balfour Hospital.
They also made a stop at the European Marine Energy Centre in Kirkwall, Orkney, to learn about Orkney’s push for carbon zero and hydrogen power.