The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out their first official visit to Orkney on Tuesday as they continued their joint tour of Scotland.
Prince William and Kate’s first port of call was to formally open the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, which opened its doors in 2019 and replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for 90 years.
During their second engagement at the European Marine Energy Centre, the Duchess also had a hilarious interaction with a group of school children.
After wowing in a royal blue outfit as she joined William in Edinburgh on Monday, the Duchess opted for a camel ensemble for her visit to Orkney, wearing a repeat Massimo Dutti coat with a matching jumper and wide-leg trousers.
William, 38, began the week-long visit alone on Friday, in his role as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Also on their itinerary, this week is the University of St Andrews. This was the place the royal couple met when they both studied art history (before William switched to Geography). Their friendship developed into romance while they were living together in their second year.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were spotted leaving the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh by helicopter earlier on Tuesday.
The new hospital has enabled the repatriation of many NHS services from the Scottish mainland, allowing Orkney’s population to receive most of their healthcare at home.
The building’s circular design is based on the 5000-year-old Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae, making it a unique reflection of the local landscape in which many historical sites are circles.
During the visit, William and Kate met a number of NHS staff to hear more about their experiences over the past year, before formally opening the hospital.
The Duchess, wearing a face covering, waved at staff as she arrived at the hospital.
William and Kate unveiled a plaque to formally open the new hospital in Orkney.
During their visit, the Duke praised trauma nurse Dr Tariro Gandiya, adding: “It must be reassuring to know we are all in this together.”
Kate added: “Well done.”
Kate had a quick change of outfit before heading to her next engagement of the day.
She sported a more casual look in her Seeland Woodcock Advanced Jacket, blue jeans and brown ankle boots.
William and Kate then took a boat trip out to sea to visit the world’s largest tidal energy turbine, the 2MW ‘O2’.
EMEC is pioneering the development of a green hydrogen economy in Orkney, having set up a hydrogen production plant in 2016, next to the tidal energy substation.
The Duchess was given whisky by CEO Andy Scott to throw overboard to bless the Orbital Marine Power tidal energy turbine.
