William and Kate celebrate wedding anniversary on Scottish island

5 hours ago 4

Daniela Relph

Senior Royal Correspondent in Mull

PA Media William holds a little pottery house as he and Kate chat to a stallholder. Catherine is smilingPA Media

The Royal couple met market traders during their visit to Tobermory

The Prince and Princess of Wales are spending their 14th wedding anniversary in Scotland on the Isle of Mull.

William and Kate will tour the island over two days and visit community halls that their Royal Foundation is helping to refurbish.

The couple, who married at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011, will stay at a self-catering cottage on Mull following official engagements.

William and Kate, known by their Scottish titles the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, met while studying at the University of St Andrews.

PA Media Kate smiles as William with the painted houses of Tobermory behind them. The houses are red, yellow and blue and are reflecting in the waterPA Media

PA Media The Prince and Princess of Wales walking to Aros Hall in Tobermory, with crowds lining the street. William, on the right, is waving and Kate is smiling. He is wearing a checked jacket and a white shirt, while she is wearing a tweed jacket and a blue shirt.PA Media

William and Kate will tour the island over the next two days

This is the first time Kate has been on an overnight stay during an official engagement since her cancer treatment.

The couple were greeted by more than 200 cheering tourists and local residents who had lined the main street of Tobermory.

The princess hasn't travelled too far from home in Windsor – so to come to Mull and Iona and spend some time here is significant.

William and Kate greet crowds in Tobermory

We're told by those who work with the couple that they had wanted to visit Mull for a long time.

It's not hard to see why – its natural beauty is on show everywhere.

In recent months the princess, in particular, has spoken of how connecting with nature has given her strength.

She will get a chance to do that here during several engagements – from visiting a local croft to taking part in some outdoor learning with schoolchildren in an ancient woodland.

PA Media An animated Kate with her mouth open interacts with a toddler who is in her mother's arms at a soft play PA Media

The couple visited the Aros Hall community hub which is receiving grants from the Royal Foundation to fund its refurbishment

PA Media William laughs and gesticulates as he chats to wellwishers in Tobermory PA Media

PA Media William and Kate sniffing beeswax during a tour of an artisan marketPA Media

The couple smell beeswax during a tour of an artisan market

It is exactly 14 years since the couple got married in Westminster Abbey with thousands lining the street for their wedding procession up to Buckingham Palace.

The celebrations will be a bit less grand today.

The prince and princess will spend their wedding anniversary night in a self-catering holiday cottage on Mull – a decision we're told they've made to support the tourism industry on the Scottish islands.

Mull, on Scotland's west coast, is part of lands once ruled by the Lord of the Isles - one of a number of Scottish titles William inherited from his father when Charles became King.

PA Media Kate smiles at the crowd. She is wearing a tweed jacket and a blue shirt.PA Media

PA Media Kate crouches down to pet a little dog in the crowd lining the streets PA Media

About 2000 people lined the streets to greet the Royal couple

PA Media William waves at the crowd. He is wearing a checked jacket and a white shirt.PA Media

Cheering crowds greeted the prince

The visit began with a tour of Aros Hall, home to a community fridge which saves food from landfill, a charity shop and a children's indoor play area.

The Royal couple then visited the nearby harbour to chat to makers and creators at Tobermory Producers Market.

This was followed by a visit to a combined croft and restaurant on the west coast of Mull, where they were planning to tour some of its 50 acres of land, see the Hebridean sheep farmed on site, and help to select garden produce for the menu.

They are also set to help cook a meal for members of the local community, which will be served in the croft restaurant.

William and Kate will also spend time privately at Pennyghael Community Hall and on the island of Iona after taking the public ferry from Mull and meeting those who use and run the service.

PA Media Kate is facing William as she laughs, along with two other women. She is holding a posy of flowers while he is holding some child's artworkPA Media

PA Media Kate uses a nail gun as she helps to construct a sign for a community pantryPA Media

Kate helped to construct a sign for a community pantry

PA Media William and Kate look at an RNLI stall with the coloured houses of Tobermory behind themPA Media

The visit aims to highlight the importance of communities and protecting and championing the natural environment.

The Royal Foundation's Community Impact Programme is providing undisclosed grants for the renovation of facilities at Aros Hall in Tobermory, where popular BBC children's TV series Balamory was filmed.

Communal spaces will also be updated and roof repairs undertaken at Pennyghael Community Hall.

Interior designer Banjo Beale, presenter of the BBC's Designing The Hebrides programme and a Mull resident, will work with islanders to ensure community-owned centres in Mull's main town of Tobermory and the village of Pennyghael reflect the area's culture.

He said: "It's an absolute joy to be working with the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales to redesign and preserve these vital community spaces.

"Together, we're not just restoring old walls - we're reimagining what's possible when community and creativity come together. I'm excited to breathe new life into beloved buildings and celebrate the island's warmth, resilience and quiet magic."

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