A GLITTERING DIARY - MEETING SHOWBIZ ROYALTY

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been very busy in the run-up to the Coronation of King Charles III, with an official visit to Cornwall and a night out enjoying the glitz and glamour of the BAFTA Awards...

Prince William and his wife Catherine have been making the news of late, and on February 9th they arrived in Cornwall for their first joint official visit as Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. Yes, it’s confusing, because they are also the Prince and Princess of Wales, but things can work that way in Royal circles. But when in Rome, etc...

The Duke and Duchess travelled to Cornwall by helicopter, arriving in the county just after midday. They then made their way to the National Maritime Museum by car, where they were greeted by a small crowd of onlookers which got larger throughout the afternoon.

They weren’t due to speak to anyone on arrival but couldn’t help themselves as they greeted a group of ecstatic Falmouth residents attending from Falcare, a community interest company which helps people who require support to take control of their own lives and live as independently as possible. Prince William said he didn’t want to keep them waiting outside for too long.

Once inside, the Duke and Duchess made their way to the museum Workshop where they met with volunteers from a local marine school. They were told about the work being done to boats including the Titanic Lifeboat 13 and the Kiwi, a 14ft sailing dinghy that was once presented to the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh as a wedding gift.

The couple were very much hands on, having a go at riveting a Helford Delta Class boat dating back to the 1940s. Prince William joked that he would “keep an eye out” for parts to help with repairs, while his wife told him he could do the hammering - before joining in herself.