Kate Middleton showed her natural ease with children as she comforted a “brave” boy who fell from his bike today – and later jokingly introduced herself to a group of children as Prince William’s wife and asked who she was.
The 41-year-old Princess of Wales was effortlessly charming as she high-fived very young supporters during a visit to the Outfit Moray charity in Scotland, which provides outdoor learning programs for young people.
The Queen knelt as she reassured a child that falling off a bike was “part of learning”.
“Are you okay?” she asked, putting an arm around him. ‘You are so brave.’
She then asked him where his bike was – which the shy boy pointed to – and encouraged him to “jump on” and “try again”.
Kate Middleton showed her natural ease with children as she comforted a “brave” boy who fell off his bike today – and later jokingly introduced herself to a group of children as Prince William’s wife and asked who she was
The 41-year-old Princess of Wales was effortlessly charming as she high-fived very young supporters during a visit to the Outfit Moray charity in Scotland, which provides outdoor learning programs for young people. In the picture she is receiving three teddy bears
Kate seemed in her element as she high-fived children in Scotland today
Kate appeared to be in her element as she met with the toddlers in the group
Kate appeared to be in her element as she met with the toddlers in the group
Kate opted for a classic makeup look and wore her hair long and down
On the bike! The Princess of Wales, who is known for her sporty and competitive streaks, donned a helmet as she took part in mountain bike training
William posed with a fan from near and far
The Prince and Princess of Wales begin a busy day of engagements in Scotland, where they are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay
Kate radiated elegance while cycling in a check diamond quilted coat from Burberry
Elsewhere, she then chatted with a group of enthusiastic young cycling enthusiasts who asked who she was.
“I’m married to William,” she joked, smiling at the children.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when visiting Scotland, spend the day in Burghead, Moray and Inverness.
After donning a helmet to jump on a mountain bike, she encountered small children waving Scottish flags while grabbing the princess’s hand.
The couple delighted well-wishers with an impromptu demonstration of their biking skills during a mini tour of the north of Scotland.
Excited crowds cheered William and Kate on as they donned crash helmets and cycled around a series of ramps and other obstacles set up in community gardens during a visit to Burghead, Moray.
The couple visited the town to find out more about the work of the Outfit Moray charity, which organizes outdoor learning and adventure activity programs such as mountain biking for young people to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
They spoke to the charity’s chief executive and a group of school children before getting on their bikes, with William asking the children questions including what sports they like and which football teams they support.
Kate seemed happy to chat with the children and received flowers
Huge crowds came to meet the princess
A well-wisher gave Kate three teddy bears for George, Charlotte and Louis
Let me take a selfie! The future king was delighted to take photos with fans
He later said above that he found the seesaw on a bike “difficult”, but both he and Kate managed to complete the lap unscathed, encouraged by shouts of “Keep going, William” from well-wishers.
Hundreds of people lined the town’s main street to catch a glimpse of the couple and take photos of them as they then made their way to Burghead Primary School, where they watched the children’s cycling feats in the playground.
William answered questions posed to him by students, including one who asked if he had brought one of the Royal Guards with him, while Kate volunteered to time a bike race between some other children.
Another child cheekily asked William how old he was, and when the prince asked back how old the students thought he was, he was shocked when they replied 57 and said: “I’m not that old.”
The royal couple arrived dressed for traditional Scottish weather, with Kate wearing a padded jacket and jeans and William wearing a wax jacket and chinos, as the sky threatened to rain.
Kate opted for a poppy and a helmet for the day out
Always in her element when conversing with the public, the princess laughed as she met well-wishers in Bughead
Always in her element when conversing with the public, the princess laughed as she met well-wishers in Bughead
The 41-year-old Princess of Wales wore elegant dress-down chic as she arrived in Scotland this afternoon alongside Prince William
However, the rain held off long enough for the two to finish their conversation before the school bell rang, which they took as a signal to leave.
Outfit Moray CEO Tony Brown said following her departure: “This year is our 20th anniversary and what a great way to celebrate this milestone and look forward to another 20 years.”
“Since the Covid pandemic, we have seen a significant increase in mental health problems among young people, particularly around anxiety and loss of self-confidence.”
“Being outside in nature and engaging in physical activity is really good for your mental health.”
“Attracting as many young people as possible to our programs is one way to help those who may be facing challenges.”
Kate looked effortlessly stylish in her fall outfit, including a Burberry coat
Kate, who was known in Scotland as the Duchess of Rothesay, joined in on the fun
Moray Council leader Kathleen Robertson said meeting William and Kate was something the school children will remember fondly for the rest of their lives.
“I think it’s a real joy for the children and a real treat for them to meet royalty in real life,” she said.
“I remember the Silver Jubilee in 1977 and the arrival of King Charles at Quarrier’s Village in Renfrewshire.
“I saw him when I was five, in a crowd like you see here today, and that stuck with me all my life.”
“These kids will remember this for the rest of their lives.”
Acting head of Burghead Primary School, Martin Collins, said he overheard William and Kate speaking to a person who had been supported by Outfit Moray through difficult times and found them taking a keen interest in the charity’s work.
“It was really nice to meet them, they were really relaxed from the start,” he said.
Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay, presented an animated show
Pupils from Burghead Primary School presented Kate with a bouquet of pink flowers and she knelt to receive it
“Prince William was very involved and very interested in the wonderful work that Outfit Moray is doing.”
“It was nice to see them get on their bikes, the audience was just thrilled.”
“It was wonderful for the children to have this experience.” It was fabulous to see.
“It’s sure to be a wonderful atmosphere in Burghead this evening.”
The mental health theme of William and Kate’s day-long tour continued as they visited Brodieshill Farm near Forres.
They learned about the support that young people receive in the company run by Robert Manson and his wife Nicola and his parents Colin and Irene.
The pair met members of Lower Speyside Young Farmers and representatives from Farmstrong Scotland to talk about their work promoting positive mental health in rural communities.
Lucy McGillivray, who farms in Glenlivet, Moray and is a representative of the National Farmers Union Scotland, said William and Kate were interested in their farming journey as well as the impact of the recent floods on the area.
The Princess accepted a bouquet of pink flowers from the students who were preparing the gift for her visit today
Kate, who is known in Scotland as the Duchess of Rothesay, appeared to be in great spirits as she met locals in Moray, Scotland
The Princess was happy to shake hands with visitors and some had brought British flags with them for their visit
She said: “Some members lost their lives in the flood and there were huge financial losses; for example, fields of grain worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“I was explaining the impact of the flood and they asked where I lived and about the subsidies.
“They were just nice people – really down to earth.”
William and Kate also met families near RAF Kinloss and Lossiemouth who visit the farm’s indoor and outdoor play areas.
As the 45-minute visit came to an end, a beaming Kate couldn’t resist playing with the young visitors and searching for pumpkins around the grounds.
Kate exuded elegance in a check diamond quilted coat from Burberry.
She wore the jacket over a black turtleneck, black trumpet jeans and sturdy Reiss boots and styled her thick brunette locks in loose waves.
Meanwhile, Prince William, also 41, looked dapper in a khaki jacket and navy trousers.
It wasn’t long before the princess, known for her sporty and competitive streaks, hopped on a mountain bike for a spin – and she was all smiles.
The couple’s visit today has three objectives; Outfit Moray, Brodieshill Farm and mentoring charity DAY1.
Kate was delighted to receive a bouquet of flowers from a group of children upon her arrival at school
The princess was seen in fits of laughter with members of the audience and giggling with a woman
Outfit Moray provides accessible and affordable outdoor learning workshops to young people in the region.
The aim of the work is to encourage the generation to get outside, support them in developing life skills and improve their mental and physical health in the process.
The charity particularly helps children aged between eight and 18 who are at risk or from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since its inception in 2003, Outside Moray has worked with more than 16,000 young people.
Activities the charity involves young people in include mountain biking, paddle sports, climbing, archery and bushcraft.
The company also runs a number of programs in local schools, such as bike training, bike maintenance and first aid programs.
Brodieshill Farm is a family-run farm where Lower Speyside’s young farmers gather to meet the royals.
Representatives from Farmstrong Scotland will also be speaking to Their Royal Highnesses about how the organizations are supporting the mental wellbeing of young people in rural communities across Scotland – and local farmers in particular.
Lower Speyside Young Farmers is aimed at young people from all backgrounds aged 14 to 29 across the region, providing opportunities for socialization and interaction in a sometimes isolating environment.
The group recently took part in the Scottish Association of Young Farmer Clubs’ Are ewe okay campaign, which encourages its members to talk about mental health and break down the stigmas and taboos surrounding it.
The couple’s third and final engagement of the day is with the charity DAY1 in Inverness, which provides mentoring, training, personal development and employability services to disadvantaged young people.
The charity aims to give its young people the social and emotional skills they need to succeed in life through mentoring and personal development programs. These enable participants to build self-confidence and self-confidence and help them identify their own interests and give them clear direction in their lives.
The charity also owns and operates the social enterprise Inverness Kart Raceway, which serves as the location for its automotive skills training program.