It's A Return To Anglesey For The Cambridges

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to their former home of Anglesey for several engagements today.

They shared their first home together - a four-bedroom rented farmhouse - on the Isle for three years before and after they were married. Months after the royal wedding Kate said: "I love our life in Anglesey. It's just nice to be outdoors and away from the city. As much as I love London, it's nice to get away". When the couple left William said they would return "again and again".

During their time in Wales, William worked as a Search and Rescue pilot at RAF Valley. It was special to return today to see the new base - Caernarfon Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Base - and to catch up with familiar faces from their time there.

More from the Mail Online:

'William told his old crew that he does miss his old job, which involved flying rescue missions in all kinds of weather and terrain. Coastguard helicopter winchman Paul Jones and his wife Gemma, were with their son's, Finlay, 12, and Alex, aged nine, who were much younger the last time Kate and William saw them. Mr Jones said: 'It's lovely to see him, we worked very closely for three years and then he moved away. It was like he's never been away.'

William and Kate viewed the Coastguard’s new Sikorsky S92 helicopters.

Kate was very taken with this little girl.

From there, they joined some of William's former colleagues and staff from Wales Air Ambulance to discuss the mental health challenges first responders deal with on a daily basis.

A video from the visit.

Their next port of call was Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt, a thriving local business which has been operating for over two decades and which won the Queen’s Award for Sustainability in 2017.

William and Kate saw the salt-making process from hand harvesting to packaging, and discussed the company's involvement in local initiatives.

More from the company on their success: "In 1997, we left a saucepan of seawater to boil on the Aga in our family kitchen agaand as the crystals started to form, we knew we’d struck culinary gold. In 1999, we started supplying Halen Môn Sea Salt to Swains, our local butchers in Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey. Today, our sea salt is enjoyed around the world by chefs, food lovers and even Barack Obama. It has been served at the London 2012 Olympics, political summits and royal weddings and is a vital ingredient in Green & Blacks chocolate and Piper’s Crisps. Along with over 100 of the nation’s best delicatessens in the UK, we also supply Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Harvey Nichols. Our sea salt can be found in more than 22 countries across the globe as well as on the tables of some of the world’s top restaurants like The Fat Duck."

Finally, it was time for an embargoed engagement on Newborough Beach. The photos brought back memories for royal fans from the walks the couple used to enjoy in Anglesey after the wedding.

They joined the Scouts from Menai Bridge to explore Newborough Beach's wildlife habitat and to learn more about nesting bird colonies in the area.

The Palace said: "The Duchess previously volunteered with the Scouts during her time in Anglesey, and during the visit heard how the Scouts are working closely with local organisations and schools to protect the region’s natural habitat."

More from The Daily Post:

'The Duchess of Cambridge once appeared as a "very attractive" Miss Moneypenny at a James Bond-themed party, it was revealed as she and her husband returned to Anglesey to meet familiar faces from their time on the island.

The Duke and Duchess met with members of the 1st Menai Bridge Scout Group on the beach at Llanddwyn in what was described by one of the group's leaders as a "reunion of friends". The Duchess volunteered with the group when she lived on Anglesey, and asked to meet with them during the royal couple's visit to the island. Sue Hesketh, the group's Cub leader, said: "She said how nice it was to see us again, and how happy she was that we were still involved in scouting.

Malcolm Rogers, a Scout leader, said: "It was a reunion of friends today. It was so lovely to see the Duchess again. "She really got stuck in with us and the children and, when we had a James Bond-themed party, she made a very attractive Miss Moneypenny. "She told us today how much she enjoyed volunteering with us."
Christopher Hughes, 16, remembered the Duchess helping with the group when he was just nine years old, and was reintroduced today to the future queen. Speaking about her work with the group in the past, he said: "We didn't know who she was at first, but we were told she was important.'

Anglesey became the first county in the UK to be awarded Plastic Free Communities status by the group, in recognition of its fantastic work to reduce the impact of single-use plastic on the environment through its the ‘Plastic Free Anglesey’ campaign.

Finally they joined students for a beach clean up.

A wrap up video from the beach with nice footage of the Cambridges meeting students.

The Duchess opted for casual ensembles today - repeating several pieces from her wardrobe.

Kate wore her Philosophy Double-breasted twill blazer. The £760 claret blazer is part of the Resort '17 collection, inspired by the work of French designer Jean Bouquin who is famed for dressing the St Tropez jetset in the '60s and style icon Brigitte Bardot.

The Duchess first wore the piece in 2017 for an engagement with RAF cadets.

The Duchess brought back her trusty Aquatalia Rhumba boots for the outing. The boots are available in tall sizing at Bloomingdales and an updated version, the Rhumba II, is available at Nordstrom.

The Duchess carried her black deep shine croc Aspinal of London Midi Mayfair bag.

The piece is described as: "Encapsulating timeless vintage-inspired styling, our Midi Mayfair Bag is hand-crafted from the finest deep shine black croc print Italian calf leather. Both versatile and luxurious, the structured boxy design features three inner compartments secured with our enduring shield lock clasp. What's more, sumptuous black leather complements any outfit, and makes an exquisite transitional piece from day to night. The flawless finish of the leather's rich, glassy shine and the shimmering grosgrain lining give this accessory a truly elegant feel."

For the beach visit, the Duchess sported the Troy London Pop Wax Parka in navy. It's described as: "This lightweight coat is made from 100% cotton milled in England with a dry wax finish. A black sports-luxe lining provides fully waterproof protection and brings an urban appeal to this casual but elegant coat with a cinched waist and drawstring hood. Featuring vibrant orange detailing, gold cord ends and gold engraved bar." It appears Kate wore her navy Barbour jacket underneath.

Kate changed into her Penelope Chilvers tassel boots.

And accessorised with Kiki McDonough citrine earrings.

We'll see the Duchess on Tuesday when she returns to Bletchley Park, to view a special D-Day exhibition in the newly restored Teleprinter Building, marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Kate's Nautical Chic For The King's Cup Regatta Launch & "Excited" To Meet Baby Sussex

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Cutty Sark this afternoon for the launch of The King's Cup, an inaugural regatta that will take place on 9 August. The annual sailing event will see William and Kate go head to head as skippers in support of eight of their patronages.

There's been several articles suggesting William and Harry will begin to reduce their polo commitments this summer. In addition to being favourite days out for royal watchers, the polo games have raised significant sums over the years. I imagine the creation of The King's Cup will serve similarly as an important fundraising tool. William's chosen charities which will benefit are Child Bereavement UK, Centrepoint, the London Air Ambulance Charity 30th Anniversary Campaign, and Tusk. Kate will support Action on Addiction, Place2Be, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, and The Royal Foundation in connection with her work on Early Years.

Kensington Palace said: "The Duke and Duchess are strong advocates for sport, and have undertaken work both in the UK and overseas to highlight the positive impact that sport can have on the individual and within local communities. The Duchess in particular champions how the benefits of sport, nature and the outdoors can impact childhood development, and lead to improved physical and mental wellbeing for all. Their Royal Highnesses hope that The King’s Cup will become an annual event, bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, whist also raising support and funds for the causes that the Duke and Duchess support."

The winning team will be awarded The King’s Cup, first presented by King George V at Cowes’ Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920.

Kate was given a beautiful bunch of flowers.

Following William and Kate's arrival, talk very quickly turned to the arrival of Baby Sussex. William said: "Obviously thrilled, absolutely thrilled, and looking forward to seeing them in the next few days when things have quietened down. I'm very pleased and glad to welcome my own brother into the sleep deprivation society that is parenting." There's a very sweet moment when Kate turns to William and says "I'm not an uncle".

Kate added: "It's such a special time, obviously with Louis and Charlotte just having their birthdays, it's such a great time of year to have a baby. Spring is in the air. As William said, we look forward to meeting him and finding out what his name is going to be. It's really exciting for both of them and wishing them all the best. This next few weeks is always a bit daunting, the first time round, so we wish them all the best"

To launch the regatta, the couple joined children from their chosen charities as they participated in a simulated sailing race.

An overview.

They were joined by Sam and Ethan from Kate's patronage Place2Be.

William enjoying the event.

There's terrific footage from the simulation in the video below.

The Duchess with representatives and children from Place2Be.

William and Kate were shown the cup the winning team will receive in August.

The Palace continued: "The King’s Cup, which is being sponsored by Land Rover, will take place ahead of Lendy Cowes Week. Members of the public can watch the race from the SailGP Race Village along Cowes foreshore, which is free to access and will include an 800-seater grandstand. Footage from the race will play on screens across the town and there will be a number of family-friendly activities and exhibits to promote sailing around the event, including initiatives and programmes for children and young people."

Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship which was built on the River Clyde in 1869. It was considered a leading example of maritime technology. It was named after Cutty-sark, the nickname of the witch Nannie Dee in Robert Burns's 1791 poem Tam o' Shanter. The historic ship is the world's last surviving tea clipper (a 19th century merchant vessel known for its speed). 

More from Royal Museums Greenwich:

'Cutty Sark’s first voyage began on 16 February 1870. The ship was bound for Shanghai, with 1,305,812 lbs of tea on board. That’s the equivalent of about 47 double decker buses! After successfully making it to China, the ship’s first voyage ended with a return to London on 13 October 1870. Cutty Sark completed eight trips to China for tea, but never got to be the fastest ship on the tea trade. 

With the arrival of steam ships and the opening of the Suez Canal, Cutty Sark had to find other goods to transport. Cutty Sark collected her last Chinese tea cargo in 1877. From this point on, Cutty Sark crew was thrown into turmoil.

A new captain, James Wallace, took over command of the ship. His first mate Sidney Smith was a bully which led to unhappiness amongst the crew. The ship took different cargoes around the world, from coal to Australian mail. Sidney Smith killed seaman John Francis and was confined but the captain helped him escape. The crew went on strike in anger, and a lack of winds found the crew becalmed in the Java Sea for three days.

Before long, Captain Wallace realised his career was finished. He jumped overboard, and his body was lost. Despite this period of turmoil, it resulted in a new captain and first mate, who would bring the ship into its most successful period of working life.'

Cutty Sark was preserved as a museum ship, and has since become a popular tourist attraction, and part of the National Historic Fleet. CNN reports: "The Cutty Sark was devastated by fire in May 2007 but a £50 million ($81 million) restoration project has seen the historic vessel returned to its previous majestic glory. The 143-year-old vessel is the world's last surviving tea clipper - a type of nineteenth century merchant sailing ship renowned for its speed - and was once considered the epitome of commercial maritime technology." The Queen and Prince Philip attended the reopening in 2012.

Before departing, the Duke and Duchess greeted well-wishers outside.

Click here to visit The King's Cup website.

Kate perfected nautical chic today. The ensemble was incredibly appropriate for the event and effortlessly stylish. It's fun to see Kate incorporating trousers into her wardrobe for official events. Today's look hit all the right notes.

It is thought Kate's fitted breton top may be by Swedish brand Arket.

 Laura swiftly identified Kate's navy trousers as the £150 LK Bennett Parker style. Described as: "Inspired by vintage design, the Parker high-waisted trousers are a modern take on 70s tailoring. Detailed with four buttons across the high waist". They are available in very limited sizing at John Lewis and Next.

The Duchess injected a pop of colour with her red Emmy London clutch.

Middleton Maven suggests Kate wore the Emmy London Josie Block Heel Pointed Shoe in custom navy.

 They feature padded insoles and a 7.5 cm block heel.

And accessorised with Diana's sapphire and diamond earrings.

We'll see the Duke and Duchess for engagements in Anglesey tomorrow!

Princess Charlotte's Birthday Portraits!

To mark Princess Charlotte's birthday tomorrow, the Palace shared three new photographs, taken at Anmer Hall and Kensington Palace over Easter break by Kate. Similar to Louis' birthday portraits, they were taken out in the garden. Charlotte has grown into quite the little lady already and very much resembles the Windsor side of the family, especially her great-grandmother the Queen. I remember when the Queen at 90 documentary aired in 2016, Kate said Her Majesty was "thrilled" Charlotte was a girl. Of course, Charlotte's middle name is very fittingly Elizabeth after the monarch, and Diana after her grandmother. The photo below is my favourite, capturing a smiling, quietly thoughtful little girl.

Pretty as a picture in a blue print dress and trainers.

In Northern Ireland, Kate revealed she calls her daughter Lottie as a nickname. Charlotte is expected to join George at Thomas's Battersea in September. She'll finish up at Willcocks Nursery this summer. We've also learned the princess "absolutely loves" dance and ballet and is said to be taking classes. Before Christmas, Kate and Charlotte attended a rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House.

Charlotte looked adorable in the Trotters Betsy Dress. The £70 liberty print dress features puff sleeves and a smart cotton poplin Peter Pan collar with blue stitch detailing.

And the £26 Trotters Hampton Canvas Plum Shoes (a special word of thanks to Susan from What Kate's Kids Wore).

Readers will recognise Charlotte's tartan dress from the Burnham Horse Trials last month. The Amaia Kids £50 Molly Skirt is described as: "Stylish and vintage inspired classic lovely 100% poeplin cotton tartan skirt with ruffled straps. Very fashionable shape in a navy, blue, green, white and red tartan which makes it really easy to style and always elegant to wear."

Three was quite the year for Charlotte, filled with plenty of adventures...of the wedding variety.

Last May, she was a bridesmaid at Harry and Meghan's Windsor wedding. Charlotte looked adorable in her Givenchy dress and floral crown.

Fun on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour.

The following day, Charlotte made her polo debut. The Princess joined Kate and George for the first time to cheer William on as he participated in the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy at the Beaufort Polo Club in Tetbury.

The Cambridge children had a ball running and playing with Charlotte's playful personality on display.

The Cambridges made their first official appearance as a family of five for Louis' christening in July.

Tea afterwards was a decidedly family affair. The little lady turned to the media as they left the chapel and informed them: "You're not coming!" :)

Charlotte was on bridesmaid duty again in September for her godmother Sophie Carter and Robert Snuggs' wedding.

By the time Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's day came round in October, Charlotte had bridal party duties down to a fine art, including the all-important royal wave.

It was a family affair for Prince Charles' 70th birthday portraits.

Charlotte looked very grown up with her hair tied back for the Cambridges' Christmas card.

And a little wave arriving at the Queen's pre-Christmas luncheon.

From one Charlotte to another, Happy Birthday little Princess!

If you're just joining us, click here to read today's earlier post covering Kate's visit to officially open the Anna Freud Centre's new Centre of Excellence.

I do expect Kate will attend the Royal Victorian Order service at Windsor on Friday, however I don't know if the service is private. I'll leave a note in the comments of this post when I do find out definitively.