The Prince and Princess of Wales took a day trip to Scotland, visiting Stirling and Falkirk to spotlight “unique Scottish heritage traditions” and meeting with locals to learn about their communities. The Prince and Princess started the day with a photo opportunity at Andy Scott’s Kelpies, an iconic Clydesdale sculpture in Grangemouth, Scotland.
Their first engagement of the day was a visit to the National Curling Academy, where they met with Team GB and Paralympics GB Curling teams ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games. The sport of curling can be traced back to 16th century Scotland, and Prince William and Princess Kate wanted to highlight the sport’s Scottish roots. The Prince and Princess tried their hand at the sport, attempting not to slide across the ice, with Princess Kate's team winning the competition.
They travelled to the center of Stirling to visit Radical Weavers, a weaving studio created to “help to tackle social isolation and support people affected by trauma and loss by offering the opportunity to learn traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills.” The Prince and Princess learned about the weaving process and the tradition of tartan weaving.
Princess Kate sat down at a traditional loom and tried to weave some tartan fabric. The Princess has been highlighting the British textile industry over the last year, and wanted to spotlight “the joy found in working in the creative industries.”
Princess Kate and Prince William took a load off at The Gothenburg—locally known at The Goth—a community-run pub that funnels profits back into their community. They met with the pubs owner and local community members.
During the visit to the pub, Princess Kate received an intricately-knit teddy bear. Princess Kate remarked that it must have taken a long time to complete, and spoke of the importance of creative pursuits and embracing community.
