It was a day in Wales for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today, as they visited three cities to promote mental health causes. They even abseiled and tried rock climbing.
William and Catherine in Canaerfon today. I-images
The couple started off in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, to see a photography project run by charity Mind.
Catherine is an avid photographer and no doubt enjoyed the project – she took the first official images of Princess Charlotte.
Here, they chatted to young people discussing the art. One participant, James Cheffings, 19, attracted attention from the Royal couple because he had his leg in a cast.
“They were asking about how I ruined my knee cap,” the teen said.
“I was dancing in the pub and I dislocated my knee. Kate said it sounded like something William would do, so I was like ‘ah, something in common’.”
The couple view a photography exhibition. Via @QueenVicMirror
James went through a difficult time at college accepting his sexuality.
“I accepted that I was a gay man and now I work in an attitude free gay bar and am a drag queen on weekends.”
He said about William and Kate: “It came across that they were really accepting and understanding about the whole LGBT community which was really nice to see that we in that community have got that support from the Royal Family.”
Men’s Shed was another stop, located in Denbigh; the shed is a social group involved in community projects. The group provides a friendly, inclusive environment for activities and socialising particularly those with mental health issues.
The Duchess revealed that she would like Princess Charlotte to join Rainbows, the young Gril Guiding section, as she chatted to two Scout volunteers; Catherine has volunteered with the scouts when she lived in Anglesey and said she ‘really enjoyed’ her time with them.
“She said that she needs to put Charlotte’s name down for Rainbows,” says Caernarfon’s county commissioner for Girl Guides Jill Wilkinson. “She really enjoyed helping with the scout group and said she will get George for scouting.”
At The Towers Residential Outdoor centre in Snowdonia, William and Kate tried rock climbing and abseiling.
The Duchess changed out of her Reiss coat and heeled Russell & Bromley boots into something more suitable for climbing. She had the job of lowering William down the abseiling wall, and told him “You know how much we love you,” as he joked she was in control of his journey down the wall.
