All aboard! Prince William and Catherine head off on royal train tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have swapped the castle for the carriage this week after they kicked off their royal train tour across England, Scotland and Wales on Monday. The tour will span about 2,000 kilometres in a short-but-sweet three-day tour, which will pay tribute to people across Britain for their hard work during the pandemic.

The train started in London, with the couple’s official Instagram account posting a short video of the fashionable pair walking to their carriage. Catherine donned a long khaki coat paired with a tartan scarf, black heeled boots and black leather gloves, while Prince William wore a classic black coat paired with a maroon scarf.

 

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Before their official departure, the royal couple spent time at Euston railway station in London to meet workers who’ve spent their time ensuring travellers feel safe and secure during the pandemic. After they helped spread some Christmas cheer across the station, the pair then boarded the train to head to their first stop: Edinburgh.

The Duke and Duchess were met in the Scottish city by paramedics and staff of the Scottish Ambulance Service, who were thanked for their efforts amid the pandemic. For the first stop, Catherine switched out her green coat for a shorter blue one that fell just below her knees, with the same boots and gloves.

On their second stop of the day, the Duke and Duchess popped into the Holy Trinity Church of England First School in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, to thank teachers for their hard work and chat to the children, who greeted the royals wearing adorable reindeer ears and Santa hats.

 

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The couple then headed to Batley in West Yorkshire for a special reason. The Duchess had previously signed up for the NHS ‘Check-in and Chat’ program as a volunteer, to make support calls to vulnerable people during the pandemic.

As a part of the scheme, Catherine had been speaking to Len Gardner, an elderly man living in Batley, and was able to meet him for the first time face-to-face on the trip. The pair exchanged gifts and were snapped having a chat before the couple went on to enjoy the live band that was performing for them on the street.

The Duke and Duchess are now headed to their next location, which is yet to be disclosed. They will be spending the evening on the royal train, which is decked out with a 12-seat dining room, his and hers single beds and a private bathtub.