William ditches royal investiture ceremony as Prince and Princess of Wales return to work in Anglesey
27 September 2022, 14:08 | Updated: 4 November 2022, 10:00
William and Kate today undertook their first official royal engagement in Anglesey as Prince and Princess of Wales, as it was revealed the Prince ditched the pomp of the traditional investiture ceremony.
Marking the couple's first appearance since adopting their new roles, the pair met with RNLI crew, volunteers and locals just after midday at the RNLI Holyhead Lifeboat Station.
It’s a location familiar to the royal couple, with the Prince and Princess residing in Anglesey between 2010 and 2013 – a period that saw William stationed there as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
The prince regularly worked alongside RNLI crew and volunteers during the three year period.
Following the couple’s visit to the lifeboat station, the Prince and Princess visited the Holyhead Marine and Café Bar where they met with locals and small businesses representatives – including the Coastguard and Sea Cadets.
The couple are expected to continue their royal engagements in North Wales later today when they visit Swansea.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to spending more time in Wales over the coming months and years, taking the time to strengthen their relationship with communities in all parts of Wales."
It comes as the news broke that the Prince skipped the elaborate investiture ceremony, a royal tradition which sees the reigning monarch present the Prince of Wales with the symbols associated with their title.
A ceremony his father, King Charles III, once undertook in the presence of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince inheriting the title is traditionally bestowed a sword, coronet, ring, rod and mantle.
Instead, King Charles III used his first public address as monarch to verbally appoint William the new Prince of Wales.
