William and Catherine have fun making apple potato bread at Long Meadow Cider

It was all about the apples for the Prince and Princess of Wales on their last stop of their away day in Northern Ireland. The royal couple paid a visit to Long Meadow Cider in County Armagh, which is also known as the country’s orchard county.’

There, William and Catherine learned how the Cider is “combining traditional methods with a forward-thinking approach to sustainability, innovation and local heritage,” according to Kensington Palace.

The McKeever Family, who has owned Long Meadow Cider since 1968, welcomed William and Catherine for a visit to see how they’ve embraced modern approaches to a nearly sixty-year-old business that still uses traditional methods to create their products.

During the course of their visit, William revealed that he enjoys dry cider, and the couple revealed that they have their own apple trees at their home. Catherine was overheard talking about the apple pressing methods they’ve tried, revealing that, with the hand press, “It was quite good fun with the children. It was very messy.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete visit unless William and Catherine engaged in some form of competition, and when they visited the Cider’s adjacent Bramley Barn, both took the opportunity to dapple in the kitchen and make potato apple bread.

Catherine, who seemed to be in the ‘lead’ throughout their bread-making activity, called out to her husband to remember to “try and keep it a circle,” prompting William to reply, “A circle? Now you tell me!”

He also jokingly told Catherine McKeever, when she said she enjoys thick slices of the apple potato bread, “You’ll get what you’re given.”

The royals also sampled other apple products the Cider creates, like apple cider vinegar, and also did a round of apple picking, which Catherine managed much quicker than her husband. “Don’t drop the fruit, William,” she called out to him.

After the royals left, Catherine McKeever told reporters that it had been an unbelievable visit and that “It was just as if they were an ordinary couple coming in to see how to make bread.”

On their official Instagram account, Long Meadow Cider wrote: “It was a true pleasure to showcase our family-run business and to welcome them to our family farm. Their warmth and genuine interest made it a truly special day for everyone here at Long Meadow — a day we’ll remember for years to come. 💚🌳”

On their whirlwind visit to Northern Ireland on Tuesday, William and Catherine visited the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service’s Learning and Development College in Cookstown and Mallon Farms to learn about flax farms and linen production in County Tyrone.