The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Scotland at later this month, undertaking engagements pertaining to the environment, homelessness, addiction and mental health.
William’s visit to Scotland comes in his capacity as this year’s Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which takes place online on 22 May. William will travel to Scotland on Friday, 21 May, with Kate joining the following Monday, 24 May.
Their visit will include stops in Edinburgh, Fife, and Orkney—their first official visit to the area—and the royals will meet with individuals to thank them for their hard work throughout the coronavirus pandemic, including the National Health Service staff and other emergency responders, frontline workers and military personnel.
William will host a viewing party for the Scottish Cup Final at a rooftop bar, inviting emergency responders to join him; and later, both he and Kate will host NHS Scotland staff for a special screening of the upcoming Disney film Cruella at a specially designed drive-in cinema at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The royals will take a trip down memory lane with a visit to St. Andrew’s University, where they first met as students 20 years ago. During their visit, they will meet current students to hear about their educational experiences during the pandemic.
William and Kate will also visit projects related to tackling climate change including racing an Extreme Electric vehicle at Knockhill Racing Circuit; visiting the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney; and learning how Fields in Trust supports Scottish green spaces. These engagements come as Glasgow prepares to host COP26, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, later this year.
The couple will also meet with young people in Fife to take part in land yachting on a beach.
William will also undertake engagements surrounding the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: he will attend ceremonial events and give speeches at both the opening and closing ceremonies; and will hear from charities working with the Church of Scotland to hear how they have been impacted by and adapted their missions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Duke is honoured to be fulfilling the role of Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this year,” said a spokesperson from Kensington Palace.
“Both he and The Duchess are very much looking forward to spending time in Scotland, hearing from a wide range of people on the issues they care about, and celebrating individuals who have gone above and beyond to support their communities over the past year.”
