The Princess of Wales debuted a new summer hairstyle and paid tribute to her husband with a subtle detail as she and William visited the Isle of Mull to mark their 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.
The Lord and Lady of the Isles – as they are known in the region, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay – arrived in Tobermory this afternoon wearing matching tweed jackets as they begin a two-day visit to the Inner Hebrides.
Kate, 43, was glowing as she stepped out in a smart £549 herringbone blazer from Holland Cooper as she arrived at the iconic 18th Century fishing port with its brightly-coloured houses, made famous by the hit children’s show Balamory.
She added hiking boots, skinny jeans and a light blue shirt – while subtly paying tribute to William with a £6,000 Cartier Ballon Bleu stainless steel watch, thought to have been a gift from her husband on their third wedding anniversary in 2014.
The mother-of-three also wore her Kiki McDonough Pear Drop earrings and paid tribute to her children with a necklace by Daniella Draper with the letters G, C and L – representing Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine and Prince Louis, who recently turned seven.
Her brunette locks glistened in the sunlight with what appeared to be new blonde highlights for the summer – on a rare day of warm weather on the Scottish island.
Meanwhile, Prince William, 42, opted to match with his wife in a checked grey blazer, jeans and brown suede shoes, while appearing to share her good humour.
They soon put on a loved-up display, with Kate joking with her husband while placing a hand on his back as they walked together.
The Princess of Wales’s hair appeared a few shades lighter – perhaps having added blonde highlights for the summer – during a visit to the Isle of Mull today
She and her husband Prince William looked as loved up as ever as they celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary
Catherine and William visited an artisan market in Tobermory on the island, which saw glorious weather for the royal visit
Kate appears to have lightened up her hair for a fresh summer look
A crowd of around 300 plus cheering locals and tourists awaited them, bagpipes playing at their car approached the local community centre in Tobermory.
The couple arrived around 15 minutes late, having arrived by helicopter on the island.
It’s set to be a romantic getaway, with William and Kate renting an isolated self-catering cottage for two during the visit – 14 years after they tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
The couple began their two-day stay on Mull with a visit to the Aros community centre, built in the 19th century and home to events from wedding receptions to pantos, yoga classes and ceilidhs. It is being renovated thanks to a partnership with their Royal Foundation.
Kate and William waved to the crowds as they walked over to be greeted by Morven Summers, Chair of the Aros Hall Committee, and social influencer, interior designer and local resident Banjo Beale.
The royals were seen laughing as they visited the soft play area inside the hall and were gifted a bouquet of flowers in a timely move for their anniversary.
Reminiscing with locals about a private visit they made as students to the island 20 years ago, the Princess also said she still has two watercolour paintings she bought in the town hanging in a bedroom at home.
And they spoke about the three children they have had since their last trip: their love of soft play, and how the Princess visited the Waitrose café with baby Prince George for lack of any local mother and baby groups on Anglesey to take him to then.
Kate and William sampled some whiskey at a Whey-based spirit holder’s stall
The Prince and Princess were gifted a bouquet of flowers as they visited the soft play area at the Aros Hall community hub
Kate, the ‘children’s princess’, smiled and laughed as she chatted with a mother and her daughter
The Princess of Wales looked overjoyed to be back in Scotland today as she visited the town of Tobermory on her 14th wedding anniversary with William
The Prince and Princess, who are staying in a self-catering cottage on the island tonight, spent more than an hour walking through the small town’s harbour front road, shaking hands and taking photographs with locals and holidaymakers.
The Prince said he could always confirm whether he had visited a place before because he is usually asked to sign the visitors’ book, joking that he may have had ‘one or two ciders’ during his long weekend on Mull as a student.
The Princess spent a long time talking to a holidaymaker who introduced himself to her as ‘from one cancer survivor to another’ and played with toddlers and babies at a new soft play their Royal Foundation has funded.
The downstairs of the hall has been converted partly into a new soft play, complete with pretend play area and mini cafe for young children and their families.
It is newly-painted with a puffin mural, which the Prince and Princess were invited to paint a flower on to.
The Prince ushered his wife to do the first one, joking that she is the artistic one and that there is ‘no competition’. The Princess took her time painting a small white flower, persuading her husband to do his own.
‘I think we’ve found Banksy,’ joked Banjo Beale, the interior designer and television presenter who lives locally and is working on the renovation. ‘It’s you.’
‘Come on, please please,’ Kate asked William, handing him a paintbrush and palette, and patting him on the back and briefly leaning her head on his shoulder afterwards.
William and Kate are today celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary – after tying the knot back in 2011
The couple waved to crowds before going inside Aros Hall community hub – which has partnered with their Royal Foundation
Kate also made a sweet nod to her children with a personalised necklace from Daniella Draper with their initials on
The Princess of Wales paid tribute to her husband with a subtle detail – a Cartier watch thought to have been a gift for their third wedding anniversary
The couple opted for matching outfits as they greeted wellwishers on their 14th anniversary
Kate appeared in fantastic spirits as she stepped out wearing a Holland Cooper blazer
Kate showed off her creative side as she painted a detail on a mural in a soft play area
The Prince later asked a small schoolgirl to decide which flower was the best, laughing when he was told they looked exactly the same.
The Princess went on to speak to mothers about the facility, asking about the services and connections with other parents. ‘
She told them she wished there had been a similar place when she had just had Prince George while living in Anglesey, telling them that she had visited the Waitrose cafe to get out of the house and see people.
‘We hang out a lot at soft play’, she said, ‘Mine absolutely love it.’ William gestured to his knees to joke that ‘you still think you can do it yourself, but…’
‘It’s not usually this clean,’ he said, of the brand-new set up. ‘It’s beautiful. It’s really cosy and fun.’
Hearing about how the young families gather in the space and make friends, the Princess added: ‘You need to bring ‘the village’ together.’
Prince William played with babies, tickling their feet and asking whether they were sleeping well.
He also gave an insight into the Waleses’ future projects, saying they wants to ‘spotlight’ volunteers and community leaders around the country who are the ‘glue’ holding everything together.
At the end of the visit, the Prince was handed a bouquet of flowers and the Princess was given a home-made card featuring the handprints of children painted as if they were flowers in a vase.
‘I remember when my kids had hands like that,’ she said, measuring their small size.
William took it upon himself to swap the gifts, saying ‘I feel more comfortable holding the card.’
The Prince and Princess visited the stunning town of Tobermory, famed for featuring in children’s hit Balamory
A crowd of around 300 people turned out to meet the royals, who have long expressed adoration for Scotland
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as they’re known while in Scotland, shared a sweet moment during their visit as Kate placed her hand on her husband’s back
Love was in the heir as Kate beamed at her husband in a very loved-up display
Upstairs in the hall, the Prince and Princess were shown some of the refurbishment work, meeting the painter, carpenter and volunteers.
The Prince spotted a photograph of his late grandmother and grandfather’s visit to the island in 1956, proclaiming it ‘amazing’
Kate, who is sometimes called the ‘children’s princess’ due to her passion for the early years, couldn’t stop smiling as she chatted with one little girl and her mother.
They were soon quick to get stuck in and help, meeting volunteers and families who help keep the space going.
The Princess of Wales revealed her handy side today as she nailed some tiles to a fridge roof and revealed she had been given a chainsaw for Christmas.
It was not clear who had given her the gift, but it appears that it will be in expert hands.
Shown a small work station, where Tom Nelson was making a new ‘surround’ for the community food bank fridge with wooden tiles on its roof, the Prince and Princess agreed to use a nail gun to add their own.
William went first, sniffing the wood as he asked what kind it was and taking instructions on the tool.
He fired several nails in successfully before handing it over to his wife, advising her not to pull the trigger then and there ‘otherwise our trip will be remembered for all the wrong reasons’.
Crouching down and adding her tiles matter-of-factly, the Princess was heard to say ‘I’ve been given a chainsaw’ for Christmas.
She waved to crowds who had turned out to greet her, while modelling a stunning herringbone blazer
Kate, who is sometimes called the ‘children’s princess’ due to her passion for the early years, couldn’t stop smiling as she chatted with one little girl and her mother
The couple were given gifts as they visited as artisan market to meet makers and creators
Banjo, admiring her work, told William ‘What can’t she do!’. William, acknowledging his wife’s prowess at trying things out on public engagements, replied: ‘That always happens.’
The couple also asked for tips on carpentry and beekeeping to take home with them.
Before leaving, the Princess doubled back to ask the carpenter for more details on how he was making the roof for the inside structure around the fridge, and was shown how to use an axe to take the bark off the wood.
The Prince, discussing the new paint work in the hall, was heard to agree that ‘tweed curtains would look lovely, actually’.
On the way out, the Princess paused in the small charity clothes shop to ask about it before the couple headed out onto the street.
There, they toured an artisan market and met some of the island’s makers and creators, while sampling some of their products. This serves as a vital lifeline for locals given the lack of other shops on the island.
At the end of their visit to the artisan market the couple were introduced to Morvern and Edward Maclean with their new baby son, Edward, who was born at home just 12 days ago. The couple also have a daughter, Lottie, 20 months.
Edward slept through his public debut but Morven said afterwards that it had been an ‘honour’ to meet William and Catherine.
She said: ‘She was asking me whether there is a hospital on the island, and there isn’t. We don’t have midwives either, but I told her that mine came over two weeks before he was due so we were well prepared. Edward managed to sleep through the whole thing, but what a wonderful memory.’
Her husband added: ‘They were lovely, really interested and charming.’
Afterwards, while meeting crowds, Kate had a very sweet exchange with a little girl.
Kate quickly got stuck in at Aros Hall and used a nail gun to help construct a sign for a community pantry
She appeared in her element as she expertly used the gun, while Prince William watched on
It was sunny enough for Kate to put on her shades as she laughed with William at the market
Kate crouched down to pose for a photo with wellwishers
‘What’s your name?’ she could be heard asking. ‘Can I shake your hand? Look at your beautiful dress! That’s lovely isn’t it? Very nature inspired.’
The hall is run by the community, with regular activities including a weekly producers’ market, sewing club, lunch club and toddlers’ group.
It was a glorious day – with the weather even warm enough for Kate to don a pair of sunglasses – the £160 Vivian Marble pair from FINLAY.
To coincide with their visit, Kate and William’s Royal Foundation has announced a new partnership to support and develop two community spaces across Mull to ensure residents can continue to come together for activities.
Later they will travel to Croft 3, a local croft and restaurant on the western side of the island, run by Jeanette Lynn who focuses on sustainable production, relying as much as possible on serving food which has been grown or farmed on site, or which is provided by local producers.
Jeanette will show Their Royal Highnesses the croft, including seeing some of her herd of native Hebridean sheep, and invite them to help prepare some of the food for that afternoon’s menu including some outdoor cooking amid the stunning scenery.
Their visit will culminate in a feast for the community to highlight the importance of coming together to support one another.
Tonight William and Catherine will stay on the island in a remote self-catering Croft themselves to celebrate their anniversary – and highlight the importance of tourism to the region.
Today it can be announced that the couple’s charitable Royal Foundation is providing two grants to Aros Hall and Pennyghael Community Hall on the island.
She was delighted to meet a dog, who seemed completely unabashed at his encounter with royalty
After visiting Aors Hall, the Lady of the Isles greeted crowds in Tobermory
The money will help enable the re-design and renovation of the halls which will allow more islanders to come together.
It includes a new ‘Rainydays’ play area and soft play zone in Tobermory and roof repairs at Pennyghael on the south of the island.
The couple have also loaned the help and expertise of their Business Foundation to help open a community cafe on the island.
Melanie Waters OBE, Executive Director of Programmes, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales said: ‘It is a privilege to work closely with inspiring members of the community on Mull as they grow and develop spaces at the heart of their communities.
‘Volunteers in both the north and south of the island have led incredible efforts to ensure communities have warm and inviting places to meet, access valuable services and form friendships.
‘We are excited to work in partnership to bring wonderful activities that best showcase the culture, spirit and resilience of rural island communities.
Morven Summers, Chair of the Aros Hall committee added: ‘We are so grateful to be working in partnership with The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and other partners to help deliver our vision for Aros Hall.
‘This investment will enable the hall to provide welcoming and warm spaces which strengthen our community.
Prince William and Catherine enjoyed a visit to the Isle of Mull Soap Co, and learned all about the different scents
While visiting an artisan market, Kate and William smelled wax melts at a beekeeper’s stall
William displayed his usual playful banter while chatting to waiting crowds
Prince William also had a go with the nail gun, as he and Kate helped construct a sign for the community pantry
The couple met with families with young children at the community hub
To coincide with their visit, Kate and William’s Royal Foundation has announced a new partnership to support and develop two community spaces across Mull
Catherine was quick to get stuck in at their first stop at Aros Hall community centre
William also appeared in good spirits as he chatted to volunteers and families
Crowds had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the Prince and Princess of Wales
‘We are especially excited about launching the new ‘Rainydays’ soft play area, providing much-needed opportunities for parents with young children to come together and connect.
‘Aros Hall has been serving the Tobermory community for over 100 years, and with this support we can ensure its doors remain open for many more.’
Banjo Beale, interior designer and Mull resident commented: ‘It’s an absolute joy to be working with The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales to redesign and preserve these vital community spaces.
‘Together, we’re not just restoring old walls – we’re reimagining what’s possible when community and creativity come together. I’m excited to breathe new life into beloved buildings and celebrate the island’s warmth, resilience, and quiet magic.’
The couple, who walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, do not normally celebrate personal anniversaries in public but when the trip came up, sources say, thought ‘why not?’
Aides say they have a ‘deep love’ for Scotland having met and fallen in love at St Andrew’s University and are delighted to be back on Mull, where as revealed by the Mail today they enjoyed a secret holiday together as student and even took part in a water bomb fight with locals.
The aim of their visit, which will also take in neighbouring Iona tomorrow, will be on the power of community and social connection.
The couple are both more at home in the countryside than anywhere else, making it the perfect way, say sources, for them to also celebrate their first wedding anniversary since Catherine revealed she was in remission from cancer.
The couple have endured what William last autumn described as a ‘brutal’ year, making their time away even more precious.
William, known as the Duke of Rothesay while in Scotland, matched his wife’s humour while visiting a community hub
The Princess of Wales appeared delighted with the warm welcome as she greeted crowds
Kate was even holding a pair of sunglasses as they basked in the unusually warm weather on the Isle of Mull
The Prince and Princess of Wales looked overjoyed to be back in Scotland as they celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary
William and Kate – who first crossed paths at the University of St Andrews in 2001 – are spending their anniversary north of the border. (Pictured: The royals’ 2011 wedding)
A royal source explained that the tourism industry contributes ‘significantly to the economy of the Isles’, which see hundreds of thousands of people visit every year, adding that the Prince and Princess are looking forward to ‘showing their support for the islands with their stay’.
The source said: ‘For The Duke and Duchess, this visit is all about the power of communities, and highlighting that by building stronger and better-connected communities we can perhaps build a steady path to more loving and compassionate society.
‘What we will see on their visit to the Inner Hebrides is that we can learn powerful lessons from ways of life on Mull and Iona, specifically about how we reconnect with each other.
‘The simpler way of life that these island communities enjoy, steeped in nature and built on strong person to person connections, offers a powerful model for transforming our own health and wellbeing, and in turn the communities within which we live.’
The trip is a rare joint public outing for the couple, who have three children – George, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 7 – since Kate underwent preventative chemotherapy for cancer, for which she is now in remission.
‘Scotland is incredibly important to me and will always have a special place in my heart,’ William, who as heir holds the title Lord of the Isles, said back in 2021.
‘George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us… We have no doubt they will grow up sharing our love and connection to Scotland.’
The focus of their trip is to highlight rural island communities and the stunning natural environment in which they live.
Mull and Iona are breathtakingly beautiful places – home to dramatic mountains, ancient forests, and stunning beaches, as well as an abundance of wildlife, lochs and waterfalls.
Mull is known as the one of the ‘larders of the UK’ with its plethora of family-run independent businesses selling produce that has been fished, farmed or produced on the islands.
Iona, its tiny neighbour, is popular with visitors thanks to the unique place it holds in the history of Scotland. Both have thriving tourism industries in the summer who come for the breathtaking landscapes and coastlines.
In 2022, pictured, the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated their 12th anniversary in Norfolk
On Wednesday, the couple are set to visit the Ardura Community Forest, where they will meet countryside rangers from the Mull and Iona ranger service.
The Duke and Duchess will join a local school group as they take part in outdoor learning at the ancient forest, which is home to a rich and diverse array of birds, mammals and plants.
Part of the Atlantic rainforest and one of Scotland’s most precious habitats, the forest is now under community ownership and work is underway to protect and restore the forest and it’s rare and vulnerable wildlife.
The Duke and Duchess will join Ardura Acorns, one of the only early-years outdoor learning play groups on the island.
It undertakes seasonal, outdoor play and learning with 0-5-year-olds and their carers, with activities focusing on nature and wildlife, such as following nature trails, den building, animal tracking and storytelling.
To coincide with Their Royal Highnesses’ visit, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales will be announcing support for the Mull and Iona Ranger Service to ensure their important work conserving and championing nature can continue.
The Prince has a further connection with the Isle of Mull because it is part of lands once ruled by the Lord of the Isles, one of a number of Scottish titles he inherited from his father when Charles became King.
When in Scotland, William and Kate are officially known by their Scottish titles, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.
Last March, the Princess of Wales issued her deeply moving video message to the world revealing that she had been diagnosed with cancer
The life partners of more than 20 years became friends first at university where Kate was working towards an art history degree, while William, who initially enrolled for history of art, had switched to geography, before embarking on a romance.
It is said that Kate caught the attention of the young prince at a charity fashion show in the Spring of their first year at university.
A 20-year-old Kate confidently strutted in front of her peers wearing a revealing sheer dress with a black bra and underwear for a fashion show titled ‘The Art of Seduction’. (It had actually been a see-through skirt or minidress worn as a top)
Prince William, who paid £200 for a table close to the catwalk, is said to have been open-mouthed. The lace slip itself later sold for £78,000.
They then moved in to an apartment with friends during their second year of studies ‘as friends’ but ‘it just sort of blossomed from there really,’ the Prince later said in the couple’s official engagement interview.
Despite a short hiatus in 2007, William proposed in 2010 in a cabin hut roughly 11,000 feet above sea level on the side of Mount Kenya in Africa after getting back together.
Before long, they were wed in a grand fairy-tale ceremony in Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, with the aisle of the Gothic London church lined with trees.
The bride wore a stunning Alexander McQueen gown designed by Sarah Burton and the Queen borrowed her the Cartier Scroll Tiara for the big day.
Prince Harry served as his brother’s best man, with both the Duke of Sussex and William dressing in traditional military uniforms.
The affair, attended by a crowd of 1,900 including royals, celebrities and politicians from across the globe, was hailed the wedding of the century at the time.
The Princess of Wales included deeply personal message in which she thanks those who have supported her, saying she has ‘drawn great strength’ from them
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony to exchange not one, but two kisses and the celebratory crowds went wild.
Upon their marriage, the Queen granted the couple the titles the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which they would later trade in for the Prince and Princess of Wales.
It is likely that this anniversary will be all the more special after William admitted 2024 was ‘the hardest year of my life’ after Kate’s cancer diagnosis, as well as his father’s.
In September, the Princess revealed she finished her course of ‘preventative chemotherapy’ and shared it reminded her and her husband to ‘reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.’
The princess’ personal message to the nation is accompanied by a stunning three-minute long video showing her and William in Norfolk with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, shot last summer.
It shows the family playing happily on the beach and in the woods, William and Catherine laying entwined on a blanket, hugging their children – and kissing.
Some six months earlier, Kate released another emotional video where she revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer but also gave an insight to her relationship with her husband.
She said the diagnosis came as a ‘huge shock’ to both her and William, adding that they were doing ‘all they can’ to process it both as a couple but also as a ‘young family.’
‘It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and reassure them that I’m going to be okay,’ Kate said.
‘Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance, as is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you – it means so much to us both.’
It’s not the couple’s first visit to the island – and it will likely bring back many memories, the Mail can reveal.
They first stayed on the island in the Inner Hebrides in 2005 following their final exams at St Andrew’s University, where they first met and fell in love.
Along with a group of friends they rented Victoria Cottage on Breadalbane Street in Tobermory, famous as the brightly-coloured town of Balamory in the children’s television series featuring Josie Jump and PC Plum.
William, 22, Kate, 23, and their group enjoyed a four-day, self-catering stay at their holiday let overlooking the harbour before they returned to university for their gradation that June.
In a video with William and their children, Kate announced she had finished her chemotherapy treatment
William was spotted on the ferry over from Oban, on the Scottish mainland, with passengers apparently staring in disbelief. One passenger said he was ‘very chatty’ on the boat and made no effort to hide his identity.
He was with a young woman who they didn’t think was his girlfriend, but the Mail has established that Kate did accompany him too.
‘They visited privately during their time at university,’ a royal source confirmed this week.
Arriving on Mull the group dropped their bags off at their cottage before popping down to the local Co-op for provisions.
‘He was very handsome and very polite,’ one member of staff said of the heir to the throne.
The future king was also seen in the local pub watching the British Lions in New Zealand and then went back to the shop with friends to buy a picnic lunch before heading out into the hills walking.
‘He was minding his own business and so did everyone else. His family have a lot of connections on the west coast of Scotland and that is probably why he has decided to holiday here,’ said a shop worker.
Discussing their visit this week, a source told the Mail yesterday: ‘William and Kate were here previously. They were open to the public, just a normal couple enjoying a break away.
‘They had fun with the local neighbours with a water bomb match and had a BBQ with them too.
‘They were just very normal people, without any royal airs and graces. It was really nice to see.’
Another said: ‘There was a whole gang on them just having a break, all very chilled. There was no fuss or fanfare and because William acted so low-key and normal, all the people around here did too.’
They added: ‘The funny thing was that Princess Anne was also visiting the island at the same time and they both ended up in the Co-op together.
‘What at the chances of having two members of the Royal Family here at the same time – and in the same shop?
‘Anne comes here a lot when she stops off on her boat, but it was very funny to see them both queuing together – William was standing behind her.
‘It just goes to show that if people as famous as the Royal Family don’t make a fuss, then no-one else does too. You would barely see the security with them. It was all very low-key.’
