The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tried their hand at land yachting today before a walk down memory lane at the place where they met and fell in love.
William and Kate chatted to students at St Andrews University on the east coast of Scotland where they were both undergraduates, on the latest leg of their “charm offensive” tour of the country.
Before heading to their alma mater, the couple tried land yachting on nearby West Sands beach. William and Kate renewed their sporting rivalry, performing figures of eight in the wind-powered buggies. Land yachting is said to combine “the grace of sailing with the adrenaline buzz of motor racing”.
Wearing crash helmets and casual clothes, the duke and duchess joined six teenage carers trying out the sport on a day course organised as respite from their normal duties looking after family members.
The couple heard about the work of Fife Young Carers, a group that offers support for carers and gives them the chance to spend time with people of their own age.
The duke and duchess were then heading to St Salvator’s Lawn at the university to join geography and history of art students, contributing to the “Can Do” scheme, a joint initiative between the university and the St Andrews Students’ Association, to discuss their experiences of the pandemic.
They were also taking part in an interfaith discussion with students from the School of Divinity and campus inter-faith groups. Finally, the couple were set to plant the first tree for the St Andrews Forest, a key initiative in the university’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2035.
The couple enrolled at Scotland’s oldest university in 2001. William embarked on a degree course in art history, later changing to geography.
William, who is known as the Earl of Strathearn north of the border, said earlier in the tour that “it was here in Scotland 20 years ago this year that I first met Catherine. Needless to say, the town where you meet your future wife holds a very special place in your heart.”
Kate, who studied art history, is said to have caught the duke’s eye while on the catwalk during a fashion show.
