All the fun of the heir! Prince William proves he’s a real court jester by showing off his juggling skills as he and Kate Middleton meet circus performers in Galway during last of their three-day tour of Ireland
- William and Kate see preview of entertainment featured during Galway’s year as European Capital of Culture
- Attending special event to showcase acts such as Galway Community Circus and basketball project Hoops
- Later the couple will visit traditional pub Tig Coili and go on a walkabout to meet members of the public
- William and Kate will then end tour of Ireland later today by visiting local Gaelic Athletic Association club
The Duke of Cambridge showed off his juggling skills today as he and his wife Kate were given a preview of some of the entertainment featured during Galway’s year as the European Capital of Culture.
William and Kate, who are coming to the end of a three-day tour of Ireland this afternoon, attended a special event where acts such as Galway Community Circus and the basketball project Hoops are being showcased.
And the Duke displayed his juggling talent with three balls amid much applause and cheering from gathered onlookers – before trying to take on four balls but failing as he laughed and they fell on the floor.
The start of their final day in Ireland was delayed after bad weather affected their travel, with their arrival in Galway put back by at least 30 minutes after fog in the Dublin area caused problems with their helicopter departure.
The west-coast Irish city of Galway will see over 1,900 events across more than 150 projects during 2020 with local and international artists taking part in the year-long extravaganza.
Later the couple will visit Tig Coili, a family-owned, traditional Irish pub in Galway city centre, where they will meet local Galwegians who volunteer to promote the city and its people.
Outside the couple will go on a walkabout meeting members of the public gathered nearby. William and Kate will then end their tour of Ireland later today by visiting a local Gaelic Athletic Association club.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge juggling during a special event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway this morning
Prince William concentrates while juggling during a special event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway this morning
The Duke of Cambridge is in Galway today to look ahead to the city hosting the European Capital of Culture in 2020
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to the Galway Community Circus team in the west-coast Irish city today
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to an instructor from the Galway Community Circus in the city this morning
William and Kate laugh while the Duke tries his hand at juggling during an event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laugh as William holds a set of juggling balls at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today
The Duke of Cambridge concentrates while juggling during a special event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laugh while he juggles during an event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today
William did not have so much luck when trying to juggle with four balls in Galway today, but put in a decent show with three
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the entertainment event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway this morning
There, they will learn more about traditional sports which are popular across Ireland, including hurling and Gaelic football, and join children and young people from the club’s teams as they take part in matches on the pitch.
Last night, the Duke called on the UK and Ireland to work to maintain the bonds of friendship post-Brexit – and vowed the royal family will play its part.
William said relationships between people were ‘more essential’ than legal treaties and he was optimistic a ‘shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous future’ would ensure the ‘precious bond’ between the Irish and British is kept.
The duke’s comments came in a keynote speech in Dublin and were echoed earlier in the day by agriculture minister Michael Creed, who said Ireland’s mission was to have ‘a very close relationship with the UK’.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet local Galwegians after a visit to a traditional Irish pub in Galway city centre today
The Duchess of Cambridge greets people in Galway city centre after leaving the traditional Tig Coili pub this afternoon
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet local Galwegians during a visit to a traditional Irish pub in Galway city centre today
The Duchess smiles and laughs during an event in Galway to look ahead to the city hosting the European Capital of Culture
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk outside a traditional Irish pub in Galway city centre this afternoon
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch during a special event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway this morning
William and Kate are in Galway today ahead of the city hosting the European Capital of Culture in 2020
The Duchess of Cambridge waves before meeting local Galwegians after a visit to a traditional Irish pub in Galway today
Kate speaks to William this afternoon as they attend the event in Galway today involving the Galway Community Circus
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge applaud during the special event at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today
Kate and William smile together during their trip to Galway today as part of their three-day tour of Ireland
William and Kate are in Galway today which will see over 1,900 events across more than 150 projects during 2020
The Duchess of Cambridge laughs at the Tribeton restaurant in Galway today, during the final day of the couple’s Irish tour
William and Kate spent the day yesterday cooking lunch for young people after taking them food shopping, enjoying a scenic clifftop walk outside Dublin and touring a research farm.
Prince William reveals he’s only had ‘two sips’ of Guinness so far in Ireland because officials ‘keep taking them away’
William and Kate at Howth Cliff in Ireland yesterday afternoon
Prince William joked that he has only been allowed ‘two sips’ of Guinness so far in Ireland before officials take keep taking them away from him.
The Duke of Cambridge was speaking to locals yesterday while he and Kate spent quality time together outside Dublin and enjoyed a romantic clifftop walk in Howth.
And they bumped into a group of locals, with William telling them they wanted to ‘come and get some fresh air’ during their trip which had been ‘really good’.
Kate said it was ‘such a great day to come and see the view’ before being asked if she was enjoying Ireland. She replied: ‘Yeah, we’re loving it, thank you.
‘We’ve got a few bits left – we’re going to Galway tomorrow.’ A local then replied: ‘Always fabulous, better pints of Guinness in Galway.’
And William said: ‘I know, I’ve been allowed two sips so far. Every time I have the third sip it gets taken away from me. Finish a pint by the time I…’
A resident replied: ‘It’s a bit of a tough gig.’ William responded: ‘Yeah, tough gig.’ The couple then walked off as a local told them: ‘Thanks for coming out.’
The Duke and Duchess were both handed a pint of the black stuff as they visited the world famous Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on Tuesday evening.
Speaking at the Museum of Literature Ireland, at an event hosted by the Tanaiste, or deputy prime minister, Simon Coveney, the duke said: ‘Of course, the changing relationship between the UK and the EU will require us to work together, to ensure that the relationship between Ireland and the UK remains just as strong.’
He went on to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, legal treaties are vital in underpinning the relationships between states.
‘But relationships between people are equally, if not more essential – especially between the people of our two countries, whose lives, histories and futures are so deeply intertwined.
‘I am confident that friendship, understanding and a shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous future will ensure that the unique and precious bond between our people is not broken.
‘My family is determined to continue playing our part in protecting, preserving and strengthening that bond.’
The duke also urged the UK and Ireland not to be ‘bound’ by the wrongs of the past in his speech, which mirrored the Queen’s historic address to the Irish people.
William highlighted the importance of reconciliation, just as his grandmother did during her 2011 Ireland visit when she offered her sympathy to everyone who had suffered in centuries of conflict between the two nations.
The Queen helped put Anglo-Irish relations on a firmer footing by her Irish tour and the Prince of Wales has sought to strengthen those ties by making five successive trips to Ireland over the past five years.
After the Cambridges had visited the research farm in Co Meath, Mr Creed said: ‘We may have gone our separate ways in our previously shared membership of the European Union, but I think we can forge a new economic and political dispensation that is reflective of those broad family ties that have been there for many, many years.’
He added: ‘The UK will always be our closest neighbour, our closest trading partner and we are anxious to maintain that.’
Local Galwegians await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this morning for a visit to Galway city centre
Local Galwegians await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for a visit to a traditional Irish pub in Galway today
Local Galwegians outside St Patrick’s Primary School in Galway today as they await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess
People wave and cheer in Galway this morning as they await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
People in Galway wait this morning for the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for a visit to a traditional Irish pub
People wait for the arrival of Prince William and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge outside the Tig Coili pub in Galway today
Adults and children cheer and smile for the cameras as they wait for Prince William and Kate to arrive in Galway this morning
Local Galwegians outside St Patrick’s Primary School in Galway today as they await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess
Pepole hold up flags and banners marking William and Kate’s engagement ahead of their visit to Galway this morning
Local Galwegians wave to the cameras as they await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this morning
People wait for the arrival of Prince William and his wife Kate outside the Tig Coili pub in Galway this morning
A girl waves the flags of Britain and Ireland as she awaits the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Galway today
Local Galwegians hold up flags with pictures of William and Kate as they await the royal couple’s arrival this morning
Michelle Rogers, from County Laois, holds a picture of William’s late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in Galway this morning
Speaking about the Cambridges, he said: ‘They are very, very welcome here. They bring a symbolic message as well to the island of Ireland. It’s power, it’s a symbolism, this is an island we can share.’
Meghan Markle lands back in Britain today for the first time since Megxit crisis and will join Prince Harry at Endeavour Fund Awards tonight
Harry and Meghan at Canada House in London on January 7
The Duchess of Sussex will tonight make her first official public appearance in Britain following the Megxit crisis as she prepares to step down as a senior royal.
Meghan will join her husband Prince Harry at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London before they end their official duties on March 31.
The event celebrates the achievements of wounded, sick and injured servicemen and women who have taken part in sporting and adventure challenges.
This evening will mark Meghan and Harry’s first joint official royal engagement since revealing two months ago that they would step down from royal duties.
Harry waved to well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace yesterday as he was driven away in a Range Rover after a series of internal meetings with his team.
The Queen was holding one-to-one audiences in her London residence yesterday, although it was not clear whether Harry spoke to his 93-year-old grandmother.
It came after they had a ‘heart to heart’ for four hours in her private apartments at Windsor Castle on Sunday about his imminent departure from the Royal Family.
During their visit to the Teagasc Research Farm, William and Kate told the principal of a local primary school they wanted to return to Ireland as a family.
Eileen O’Reilly, head of the Kiltale National School, said after the couple had met some of her pupils: ‘They said they would like to come back here with the kids and do a cycling tour and see the Irish countryside.’
As he toured the farm William, who enrolled on a 10-week agricultural course in 2014, also revealed he had been inspired by his father to lay hedgerows to improve the countryside.
Later the Cambridges helped prepare the dish of the day for a group of youngsters – after popping to a shop to teach the children about budgeting.
William and Kate joined 13-year-olds Simon and Molly at Savannah House, a respite centre run by social justice charity Extern in Clane, County Kildare, and then visited a nearby village shop to buy ingredients for vegetable soup – with 20 euro (£17) to spend.
Their trip to the Londis store in Prosperous, County Kildare, was supposed to be a secret but word had got out and around 200 villagers had gathered to see them.
Store owner Philip Stynes admitted he had told a few customers about the impending visit and word soon spread.
‘It just snowballed from there,’ he said. ‘But even if we hadn’t told them, there would have been a big crowd. People live out on the streets here.’
William and Kate also enjoyed a romantic clifftop walk when they spent some quality time together outside Dublin.
Walking hand-in-hand and with the stunning coastline as a backdrop, they strolled along a path on the Howth peninsula under blue skies.
At the end of their ramble the couple were met by Ireland’s environment minister Richard Bruton, who said: ‘They remarked on how you couldn’t come to Ireland and not see the coastline, so they got their wish.
‘And they saw it in a benign light, normally there is a wind howling – it’s really beautiful today, they couldn’t be luckier.’
Prince William and Kate enjoyed a romantic clifftop walk in the Howth peninsula, east of central Dublin, yesterday afternoon
William and Kate during a visit to the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Centre at Grange in County Meath yesterday
William and Kate prepare soup in the kitchen area during a visit to Extern at Savannah House in County Meath yesterday
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to mental health charity Jigsaw at Temple Bar in Dublin yesterday
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend a special reception at the Guinness Storehouses Gravity Bar in Dublin on Tuesday
William and Kate attend a wreath laying ceremony in the Garden of Remembrance at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin on Tuesday
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett in Dublin on Tuesday
William and Kate speak with Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina on the first day of their visit on Tuesday
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