The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are to embark on a tour of Scotland as part of a new role for William handed to him by the Queen.
The Prince is to kick off his new job as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on Friday with Kate joining him from Monday until Thursday.
Together they will visit Edinburgh and Fife, in addition to embarking on their first official joint trip to Orkney.
Twenty years after they first met at university they will both take a trip down memory lane by visiting St Andrews to meet with current students, and hear how they have coped and supported each other during a difficult year.
Since the coronavirus crisis royal tours, so often the bedrock of The Firm’s calendar across the world, have been cancelled.
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The last time the couple were able to join forces for a mini-tour was just before Christmas when they managed several outings over three days on board the Royal Train across England, Scotland and Wales to thank the tireless work of our NHS and front line care staff heroes.
Royal sources said the future King and Queen are “very much looking forward to meeting a wide variety of people across the country, as well as charities and organisations who are doing incredible work on issues such as the environment, mental health, homelessness and addiction.”
Appointed to the role of Lord High Commissioner by The Queen, William, 38, will undertake ceremonial duties including speeches at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
As with every element of life over the past year, The Church has had to change and adapt the way they support their congregations.
The Duke will spend a day hearing how charities associated with The Church of Scotland have come together over the past year to provide for their local communities in spite of physical distance.
The couple will also host several events during the week to thank individuals that have gone above and beyond to support their communities over the last year including NHS staff, frontline workers, emergency responders, volunteers, and the military.
William is to invite emergency responders to watch the Scottish Cup Final with him at a rooftop bar and as Joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, The Duke and Duchess will host NHS staff from Scotland at a unique drive-in cinema to watch a special screening of Disney’s Cruella at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: "The duke is honoured to be fulfilling the role of Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this year.
"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."
Ahead of COP26 climate change event, which will be taking place in Glasgow later this year, William and Kate will also visit innovative projects that are aiming to positively change the dial on climate change.
These include racing an Extreme E electric vehicle at the iconic Knockhill Racing Circuit, a visit to Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre, and hearing how Fields in Trust protect green spaces for communities across the UK.
Fields in Trust was supported by The Duke of Edinburgh for 64 years, who passed the role of President to The Duke of Cambridge in 2013.
Previous Lord High Commissioners have included The Prince of Wales, The Earl of Wessex, and The Princess Royal. The Queen has also attended in person.
