Kensington Palace respond to claims Kate Middleton and Prince William ignored Covid warnings on Royal Train Tour
Palace has defended claims Prince William and Kate Ignored coronavirus warning ahead of their Royal Train Tour.
- Palace officials have spoken out after claims Prince William and Kate ignored coronavirus warnings ahead of going on their Royal Train Tour.
- Emails between Kensington Palace aids and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's principal private secretary suggests the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may have ignored nationwide travel restrictions.
- This royal news comes after the Queen’s ‘grave concerns’ about Kate Middleton emerged as The Duchess prepared to return to work.
Officials at Kensington Palace have defended claims Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton ignored national guidelines about travelling on their Royal Train Tour amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took a whistle stop tour of the UK last month to pay tribute to the inspiring work of individuals, organisations, and initiatives across the country that have gone above and beyond to support their local communities during the health crisis.
As part of the three-day tour, the couple travelled 1,250 miles by royal train across the UK, making stops in England, Scotland and Wales but their journeys have come under fire.
It's claimed the royals ignored warnings from the Scottish Government about making the journey but Kensington Palace has ensured the visit was in line with coronavirus guidance at the time.
READ MORE: The big royal travel rule that Prince William and Kate Middleton keep breaking
https://www.instagram.com/p/CInruymlG7e/
The trip has most recently come back to light after a Freedom of Information request from The National showed John Somers, principal private secretary to Ms Sturgeon, had emailed the royals about the “major impact” the tour would have.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
On November 12, Mr Somers raised concerns about plans for William and Kate to be greeted by a bagpiper at Edinburgh train station, as well as their planned visit to the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).
His email said, 'You’ll know that we are currently asking people living in Scotland to avoid unnecessary travel from local authority to local authority and to keep journeys within the area they live to an absolute minimum.
'From a personal point of view I think the [train tour] is one which would mean a lot to many people living throughout the country. My anxiety though is the practical aspects of it and how presentationally it may be difficult if travel restrictions are in place. I think my view is that at the moment the chances of the tour having to be postponed are potentially quite high.'
But a spokesperson for the Cambridge royals said William and Kate adhered to Scottish Government guidelines for the train tour.
They said in a statement 'the same guidance we gave last month' ahead of the Cambridge tour 'still stands'.
Reiterating their December comments, they said, 'The Duke and Duchess were travelling for work purposes and all rules were fully adhered to.
'The trip was planned in consultation with the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments.'
Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)
-
Prince George, Charlotte and Louis’ guinea pigs are more than just cute, experts reveal they’re teaching the kids some very important life lessons too
Prince William has revealed that his kids have some ‘pretty cool’ pets and experts say the animals can really help a child’s development
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Psychologists and parenting experts share top 4 tips for raising mentally strong children - and #3 is easier said than done
Instilling resilience in a child is vital to help them handle whatever comes their way as they grow up
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton make important change to ‘protect their family’ from ‘hostile world of social media’
A royal expert has pointed out how recent 'hurtful' comments have prompted the Prince and Princess of Wales to take new precautions with their family
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Princess Charlotte will be grateful Kate Middleton made this unique change to her wedding vows - and she was only the second royal ever to ditch tradition
The Prince and Princess of Wales just celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 13th wedding anniversary celebrations ‘revolved around their children,’ reveals inside source as they give insight into the couple’s special day
The Prince and Princess of Wales marked their wedding anniversary with ‘low-key plans’ that involved all the family
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince William uses Princess Charlotte’s favourite ‘dad joke’ to get a laugh - and it’s got the seal of approval from this popular comedian
It's a childhood classic!
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Kate Middleton is enjoying ‘precious’ family time with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis as she recovers from ‘preventative’ cancer treatment
As the Princess of Wales takes time away from royal duties following her diagnosis, her kids are making sure to offer lots of love and support
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are huge fans of this popular tinned food - and it’s not what you’d expect from the royals
Royal meal times are more similar to the average family's than you might imagine
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince George is ‘a chip off the old block’ says body language expert as she highlights the similarities between him and his dad Prince William
The father/son duo share an incredibly close bond
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton planning to renovate family home as it only ‘just about fits the entire family’
The Waleses Windsor home Adelaide Cottage is about to get a new look
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published