Prince William and Kate visiting Scarborough today
It's the biggest Royal event since 2010
Last updated 3rd Nov 2022
The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting Scarborough today to launch funding to support young people's mental health, in a collaboration spearheaded by the Royal Foundation.
During their time here, William and Kate will meet and engage with local organisations who will benefit from the funding which has been created from a collaboration between The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Two Ridings Community Foundation.
Their Royal Highnesses are also going to see first-hand how organisations are helping those who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
It is the biggest Royal visit since 2010, when the late Queen and Prince Philip came to unveil the new Open Air Theatre.
Bill Chatt was Mayor of the Borough of Scarborough at the time and met them. He said: "I'd been up since 3 o'clock in the morning. I mean I was going to meet The Queen. A big Range Rover pulled in and the doors opened, The Queen and Prince Philip got out of the car and I'm thinking 'oh here we go, here we go, here we go.' It was really nerving I've got to be honest with you. It's something I'll never forget. The Queen walked over, she was introduced to me and she made me feel so at ease. She was very professional.
"Anybody who gets to witness a Royal visit on the Yorkshire Coast tends to remember. We talk about back in the Jubilees and back when The Queen came down Scalby Road and all the kids were out of school. It's a really big event for us in Scarborough to meet somebody who's going to be the King or Queen of this country.
"I always say to people the thing with The Queen is that she was the original superstar. She was the one that everyone knew about and William and Kate are exactly the same. You will be meeting a real, proper superstar. They're not popstars but they are people who are in line for the throne in this country.
"Everybody who's going to be there, I know you're going to enjoy it. I know you're going to love it. It's difficult because you want to take loads of photographs but you're not encouraged to do that but people will take photographs. It'll be an absolute fantastic day for Scarborough and it'll be a fantastic day for the voluntary groups who are meeting the Royal personage but most of all, it shows Scarborough in the best light.
"We've had quite a few Royal visits. King Charles when he was Prince has been here and in my time, I've met Princess Anne and The Queen. Meeting somebody of the Royal Family is so important. It's not just meeting your local Mayor, this is somebody who's nationally important, somebody who's world important in fact.
"Prince William is somebody who can influence politics and policies of the country. He's somebody who, to be fair when you look at him, seems to be really, really understanding of the people. His parents were fantastic, his mother was lovely and I think William's going to do the same. They'll come to Scarborough and I tell you what if they don't love Scarborough I'll be amazed."