PRINCE William and Kate Middleton jumped on a helicopter heading for the Orkney Islands today for the next stop on their week-long tour of Scotland.
The Duchess of Cambridge was dressed in a long camel coat and wide-leg trousers as she boarded the chopper outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh.
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The couple will visit local organisations on the isles, off the northeast coast.
Their visit forms part of their royal tour of the country – understood to be part of a wider strategy strengthen “cultural bonds” between Scotland and the rest of the union.
They look set to put on a united front on their first official trip to the area following Prince Harry’s scathing “truth bombs” last week.
The Royal Family has been rocked by the Duke of Sussex unleashing a string of bombshell claims that started with the interview he and his wife Meghan Markle gave to Oprah Winfrey in March.
The 36-year-old then went on to speak to Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast – saying his life was like the film The Truman Show and that he had felt “more free” since moving to the US.
The Duke of Sussex also said he moved to the US with Meghan and baby son Archie to escape his “genetic pain”.
Harry then claimed his family had showed “total neglect” for his mental health in the Apple TV documentary The Me You Can’t See.
And he accused his father Charles of letting him and his brother “suffer” in childhood.
Will and Kate are also taking a step back from the drama surrounding Martin Bashir’s BBC interview with Princess Diana.
The broadcaster was plunged into crisis on Thursday after being found to have covered up Bashir’s lies and deceit when securing the chat with William’s mother.
A damning inquiry revealed “rogue reporter” Bashir forged bank statements and spun wicked tales to win the vulnerable princess’ trust.
On Saturday, William issued a scathing statement about the BBC’s actions saying the lies about the royals “played on her fears and fuelled paranoia”.
The future king insisted the BBC’s failings “not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down”.
Meanwhile, Charles is said to be furious that “lurid lies” from Panorama’s interview with Diana took 27 years to finally be publicly corrected.
A friend of the Prince of Wales said: “The narrative that came from that interview about Charles needs to be changed.
“He is privately furious that it has taken 27 years. The interview and allegations caused long-term damage to the future king and his household.”
Exact details of Kate and William’s Scottish tour schedule is being kept under wraps, but they are expected to visit St Andrews University where they met as students 20 years ago.
