Now WALES swipes at William and Kate over cross-Britain tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at Cardiff Castle this morning as they continued their tour of Britain by royal train – thanking key and frontline workers and communities for their efforts during the pandemic.

Prince William and Kate were in the Welsh capital to highlight how the local tourism industry has coped in the pandemic and meet students to discuss how their mental health was supported during lockdown.

Details of the royal couple’s next stops on the royal train have not been released, but they are expected to end their travels with the Queen, and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

But Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething criticised William and Kate’s decision to travel to Wales as Covid cases rise, saying he would prefer it if ‘no-one was having unnecessary visits’.

It comes after Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested the duke and duchess travelled to Edinburgh yesterday despite their office being made aware of restrictions for those wanting to cross the border. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Cardiff Castle this morning as their royal train tour of Britain continues today

The Duchess of Cambridge is dressed in a long, bright red Alexander McQueen coat as she arrives at Cardiff Castle today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend a ‘Toast Your Own Marshmallow’ stall during a visit to Cardiff Castle this morning

Mr Gething said he was not ‘particularly bothered or interested’ when asked during by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if he thought the couple should still travel to Wales.

But he said William and Kate’s visit, part of a national tour by royal train, should not be used by people as an ‘excuse’ to say they are ‘confused’ about coronavirus regulations.

Asked if it was the right moment for the royals to visit Wales, the Welsh Health Minister replied: ‘I’d rather that no-one was having unnecessary visits, and people always have divisive views about the monarchy, but their visit isn’t an excuse for people to say that they are confused about what they are being asked to do.’

When asked if they should still come, Mr Gething said: ‘I’m not particularly bothered or interested because I don’t think that is going to be an excuse for people to say: ‘I should go and behave in a different way and I should act as if the harm that is being seen in front of us in every part of our healthcare system is not taking place.” 

Yesterday, the couple visited Scotland and toured Berwick-upon-Tweed, Batley and Manchester as they met schoolchildren, ambulance workers, volunteers and charity workers. 

Royal sources said the visits were planned in consultation with the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments and stressed they were working, which permits travel across the border. 

Prince William and Kate meet students in Cardiff to discuss how their mental health was supported during lockdown 

William and are undertaking a short tour of the UK ahead of the Christmas holidays, and stopped off in Cardiff this morning

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething (left, on Saturday) criticised William and Kate’s decision to travel to Wales as Covid cases rise, while Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (right, at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh yesterday) did not extend a welcome message to the couple during her daily briefing yesterday

William gave a speech at FareShare, a national charity feeding almost one million people per week across the UK and up to 60,000 in Greater Manchester, to thank staff and volunteers for helping the most vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking inside a Manchester warehouse named after the mother of England and Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, who works closely with FareShare, William said: ‘Catherine and I felt that it was extremely important to visit just some of the heroes that have emerged this year to thank you for all that you have done.

‘Whether that’s transport workers, paramedics, school teachers or indeed staff and volunteers like those of you online across the FareShare network or here in Manchester tonight.’ 

William and Kate have been travelling on board the royal train for on a nine-stop whirlwind, 48 hour, 1,250-mile tour across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Royals arrived in Edinburgh yesterday morning to the sound of bagpipes serenading them with Christmas songs, before meeting workers at a Scottish Ambulance Service hub.

The pair are attempting to spread festive cheer to frontline workers ahead of the Christmas holidays.

William and Kate board the royal train at London Euston railway station yesterday as the embark on the three-day tour

The tour is also designed to showcase the UK’s arts, heritage and live performance sector, which has been supported throughout the pandemic by the Government’s £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund.

But Ms Sturgeon did not extend a welcome message to the couple during her daily briefing yesterday – despite being asked about the trip.

Instead, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘The Scottish Government was advised about the intention to visit, and we made sure that the Royal Household were aware, as you would expect, of the restrictions in place in Scotland so that could inform both the decision and the planning of the visit.’

‘Any more questions on that should be directed to the Royal household,’ she added.

The Scottish government said Ms Sturgeon did not try to stop the Royals from going to Scotland, adding she simply reiterated the guidance in place. A spokeswoman later said: ‘The First Minister welcomes the support shown by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for Scotland’s NHS.’

One Tory MP MP told MailOnline of Ms Sturgeon’s remarks: ‘This man is the future King of Scotland.

‘It is very unsubtle and I think it will backfire on her because there are a lot of loyalist Scots who would be pretty appalled that she would behave in such a rude manner. She should know better.’