Will and Kate in Wales

Prince William and his bride-to-be, Miss Catherine Middleton made their first official appearance as a couple at at Trearddur Bay in Anglesey, Wales near where William works as a RAF search and rescue pilot. They were there to launch the 25ft-long Hereford Endeavour, one of the Royal Navy's most advanced  craft, with "a  tough carbon-fibre hull and capable of 35 knots – 40 mph.Carrying four crew and with room for 20 survivors, it has  special engines that work even after a capsize." Of course, all eyes were on lovely Kate as she navigated her way through her very first royal walkabout.



Of course she did brilliantly, even singing the Welsh national anthem perfectly - something that seems to have impressed everyone - along with her ease with the crowd.

Of course, there are the expected comparisons with Prince William's mother and chit chat about what Kate wore including her fascinator, a fashionable little headpiece, in this case, designed by milliner Vivien Sheriff (and not Philip Treacy as reported by the London Evening Standard):

Appropriately for the Welsh visit, it was decorated with an insignia of the Royal Welch Fusiliers – given to Kate ‘some time ago’, aides said – and two military tunic buttons. It was designed for the 29-year-old by Vivien Sheriff Millinery, a small company based in rural Wiltshire which makes all of its hats by hand.  And the design team was just as delighted to see the piece atop the bride-to-be’s head as anyone. ‘We saw it on the internet and we were extremely happy,’ said Maddie O’Mahony, of the design team. ‘She has quite a few of our pieces and luckily she wore one of ours today.’

I think the military buttons were an inspired choice. But here's what I think is really impressive - Kate sang  the anthem  in Welsh! 

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

(Pennill Cyntaf - First stanza)

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,

Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,

Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

(Cytgan - Chorus)

Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.

Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,

O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.

(Ail Bennill - Second stanza)

Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,

Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i'm golwg sydd hardd;

Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si

Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.

(Cytgan - Chorus)

(Trydydd Pennill - Third stanza)

Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed,

Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,

Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,

Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

(Cytgan - Chorus)