The Prince and Princess of Wales had a surprise encounter with a comedy legend on their wedding anniversary trip.
Ruby Wax, 72, spotted the royals on the Isle of Iona, in Scotland, after they had travelled there to meet the local community and learn about their way of life.
Pictures show the couple beaming at a camera as they stand on each side of the American-British comedian.
The pair had spent their 14th wedding anniversary carrying out engagements in nearby Mull before they boarded the 10-minute public CalMac ferry to Iona.
They spent more than two hours there, with Kate photographed in the gift shop and the couple seen walking past Iona Abbey and walking off the public ferry.
When they boarded the vessel for the short journey to Iona the couple spoke about the ‘fantastic’ time they had on the Isle of Mull where they had spent much of their two-day visit.
Wax had been waiting to catch the boat in the opposite direction, where she was doing a silent retreat, when she bumped into the royals.
She joked that she had broken a vow of silence to greet them saying: ‘It’s funny because I’m on a retreat there.
The Prince and Princess of Wale s had a surprise encounter with a comedy legend on their wedding anniversary trip. Ruby Wax , 72, spotted the royals on the Isle of Iona, in Scotland, after they had travelled there to meet the local community and learn about their way of life. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay pose for a picture with Ruby Wax
The pair had spent their 14th wedding anniversary carrying out engagements in nearby Mull before they boarded the 10-minute public CalMac ferry to Iona
The couple beamed on their royal visit
The royasl visited the Ardura Community Forest to meet and learn more about the Mull and Iona Ranger Service who play a hugely important part in protecting and championing the local environment. Pictured: Kate looks through some binoculars
‘And I thought, “Why are they interrupting my silent retreat? I mean, you could break the silent retreat for this”. ‘
She said of meeting 42-year-old William: ‘I didn’t realise he was so good looking. He looks like his mother.’
Earlier William and Kate were welcomed by a small crowd when they arrived at the small port of Fionnphort, where the CalMac ferry to the island was waiting.
After greeting the well-wishers who lined the pier, the couple spoke with ferry staff, asking them about the challenges of running services, particularly in bad weather.
William and Kate, 43, have celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary during their visit to the Inner Hebrides.
They started their second and final day there yesterday by visiting the Ardura Community Forest, a haven for local families on the Isle of Mull.
Kate was said to have been in her element when she spent time with an early-years outdoor play group learning about nature in the forest.
The princess has made highlighting the development of children a central element of her public work and nature has played an important role while she was being treated for cancer.
With the youngsters aged up to five running around, she reportedly spoke of the value of them getting ‘outdoors as much as they can’.
William told one father about the importance of communities: ‘That’s what we’ve lost, the ability to come together and know your neighbour,’ and he went on to say: ‘You can get lost in the cities.’
Kate was said to have been in her element when she spent time with an early-years outdoor play group learning about nature in the forest
Kate crouched down to speak to some of the children learning about their environment through simple tasks such as gathering flowers, and she later played with the youngsters by the neighbouring River Lussa, as they threw sticks into the water.
Jan Dunlop from the Mull and Iona Ranger Service hosted much of the visit, and she said later about the couple: ‘I think they loved it, I think they really did.
‘Catherine would have stayed all day and you could see when she got to the water, that was it.’
The couple were there to meet and learn more about the Mull and Iona Ranger Service who play a hugely important part in protecting and championing the local environment.
Kate described the island as ‘an amazing place to be on our anniversary’.
The Ardura Acorns is one of the only early-years outdoor learning play groups on the island. It undertakes seasonal outdoor play, focusing on nature and wildlife including following trails, den building and storytelling.
