William and Catherine visit Powys ahead of St David's Day

The Prince and Princess of Wales made a visit to Powys as part of the lead-up to St David’s Day celebrations on Sunday, focusing on community spirit and resilience. Their first stop was The Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes, a centre dedicated to creativity and sustainable living. Despite persistent rain, a crowd gathered outside to greet the royal couple, waving Welsh flags and offering daffodils. During their visit, William and Catherine shared warm interactions with locals, spending nearly half an hour in the rain engaging with well-wishers; Catherine exchanged high-fives and hugs while William took selfies with attendees.

At The Hanging Gardens, the couple enjoyed hot drinks in the café and spoke with individuals crafting Welsh language festival signs. This venue offers a variety of facilities including a café, performing arts centre, indoor market, community garden, kitchens, and workshops all aimed at fostering community connection. William and Catherine also toured a forge, watching a young blacksmith named Ollie Jones at work, and visited a nursery where children proudly displayed signs they had created. Later on, they observed schoolchildren performing Welsh songs in the performing arts space before sampling cider at the market and stopping in the kitchen where traditional Welsh dishes such as cawl and Welsh cakes were being prepared for the upcoming holiday.

Their visit continued at Oriel Davies, a contemporary art gallery in Newtown, where they explored a community arts project supporting the wellbeing of children and young people. Catherine expressed admiration for the initiative, remarking, “It’s amazing what’s happening here,” and noting how it serves as a wonderful way for families to forge friendships and share stories. This year-long project, led by artist Nicky Arscott, brought together local families including those from Syrian and Afghan refugee backgrounds to participate in creative workshops. Arscott explained that the couples viewed artwork including a collaborative tablecloth created over several months from various collected materials.

The final stop was Hafan yr Afon, a cultural and community hub in Newtown, where Catherine engaged with members of Mums Matter, a support service addressing perinatal mental health challenges. Ella Hopkins, a volunteer who fled domestic violence with her infant son, spoke about the princess’s genuine commitment to the cause. “The princess was absolutely incredible, you could tell she was really passionate about the cause,” said Hopkins. She added that Catherine had been deeply engaged throughout the conversation, noting, “She definitely said that it’s something that she said felt passionate about, parents being able to be committed and devoted through their own stability.

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