The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay visit Glasgow

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are known when in Scotland, carried out engagements in Glasgow today.

Their Royal Highnesses first toured Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum which opened in 1901 for the Glasgow International Exhibition and in 1902 became the city’s civic art gallery and museum.

It reopened in 2006 after being closed for three years for refurbishment and has since welcomed more than 19 million visitors.

The Duke and Duchess were greeted by the Lord-Lieutenant of Glasgow, Philip Braat, and were introduced to Museum Manager, Neil Ballantyne and Head of Museums and Collections, Duncan Dornan.

They met museum staff, members of the Cop26 team and members of the Cabinet Office Cop26 team, and were then shown round the museum, where they saw exhibits including the painting Christ of St John of the Cross by Salvador Dali and a display about remembering Srebrenica.

The Duke then went to see the Charles Rennie Mackintosh section and met students of the Glasgow School of Art, of which he is Patron, while The Duchess went to see the natural history collection.

Her Royal Highness met children from Hillhead Primary who were holding a model of an albatross with its wings stretched out to show the wing span.

The museum and art gallery houses about 8,000 objects in 22 themed galleries with exhibits including paintings, suits of armour and a Spitfire which is suspended from the ceiling, and also hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions.

Mr Dornan said: “Their Royal Highnesses were very interested in the collections. It’s always a privilege to have a royal visit and we were very pleased to welcome them.

“I think after such a difficult year it has been really very positive and a real boost to morale.”

He added: “The museum has had a hugely significant role in the lives of Glaswegians since it opened 120 years ago and it’s one of the most visited museums in the country.

“It is really loved by local people and is also a major tourist destination.”

The Duke of Rothesay then visited the Govan Home and Education Link Project (Govan HELP), which supports families with young children in the Govan area. 

Working closely with local schools, Govan HELP equip families with the skills and resources needed to resolve issues in the home before they reach crisis-point. The needs-led services include, family  support, play therapy, befriending, training & volunteering, adult counselling and community interpreters.