Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, is beginning a week of engagements in Scotland with a visit to a new aircraft carrier bearing his Prince of Wales title.
Charles will view progress on the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier being assembled at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth on the first of a busy four-day itinerary.
The 65,000-tonne HMS Prince of Wales – the eighth ship named after the heir to the throne – is expected to be handed over to the Royal Navy in 2019 ready for sea trials.
Earlier on Tuesday, the duke will visit a sporran-maker in Perthshire and will be joined later in the day by wife Camilla at an exhibition celebrating Harris Tweed in Edinburgh.
Scotland’s textile heritage provides the theme of the week’s engagements, which will also see the royals hear about opportunities for young people and successful community projects.
Charles will open The Prince’s Trust’s youth employment and enterprise hub in Glasgow on Wednesday before he and the Duchess attend a sewing bee challenge hosted by Dumfries House in Ayrshire, the 18th-century stately home whose future was secured following intervention by the Prince in 2007.
A partnership between Dumfries House and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to promote the arts will be launched at the Cumnock attraction on Thursday, ahead of a trip by the royals to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute at the end of the week, where they will tour a textile mill and design studio and meet apprentice weavers.
Ahead of the launch, Charles said: “When I acquired Dumfries House for the nation nine years ago, it was my sincere hope that not only would we restore the magnificent house and its unique contents for future generations to enjoy, but it would also act as a catalyst to regenerate this part of Scotland and provide education, skills and training for local people.
“I now have the pleasure of seeing another of my patronages, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, join in partnership with Dumfries House to create an artistic hub for the young people of Ayrshire.
“The arts are integral to the education of our young people, they broaden our horizons and our humanity, and allow people to transcend their boundaries and connect with one another.
“I am delighted to see these two historic establishments join in a new partnership which will inspire and enable the young performing artists of Ayrshire to reach their full potential.”
