Day Three of the Royal Train Tour started in Wales as the Cambridges arrived at Cardiff Central train station. 
Here is a quick video from Kensington Palace of the Duke and Duchess arriving.
#RoyalTrainTour day 2, first stop: Cardiff pic.twitter.com/QOPUD4aqIb
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 8, 2020
The first stop was a visit to Cardiff Castle. 
Located in the heart of the Welsh capital, the castle’s history goes back more than 2000 years. Below, a file photo of the castle. 
The royals are visiting during the annual Christmas at the Castle festival, so they were able to browse booths set up as part of that event.
They toasted marshmallows over a fire. 
More from The Telegraph.
They kicked off the final day of the trip at Cardiff Castle, where they met university students and heard about the mental health challenges they faced during the pandemic.
The Cambridges were joining students from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the University of South Wales as they unwrapped their Secret Santa gifts to one another.
Simon Perry of People shared a video of the couple chatting with students.
Princess Kate and Prince William talking to some of the local university students at Cardiff Castle about their wellbeing and how they’ve coped during the pandemic #RoyalTrainTour #dukeandduchessofcambridge #princewilliam #katemiddleton pic.twitter.com/KTo86b0fHL
— Simon Perry (@SPerryPeoplemag) December 8, 2020
More about the conversation from Wales Online.
Student officers from the University of South Wales also met the royal couple today.
Kay Dennis, Lois Jones and Shannon Lee said the group were told they would receive some important news, but the message couldn’t be written down. It was only this morning they learnt they would be meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Kay Dennis, welfare officer, said: “They were lovely, it was exciting to be given the opportunity to talk to them.
“They were really interested in what we have have been doing in the students’ union with mental health.”
Kay added that they spoke about the opportunities for young carers and parents to attend university and the need to tackle digital disadvantages between students.
The Cambridges spoke about family Christmas plans, which are still up in the air. This is from The Mirror’s coverage.
“They were trying like the rest of us to make Christmas plans with their family and still weren’t 100 percent sure of what they were going to do or where they were going to be,” she said.
Lily Faulkner, 21, a second year Politics and International Studies student at Cardiff University said afterwards.
They even took part in a Secret Santa gift exchange.
More from The Telegraph’s story:
Joining forces with a group of six housemates who had “bubbled” the royals then took part in a Secret Santa gift swap.
They all eagerly tore off the wrapping paper and the Duchess had them all in giggles when it emerged she had given Gwennan Lewis, 20, from Newport, a £13.99 Prosecco Pong game.
The Duke bought Dewi Morgan, 19, who is in his second year of studying sport and exercise science at Cardiff Metropolitan, a finger flick table football game.
The Duchess appeared chuffed with her traditional Welsh Love Spoon, while the Duke laughed at his Guinness beer mat flipping game, saying: “I think this says a lot about me.”
A closer look at William’s coaster set and Kate’s spoon. 
The couple then traveled to Bath, where they were welcomed at the train station by Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mrs. Annie Maw.
Also on hand to greet them, Jasmine Warner, 5, (3rd from left), who’s brother Otto, 8, (far left), came out of cancer treatment today. His sister Poppy, 10, is seen fourth from the left, and the children’s mother, Georgie, is standing behind Jasmine. 
The couple then left the station to head to their next engagement.
That engagement was a stop at Cleeve Court Care Home in Twerton, Bath, where residents eagerly awaited their visit.
Kensington Palace posted a video of the couple being welcomed. (Note the four-legged photo bomber.)
Special guest at the next visit 🐈
📍Bath | 🚂 #RoyalTrainTour pic.twitter.com/TYPqpo13Bs
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 8, 2020
The couple wanted to pay tribute to those working in care homes across the country throughout the pandemic.
As you can see, this was an outdoor engagement.
Kate and William spoke with residents and employees about the ways they managed and continue to manage during the pandemic. 
The facility is a 46-bed care home, providing care and health services for older adults with dementia. 
There was also a special performance by the Bath Abbey Choir, who sang Christmas carols. 
This year Cleeve Court residents won’t be able to attend the annual carol service at the Abbey, so the Choir was happy to come and sing to the residents outside the home. Reporter Emma Elgee shared a video of the choir performing.
Some beautiful singing going on by Bath Abbey Choir led by Huw Williams pic.twitter.com/ItXfsIcICi
— Emma Elgee (@EmmaElgee) December 8, 2020
Then it was time to say ‘goodbye.’ 
After the visit, the royals did a quick walkabout. 
Another view.
The Duke and Duchess’s next stop was The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. Here is a video of their arrival from Alice Knight, a reporter at The Reading Chronicle.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have just arrived at the hospital #RoyalTrainTour #RoyalTrainTourCambridges #duchessofcambridge #dukeofcambridge #rdguk pic.twitter.com/0lW2fkvEII
— Alice Knight Chronicle (@AliceKnight98) December 8, 2020
This happens to be the hospital where the Duchess was born.
Roya Nikkhah of The Times tweeted a video of the royals chatting with the staff.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been visiting the Royal Berkshire Hospital, where Kate was born. William and Kate met with nurses and midwives and have passed on thanks to all @NHSuk staff for their work during the pandemic #RoyalTrainTour pic.twitter.com/W9IUtOfsYY
— Roya Nikkhah (@RoyaNikkhah) December 8, 2020
The couple met members of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust’s 775-strong team of nurses and midwives.
More about the visit from The Reading Chronicle.
Kara who is another midwife said: “We spoke to them and they were very lovely.
“They asked about how it was through the pandemic with Covid and what it was like for the women in maternity. It was lovely to speak to them, they were very normal.”
Our reporter Alice Knight spoke with midwife Katie England who got to speak with the Duke and Duchess.
She said: “Lovely. We didn’t know until now we were going to speak with them.
“They were really friendly and wanted to hear about us and how we coped and everything
The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English tweeted a video of the royals as they left the hospital.
William and Kate applauded hardworking NHS nurses on their penultimate #RoyalTrainTour engagement earlier and told them ‘there is light at the end of the tunnel’. The couple were at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, where Kate was born.
Just wait for the big finale very soon 👑 🚂 pic.twitter.com/KMi5pCEjVv— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) December 8, 2020
Now for our review of what Kate wore for today’s engagements. 
She was in the vibrant Alexander McQueen coat first seen at October engagements launching the public portion of the Hold Still photo exhibition. 
The Duchess also brought back the tartan skirt by Emilia Wickstead worn for a 2018 Kensington Palace Christmas party. 
The scarf worn today matches the tartan pattern in the skirt, leading me to believe it also by Emilia Wickstead.
The Duchess carried her Grace Han Love Letter Top-Handled Bag ($2144)
Kate wore a new mask by Amaia Kids (£15), in a pattern not yet named on the site. 
UPDATE FEB 18: The pattern is called ‘Floriana,’ and the mask is available on the Amaia site (£15).
For the hospital engagement, the Duchess switched to a face mask by Emilia Wickstead (£55). 
The mask is 100% silk, and it comes with a matching silk pouch. This is the only silk face mask I see on the designer’s site; there are also two cotton styles offered for sale.
Kate brought back her ‘Alia’ earrings (£62, about $83 at today’s exchange rates) by Spells of Love, a Welsh jewelry firm. 
We’ve written about Hayley Jones previously, but here is a little more info from Wales Online.
They were made by Welsh independent designer Hayley Jones who started her jewellery business from the kitchen table of her home in Caerphilly three years ago.
Hayley, who started selling her jewellery on Etsy, couldn’t believe it in the summer when she got a call to say that the Duchess of Cambridge would be wearing her £62 earrings during a royal visit to Barry Island and was delighted to see Kate wearing them again today.
Since the original outing, interest in Hayley’s designs have gone through the roof and she has had to draft her mum Dawn and sister Kelly in to help keep up with all the orders.
The Duke and Duchess are at the day’s final engagement. They have joined HM, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Anne for a reception with volunteers and key workers from Berkshire who will be volunteering and working over the holidays.
I am working on a separate post now covering this event.
LINKAGE:
- Wales Online’s rolling coverage is here; The Telegraph’s story is here; The Mirror’s piece is here; The Reading Chronicle’s coverage is here.
- Simon Perry’s People article is here.
The red is a festive colour but the coat is too long and awkward looking!I like the polo neck boots,scarf and handbag really classy.
I can see what you mean about the length- at times it seems awkwardly long, at others it looks dramatic to me. It also seems such a smart choice right now with so many events taking place outdoors. Kate is tall and slender enough to make it work.
Catherine should start a spoon collection. Years from now, there would be a tour of The Royal Collection of Catherine, Queen Consort: Spoons.
I’m not at all joking. I WANT that Welsh love spoon. And she has the great big spoon from the yacht race.
The matching mask, scarf and skirt are just a DELIGHT and do so much to dress up this coat, which I was kind of “meh” on at its first appearance. This is how to wear basics–with some detail and wit! As with the Duchess’s initial appearance on this trip, I also think the tall, high-heeled boots work so much better with these superlong coats.
Speaking for a second exclusively on the tartan itself, I just love and appreciate it so much. That clever combination of houndstooth and plaid, with those graphic, vibrant colors, manages to look both holiday-cheery and punk-rock at the same time. It’s just super clever and fashion-forward while remaining totally on-brand for the Duchess. Well done!
My dream of a tartan face mask came true! I’ve been hoping Kate or William would incorporate their masks into their outfits on this trip and I was particularly hoping for a festive one like the tartan one she wore.
Side note: I noticed she had marshmallow on her gloves! That would drive me batty the rest of the day to have sticky gloves. Although I’ve never worn leather gloves with smores so maybe marshmallow comes off leather easier than I think.
A little water instantly dissolved marshmallow- it’s wipe clean 🙂 My issue was that she touched food with her gloves- kind of gross! I always thought one removed gloves when handling food.
Like others, I’m pleased to see the return of this coat which looks much improved this time. As someone else suggested, in October it looked off balance. I love this Emilia Wickstead skirt and the long lengths of coat and skirt work beautifully. Many repeats for this outfit in my book.
The only part which puzzles me is the way Kate is wearing the scarf. I like it and think it works well, but would prefer it tucked into her coat. Kate wears her scarfs awkwardly with formal outfits (in my opinion) and a bit more confidence in tying them would elevate her look. I actually think Teresa May knows how to wear a scarf and Kate could learn from her.
I was born in this hospital too! I have been stuck in Hong Kong all year, feeling homesick particularly at this time of year, so was lovely to see them visit my home town. I also have friends who work in that hospital, so it’s a great morale boost for everyone. The Cambridges on this tour have made me proud of the UK (and the same day as the vaccine!) and brought a tear to my eye. Keep up the good work!
I think the red coat is lovely and striking, and a definite improvement from the October wear. Although I agree with some other commenters, the skirt/scarf combo is a little matchy matchy, but I really appreciate the tone of not buying new expensive clothes given the current economic climate, whilst keeping the look fresh and festive with a few new accessories.
Kate looks magnificent stepping out into winter sunshine in her bold red coat, which I’m delighted to see again so clearly. The McQueen tailoring with its long, lean lines and gentle flare is completely flattering to Kate’s figure ,and is much improved by the wearing of high heel winter boots. A coat this length can rarely be carried off with just pumps.
The tartan looks terrific against the coat and I was glad to see elsewhere an illustration which made clear to me that the Wickstead skirt has a belt. This gives it more character than was apparent to me when the waist was hidden under a top and I appreciate it more. I’ve always liked the swing of its full skirt. Black accessories all round, plus black turtle neck, are super-smart and contribute to Kate’s overall regal demeanour.
Matching tartan scarf and mask are perfect finishing touches and the gleam of gold from her Alia earrings adds an essential highlight. Her hair is superb – can they really manage all that on a train? – it always looks so well away from her face and the intricacy at the back is exquisite.
Susan, your posts this week have been just what I needed. I love that William and Kate have taken this short, but very merry tour. At a time when healthcare workers, care givers, and others are particularly burdened, a visit from W & K is so uplifting. I love that they used the train…it’s gives such a festive, holiday feeling. And lastly, I’ve loved Kate’s coat repeats. The change up of accessories has brought just enough newness to make it interesting, without the cost of a new wardrobe. I have particularly loved the tartan scarves and this red confection makes the longer coat really work. It’s as if that coat was made with this outfit in mind. I adored the Emilia Wickstead skirt in 2018 and was so glad to see a repeat. Not too matchy matchy for me. Just a burst of holiday joy in one outfit. When masks are a must, clothes must be able to smile, and this outfit did just that. Thank you again, Susan for helping us enjoy this trip! Merry Christmas!
This coat is so stunning, from the color to the extraordinary tailoring. What a wonderful occasion to give it a second outing; I’m sure the visit cheered all those they visited today. Wow, do the boots ever make a big difference! I thought it looked a bit silly before with the black heels peeking out under its length and sweep.
I’ve been trying to get a look at those gloves, and I have come to the conclusion that they are not the ones she wore for that first visit to Wales after she and William were engaged. Anyone remember those? They were also black leather but had a bit of red crocheted trim at the wrist. We may never see these again either after she stuck a gloved finger into warm, melty marshmallow!
Not a fan of wearing the scarf in that manner; I would have preferred it tucked or brought round to the front on the other side and knotted or wrapped a bit, but it’s a nice festive touch, especially paired with the matching skirt. I giggled over the matching mask as it made me think of Queen Mathilde and all her matching masks. It’s pretty cute.
This was a really welcome diversion, and they certainly traveled a distance! Really impressive.
I’m so happy to see this Alexander McQueen coat redeemed in this re-wear! It was such a beautiful coat, but badly proportioned and not very well styled in October with the extra-long length, light sweater and chunky heels. Now though, I love it with the boots, tartan and black turtleneck. So cozy, festive and chic. The length of the coat looks lovely with the high-heeled boots, and the rich red color is gorgeous. To me, this is the perfect winter look.
What a cheerful and festive look this is for Kate! When she first wore this long red coat, the balance was totally off. In October it had to be a warm day, because others in some of the photos had no coats and one person had short sleeves. So the Duchess looked overly bundled up and not dressing for the season. Also the very long coat looked wrong with just feet in shoes poking out the bottom. Now it is colder, she is wearing boots and the skirt underneath is also a longer length. All good!
The tartan skirt, with a matching tartan scarf and even a tartan mask, makes for a very cohesive look. I like the black accessories and note that on this tour Kate has been wearing leather gloves, rather than the usual knit ones, with the bows that ElizaMo finds overly fussy.
I absolutely agree with you on the coat Bonnie. When she first wore it in October I didn’t care for it (and I love red coats and Alexander McQueen) but it was just because of the way it was styled. I didn’t think she looked over dressed but I definitely thought that a coat of that length looked slightly odd with heels and bare ankles. The coat is quite long, and I loved it styled this way because everything is creating long lines: the long skirt, the scarf draped over her shoulder, the knee high boots, even the roll neck sweater helps create a cohesive look.
I found a vintage skirt that is a dead ringer for this Emilia Wickstead skirt, I was just trying it on with my black cashmere roll neck sweater and similar Aquatalia boots (I can’t do as high of a heel though, I live in NY and walk everywhere). I mostly work from home these days but go onsite a couple days a week. I love festive dressing and I love matching accessories. I have really enjoyed all of Kate’s outfits on this tour, as I am very much a coat/sweaters/boots person, I love autumn and the holidays. I especially love this look.
You’re so right, Bonnie, I’ve been welcoming the sight of truly elegant and grown-up gloves!
I’d LOVE to know which leather gloves these are. I can’t tell from the photos if they’re Cornelia James ones….
Cornelia James does not believe the leather pair is one of theirs. 🙂
Did you source the brand of gloves? Have to agree he blend of outfits on the entire trip is amazing.
M
Hi, Makayla, I’ve updated Sunday’s post and last night to include info on the Cornelia James ‘Alice’ gloves, but have not yet identified the others.
I have really enjoyed following their tour on social media. Such wonderful a lift to the spirits on an otherwise dreary week! Although I absolutely love Kate’s outfit choices throughout this tour, I’ve just seen the Queen’s outfit on the news and it is fab!
I guessed she would wear red today! I was hoping she would wear a red coat and the beautiful tartan skirt again so I got my wish. The skirt is perfect for this time of year.
I, too, hoped for a return of the festive skirt, which looks amazing with the red coat. I’ve asked before, but does anyone know of a replikate of that gorgeous envelope handbag?
I didn’t like this coat during the October outing and I still don’t like it now. The color is lovely but it is way too long and bulky on Kate. It looks slightly better with the tartan scarf and black boots but not by much. By far the best coat she’s worn so far is the teal Catherine Walker for these outings.
I was very happy to see the tartan skirt again though, I was hoping she’d rewear it at some point. That outfit she wore to the holiday party in 2018 is by far the best holiday outfit she’s ever worn IMO. I thought the matching scarf and mask were a bit overkill though, I think she could have left the mask in a just boring black or red.
How cheery and festive!
I’m here for a dose of matchy-matchy. I think the way the skirt, scarf and mask are worn is fun, playful and very on-theme, but still classic and not silly looking.
And this long red coat looks so much more balanced with black boots. Great way to change a look: add a scarf, take it away, add a mask in a bold print and voila! A fantastic winter ensemble.
Yesterday with the Hobbs coat, I was thinking about how much I loved her hair the first time she wore it, and here she does a very similar half-updo.
The long coat tour has been a delightful distraction this week. Susan, your coverage is second to NONE. Many thanks for the hard work and care put into the posts, especially during tours.
Thanks so much, KJM! 😊
These two seem to be going from strength to strength, don’t they? This little tour showed such goodwill and support for groups of people whose lives have been so affected.
Both William and Catherine are so tall and slim! It must be really something when they walk into a room together.
I felt the red coat was too long at the October event, but it looks festive and cheerful here and I didn’t notice the length at all. Probably wearing boots made a difference.
Looking forward to the next post!!
Indie I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said here! The height of the heeled boats does make the coat actually look proportional this time. And right on about the tall and slim couple!
I think this is matchy-matchy is a good way. The coat goes beautifully with the outfit. The gloves today look different than those worn on previous days but I may be wrong there.
I think there might be an influence from Prince Charles in the recent sartorial picks. She’s choosing more small businesses and sustainable brands. Good for her!
Like the coat so much better with the boots. I recall I found it unbalanced and too long when she wore it the first time with the court shoes. Perfect for the occasion with the tartan skirt and scarf. This train trip is a lovely gesture. Well done!
I love the color of this coat although I find it a little too long. It’s OK in winter, I think in October the length bothered me more.
The tartan-skirt and -scarf are the perfect match, I loved the skirt last year and I’m happy about the repeat – so festive!
The tartan-mask is a little too much for my taste – but to each their own. A very good choice not to wear the mask plus the scarf.
I am so so happy to see Kates hair braided (at least partially), I always long for her to wear braids more often, she really has the length and fullness of hair to pull that off!
The perfect occasion for this coat and a wonderful scarf to pair with it. She looks lovely – I really love her hair today.
Excited to see photos of the Queen later! That red is such a good color.
I realize that discussion about whether or not Kate wears a mask and when is probably discouraged here, so I will respectfully leave my opinion on that out of my comment completely.
But I do have to say I think Kate missed an opportunity here; there are masks currently being sold with ALL of the proceeds going directly to the NHS. Instead of wearing a £55 designer mask that matched her outfit or another one which will benefit the owners of Amaia, Kate could have worn one of these and spiked sales on the site, which would have provided an actual, tangible benefit to the NHS workers they’re ostensibly thanking. I’m in the US and I’m aware that these are being sold, so I have to imagine Kate’s team must be, as well (or at least they should be!).
We here on WKW know how many people will rush to buy anything she wore or even so much as carried, *especially* something so affordable (one adult mask is £9.99). We also know she does put an enormous amount of thought into her wardrobe and the messages it conveys. It’s just a very disappointing misstep, imo.
https://bekindbekindred.com/products/adult-thank-you-nhs-personal-antibacterial-fabric-protection-face-mask-soft-touch-single-mask
What festive and seasonal outfit. I am relieved that the scarf and skirt are an exact match and that all the reds work together (something she has struggled with in the past). I love the boots and think her hair and makeup are on point. The purse is also cute.
My personal preference is for shorter coats but I can get behind this one due to the super long skirt under it.
This is a lovely little mini-tour for those of us missing the usual full scale tours with multiple outfit changes and engagements per day.
Kate’s really worked hard at her outfit changes and made the little tour into something very special. I appreciate her efforts also.