The Princess Showcases British Brands for Isle of Bute Engagements

The Duchess of Rothesay (as the Princess of Wales is titled in Scotland) visited the Isle of Bute today with the Duke of Rothesay.

The Isle of Bute is about 90 minutes west of Glasgow, including the ferry ride.

The couple’s first stop was at the Bute Shinty Club in Rothesay. This is their first visit to their namesake town.

Shinty is one of Scotland’s oldest traditional sports, played here for generations. The couple met senior and youth team representatives and spent time with volunteers and former players in the clubhouse. Local community members built the clubhouse, which holds team photographs dating back to 1907.

More about the sport from this BBC piece. 

Twelve players per side use a curved wooden stick called a caman to play a leather ball. Some players choose to wear full face protective helmets throughout the two 45-minute halves.

It begins with the throw up, where the referee throws the ball in the air between two players, leaving them to wrestle for it.

It’s fast, it’s physical, it’s traditional.

Today’s engagements were designed to highlight the power of community, connection and volunteering.

The couple then went back outside to watch training exercises and meet young players taking part in the sport.

Below, the couple watch some of the younger players. 

We learn details from this Daily Mirror story. 

Kate and William watched an under-17s shinty game … before marching onto the pitch to take part in a penalty shootout. William stepped up first, fluffed his first shot and the ball bobbled away – but he connected with the second attempt.

Kate was cheered onto the pitch by the crowd and raised her fist in the air in mock acknowledgement of their support. William l called out ‘long run up’ as Kate stepped up to take her first attempt. The princess joined in the laughter as she missed the ball entirely performing an air shot. After William suggested she take just one step up to the ball, Kate struck her second attempt cleanly.

Rebecca English of The Daily Mail shared videos of the Prince and Princess taking their shots. 

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay enjoy trying their hand at Shinty on the Isle of Bute today. A couple of false starts, but then they smashed it! pic.twitter.com/PzjlyCUYJ0

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) September 17, 2026

Another view of the Princess. The royals posed for selfies. 

Here you see the Princess greeting 95-year-old Jenny Salli, a Rothesay resident. 

And the royals posing with Ms. Salli.

The couple with club officials. 

And a group photo with younger players at the Club.

The Princess with a wave goodbye as this engagement wrapped up. 

The couple then traveled to Ettrick Bay, a few miles away, where they met members of Beachwater Bute. 

The charitable organization was formed in 1998; members monitor and remove marine litter from Bute’s shores.

We learn more from Hello’s story. 

They walked along the sand with Beach Ranger Sandra Macmillan and supporters of the charity, which has coordinated clean-up activities on Bute since 1998, to keep the coastline safe and accessible for wildlife and local people. 

Armed with litter pickers and recycled farm feed bags to hold the rubbish, they stopped to pick up bits of packaging and rope and used their bare hands to pick up finer plastic filaments from fishing gear as they heard more about the charity’s work.

Beachwatch Bute’s secretary Sue Brooks said she had offered the Princess some gloves, which she turned down. “She said ‘actually, I do this all the time’.” Catherine was “a bit hesitant” to use the litter picker, but instead, “she was in there just picking everything up and saying ‘I’ll get that one’. Yeah, it was great. “It felt like you were just chatting to your pal walking along, so it was lovely.”

The couple even took a tractor ride on the beach. 

The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English shared several videos from the beach engagement. 

A very happy Duke and Duchess of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute today 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 pic.twitter.com/DG3BGcb43i

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) September 17, 2026

The royals posed with volunteers for a group photo. 

It looks like the Princess made some four-legged friends. 

Another view. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Anchor Tavern Pub & Hub in Port Bannatyne.

The pub is community-owned, and a Scotsman article from this May notes it “was bought by the community in 2022, saving it from ruin. It is the village’s only pub, and the people who rescued it now sit there together and drink together too.”

It is also dog-friendly, noting, “We happily accept well-behaved dogs and provide water and treats and even a dog visitor book!” The BBC reports, “Settling in for coffee and cake – as well as a half-pint of beer for William – the royals could be seen chatting with pubgoers…”

There is a community hub next door where meetings can be hosted, and there are pop-up food events, along with exhibits, workshops and other community activities. Below is a group photo at the Tavern.

The couple as they left the pub. 

After leaving the pub, the royals did a walkabout. 

The King’s Guard Tours posted a video of the Princess chatting with people about what she’d like to do the next time she visits. 

The Princess of Wales shared with members of the public on the Isle of Bute that next time she visits, she would like to swim, sauna, and listen to live music! 🎶

🎥 @kingsguardtours
📍Isle of Bute, Scotland
📆 17 September, 2026#PrincessOfWales #PrincessCatherine pic.twitter.com/2hsHJypcdT

— Kings Guard Tours (@KingsGuardTours) September 17, 2026

The Princess with schoolchildren. And posing for a photo. 
 The Princess with another youngster. 

And now, a look at what Kate wore on the Isle of Bute today. As she often does, the Princess showcased British brands. This is perhaps even more appropriate this Thursday in September, as London Fashion Week got underway today. 

We begin with her Burberry trench coat, with thanks to Kate Middleton Styled on Instagram for the ID. You could see the brand’s iconic Nova check lining in the photo above at the Shinty Club, a pattern created back in the 1920s. This is a longer-length design, the Burberry Kensington style. The trench is done in a classic double-breasted style with shoulder epaulets, buckled cuffs, a gun flap on the back, and pockets. This model below looks like it has the brand’s lining on the underside of the collar, and I’m not sure the Princess’s version includes that detail. Additionally, the Princess’s coat looked brown to me in many photos, not black, so I will keep looking for a photo of the exact style worn today.

The Princess’s sweater is not yet identified; I will update the post if/when it is. The Princess brought back her Holland Cooper Jodhpur Jeans ( a 92% cotton material blended with stretch fabrics in a high-rise style with a skinny fit.

She accessorized with Maison Hotel’s ‘Guadalupe’ Belt ($189) in the Mariachi Coffee color. Made of leather, the Spanish brand’s belt is described as featuring “intricate floral embroidery in tones of cream and brown, echoing the artistry of traditional Mexican textiles. The antique-style silver-tone buckle and tip bring a Western edge, while the etched detailing adds depth and refinement.” A fab find by Lauren and Gabi. 

We saw the return of the Princess’s House of Bruar Tweed 8-Piece Hat ($125) in green herringbone wool. 

The Princess wore a new pair of brown suede Chelsea-style ankle boots today that I am still trying to identify.

She also brought back her Lauren Pavé Diamond Leaf Drop Earrings (£3200, roughly $4300 at today’s exchange rates) by go-to jeweler Kiki McDonough. 

I will leave you with one more photo from today.