It was a big day for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers and supporters at Trearddur Bay on Thursday as HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton visited the lifeboat station to name the community’s new lifeboat, Hereford Endeavour.
Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton name RNLI lifeboat in Anglesey - Photo AP
Addressing the lifeboat station volunteer crew, fundraisers, and the public, who turned out in their hundreds to see the royal couple, Prince William paid tribute to the dedication and selflessness of the RNLI’s volunteers, with whom he works in his capacity as an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.
Miss Middleton then christened the new Atlantic 85 lifeboat in time-honoured manner by pouring champagne over the bow. The prince quipped: ‘I do the talking, she does the fun bit.’
Aubrey Diggle, Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘This was a very special day for everyone here at the lifeboat station and the community at Trearddur Bay. Not only have we been honoured by a royal visit, we’ve also celebrated the arrival of a new lifeboat and honoured the hard work of our volunteer crew, fundraisers and supporters. It’s been a great day for all.’
Amid cheers and applause from the watching crowd, Josie Diggle (11) and Katie Griffiths (4) presented flowers and a framed photograph of the new lifeboat to the royal couple.
Josie, who is Aubrey Diggle’s daughter, said: ‘I was thrilled to meet the Prince and Miss Middleton. They were really kind. She’s really pretty.’
Prince William and Miss Middleton then met the public and lifeboat crew, before watching the volunteers launch their newly named lifeboat and demonstrate her rescue capabilities in high winds and a lively sea.
Police estimated more than one thousand people had made the trip to Trearddur on the west coast of Anglesey.
Chris Pritchard, the helmsman at the controls during the demonstration, said: ‘There was a lot of pressure to get everything right in front of our royal guests and the public, but the boat was great and the crew are all highly trained – I can rely on them during a difficult rescue, so I knew there’d be no problem today.’
After the demonstration, Prince William and Miss Middleton visited the crew room in the boathouse and were introduced to volunteer lifeboat crew and RNLI supporters before leaving the station at 3.30pm, taking time to greet crowds of well-wishers.
Among them were Mrs Jean Critchley, a lifelong RNLI supporter, her husband Keith and three-year old grandson Samuel. ‘We come every week, rain or shine to see the lifeboat crew and we know all of the members. This is a great day for the lifeboat volunteers – they do such a good job’.
Mrs Marilyn Archer, a volunteer fundraiser who helped raise the money for the £165,000 lifeboat, was one of those introduced to Prince William and Miss Middleton. She said: ‘This was such an honour. A day to remember.’
