Prince and Princess of Wales visit nation for first time

The Prince and Princess of Wales have made their first visit to the nation since they were given the titles.

The couple visited Anglesey, where they lived for three years after getting married, and later Swansea.

It comes as Kensington Palace said there were no plans for Prince William to have an investiture "anything like his father had" as Prince of Wales.

Meanwhile, the prince revealed he had been learning some words of Welsh.

In their first official visit as Prince and Princess of Wales, the royal couple visited the RNLI Holyhead Lifeboat Station in Anglesey, where they are meeting crew and volunteers.

It is the first official duty since the end of the period of mourning following the Queen's death.

Dozens of people gathered along the entrance to the lifeboat station.

Sian Price used to be the helm on the inshore lifeboat and her father-in-law is the coxswain.

"It's a privilege to witness part of this, their first tour as Prince and Princess of Wales," she said.

"We couldn't get down to London recently, so it's great they are coming here."

At Holyhead Marina cafe, Sandra Armstrong, 44, gave the princess a brooch of a rose because she said "she'll be a fantastic Princess of Wales".

She added: "They are inspiring. It felt not real to meet them."

Glenys Johnson, 73, who used to work at RAF Valley when the couple lived on Anglesey, waited for the royals at the cafe.

"She [Kate] told me they had been reminiscing about places they visited in their journey over," Ms Johnson said.

"They said Anglesey was a happy place for them."

She also said William told her he needed "to brush up on my Welsh".

In 2011, the pair's first official engagement as a couple was to dedicate a new lifeboat at the RNLI station at Trearddur Bay, on the island.

Ahead of Tuesday's visit the royals spoke of a deep affection for Wales and said they had enjoyed the warmth and kindness shown by the Welsh people in previous visits.

They said the visit would allow them to meet different communities and learn about the work of key charitable organisations, and that they looked forward to spending more time in Wales over the coming years.

Holyhead is one of the three oldest lifeboat stations on the Welsh coast and has received 70 awards for gallantry.

The couple were met by crowds of flag waving children

The royals also visited St Thomas', a re-developed church in Swansea which supports people in the local area and across Swansea.

Prince William, during the visit, revealed he had started learning Welsh.

His father had studied Welsh while at university in Aberystwyth.

William told Rev Steven Bunting he had already picked up the word "paned", meaning a cup of tea, and "bara brith".

Mr Bunting said: "We already know they love Wales, but having them here has been amazing and is an early sign, I think, of their commitment to Wales.

"I think he's taking being Prince of Wales very, very seriously."

The church is home to a foodbank that supports over 200 people per week and Swansea Baby Basics, which distribute essential items for vulnerable mothers, such as toiletries and clothes.

As part of their visit, the royals also met those volunteering at the church and members of the public.

Among them were Janet and Faith Goodliffe.

Faith said: "We've seen King Charles, we've seen the Queen lying in state and now I think it's time to see our own prince and princess of Wales."

Following King Charles' announcement that William would take on the title, there was delight for some but uncertainty from others, with one politician labelling it divisive.

The king's investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969, held at Caernarfon Castle, was watched by a TV audience of millions around the world.

Street parties were held across the country, but it polarised opinion in Wales and was held amid a backdrop of protests and bombings.

Kensington Palace said it currently had "no plans for anything like" the King's investiture in 1969.

It added: "Right now is about deepening trust with the people of Wales and representing the dynamic Wales that there is today.

"There are no plans for the investiture yet."

A petition calling for the Prince of Wales title to be scrapped has gained more than 35,000 signatures.

When Prince William first arrived in Wales in 2010, as an RAF search and rescue pilot, it was as a working member of a community helping to serve those around him.

Within just a month of starting work in Anglesey, he and his girlfriend of nine years, Catherine, announced their engagement.

They also said that their marital home would remain on the Welsh island once they were married in the spring of 2011.

Gwilym O Jones, an Anglesey councillor, remembers former colleagues of his who moved to work at RAF Valley as civilian staff calling William an "ordinary guy".

He said: "He was very popular, you know, he was one of the boys.

"They weren't hounded by the press and the media. They were allowed to do their own thing. I think that's why they really enjoyed their stay in Anglesey."