British royalties Prince William and Kate Middleton surprised commuters and locals on Wednesday during their recent trip to Wales when they were spotted taking the train.
Fellow passengers were astounded to see the royal couple walking along the train platform, with Kate turning to wave at onlookers while dressed in a vibrant red coat before boarding the public transportation bound for Cardiff. Their decision to take the train differs significantly from their usual choice of royal motorcades or helicopters for royal engagements.
After arriving in Cardiff, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited The Welsh Cake Shop, a local bakery in Pontypridd. Theresa Conner, the shop owner, showed them how to make the cakes themselves.
“Apparently, Kate is a very keen baker with [her children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6], and she is going to try her hand and make some with us,” Conner told PEOPLE ahead of the royals’ arrival.
Prince William, with flour on his sweater sleeve, joked about his baking abilities, praising Mary Berry for teaching him “everything I need to know.” Madison Conner, the shop owner’s daughter, praised the couple’s efforts, calling their cakes “perfect” and “bangin.'”
They also visited the Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland, which is an open space for community gardening, woodworking, and weaving. The market houses local business owners and community members who were affected by flooding caused by Storms Bert and Darragh in late 2024. Following the flooding, the market became overgrown and littered with debris.
Furthermore, Prince William and Kate went to Fountain Cafe, where they met with market traders and business owners to hear firsthand accounts of how the floods impacted their livelihoods.
This engagement is the couple’s second joint public appearance of the year and their first outside of England since Kate finished her cancer treatment in 2024. The Princess declared remission in January 2025.
