The Earl and Countess of Forfar visit Forfar

The Earl and Countess of Forfar, Earl and Countess of Wessex, visited Forfar today on their first official visit to the town since The Queen granted The Earl of Wessex the additional title Earl of Forfar earlier this year.

His Royal Highness is Patron of a number of Scottish charitable organisations, including Edinburgh International Festival, the The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Badminton Scotland. As Trustee of the DofE Award, His Royal Highness has supported the non-formal education of thousands of young people in Scotland, and holds annual Gold Award presentations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.

The Earl of Forfar has a personal connection to the area as The Queen Mother's family home was situated closeby.

The Earl and Countess today viewed the entry for the Confirmation of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon - His Royal Highness’s Grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother - in the St John’s Episcopal Church in Forfar.

The Earl and Countess met local residents, visited businesses and landmarks in the town - including Saddlers, makers of the famous Forfar Bridie.

His Royal Highness was presented with ‘Earl of Forfar’ tartan, which has been designed for Their Royal Highnesses to celebrate their new titles.

And met Forfar residents young and old.

In the last engagement of the day, Their Royal Highnesses visited Guide Dogs Scotland, where The Countess met Gunner.

Engagements continued in the Scotland the following day, and began at Glenfiddich’s Distillery Visitor Centre.

The centre was the first of its kind for the Scotch whisky industry and helped to kick start the local whisky tourist industry which attracts more than two million visitors a year.

#DYK Glenfiddich started life when William Grant hand-built the original distillery in a single year in 1887 with the help of his seven sons and two daughters?

In the afternoon, The Earl and Countess of Forfar learnt more about another great Scottish invention: the kilt. Their Royal Highnesses met teachers and students keeping the craft of kilt-making alive at the Keith Kilt School and Textile Centre.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed The Earl and Countess to Scotland!