Prince WilliamandKate Middletonare ever complementary — down to their outfits.
The Prince and Princess of Wales made theirfirst appearanceof the new year on Thursday to visit the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital.Prince Williamand Princess Kate were all smiles during their tour of the facilities, where one hospital worker pointed out their color-coordinated outfits.
Kate layered a Black Watch tartan coat over a belted navy turtleneck dress, while William wore a navy sport coat over a deep green sweater and white Oxford with navy pants. Inside the hospital, the couple spoke with healthcare and mental health support service workers, thanking them for their effort during the winter months.
Prince William and Kate Middleton.Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
As seen in video footage filmed from the crowd and shared onTwitter, the Prince and Princess of Wales spoke to a staffer named Nicola, who told Kate she looked beautiful and joked that the royals were “matching.”
“Yes, I know,” William said, looking down at his sport coat.
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As someone else said, “Coordinating,“Prince Williamagreed — “Coordinating! Exactly,” he said with a laugh.
The couple continued to make their way down the line, where Kate told Nicola, “It’s amazing, seeing the new building up and running.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton.PA Images/INSTARimages.com
The medical facility, which opened in October 2022, is a state-of-the-art hospital that replaced another that had served the community for about 40 years. It is the biggest in the U.K. to provide all patients with single en-suite bedrooms. With 640 beds, including 40 critical care beds for patients in the intensive care unit and high-dependency unit, the Royal Liverpool Hospital hosts many specialist services and focuses on complex planned care.
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Prince William, 40, and Princess Kate, whocelebrated her 41st birthdayon Monday, visited a ward to see firsthand the gleaming new facilities, and they met staff who have been working at the hospital during the busy winter. Some of them may have been familiar faces, as William had talked to some of the critical care team over a video call three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amber Otto and Prince William.Amber Otto and Prince William.PHOTO: Amber OttoPHOTO: Amber Otto
Amber Otto and Prince William.
Amber Otto and Prince William.PHOTO: Amber OttoPHOTO: Amber Otto
As the royals got ready to leave, they posed for selfies with around 20 hospital staff, volunteers and visitors.
“They were so welcoming. They were so warm and friendly,” ophthalmic imaging technician Amber Otto, 27, who caught up with the couple and snapped photos with bothKate and William, tells PEOPLE. “Even when they were being rushed out, they made sure they made time for everybody.” She added that it was great to have the couple visit the hospital during their day visiting the area. “The Princess asked me what I did,” Otto says. “They were talking to as many people as possible.”
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Prince William and Kate Middleton.Jon Super-WPA Pool/Getty Images
The engagements came two days after the publication ofPrince Harry’s unprecedented memoir,Spare. Harry coversthis week’s issue of PEOPLE, where he said that writing the book was part of his “mental health journey.”
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“I don’t want to tell anyone what to think of it and that includes my family,” he tells PEOPLE. “This book and its truths are in many ways a continuation of my own mental health journey. It’s a raw account of my life — the good, the bad and everything in between.”
“My hope has been to turn my pain into purpose, so if sharing my experience makes a positive difference in someone’s life, well, I can’t think of anything more rewarding than that!” he added.
source: people.com
