The Prince and Princess of Wales are set for a hands-on day in Scotland next week, where they will try their hand at the iconic winter sport of curling and meet athletes bound for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A Royal Day in Stirling
William and Kate will travel to Stirling next Tuesday, the 20th of January 2026, for a series of joint engagements. Their itinerary, announced by Kensington Palace, is designed to highlight unique Scottish traditions and their role in uniting communities. The couple, who are known in Scotland as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, will first visit the National Curling Academy in the city.
Meeting Britain's Curling Champions
At the academy, the royal pair will meet the Team GB and ParalympicsGB curling squads who are preparing for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, next month. The sport, which involves sliding granite stones on ice towards a target, has its origins in 16th-century Scotland.
The visit comes at an exciting time for British curling. The women's team secured Team GB's first Olympic curling gold in two decades at the Beijing 2022 Games. Scottish curler and defending champion Jennifer Dodds is among those heading to Italy. Furthermore, the men's team, led by Bruce Mouat, currently sits at the top of the world rankings.
The ParalympicsGB wheelchair curling squad also boasts impressive talent, including Jo Butterfield, a former para-athletics gold medallist from Rio 2016 who switched to curling in 2023.
Promoting Heritage and Community
Later in the day, William and Kate will shift focus to another traditional craft. They are scheduled to visit Radical Weavers, a handweaving studio and independent charity established in 2019. The organisation uses the teaching of traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills to combat social isolation and support individuals affected by trauma and loss.
The Princess has recently championed the British textiles industry, including a visit to a Suffolk silk mill. At Radical Weavers, the couple will meet founder Mairi Breslin, learn about the therapeutic benefits of the craft, and are expected to attempt weaving themselves.
The trip to Scotland places the Waleses hundreds of miles from London during the same week the Duke of Sussex is due for a High Court trial in the capital against a newspaper publisher.
