The Princess of Wales created a particularly heartwarming moment for royal fans during a series of engagements in London yesterday, sharing a sweet wave with onlookers just before boarding a lifeboat on the River Thames. Kate, aged 44, enjoyed a busy day alongside her husband Prince William, 43, which included activities from pouring pints at the Bermondsey Beer Mile to serving coffee at Borough Market.
A Royal Day Along the Thames
Kate and William visited the RNLI Lifeboat Station on the River Thames to mark the RNLI Lifeguards' 25th anniversary. The Princess, dressed in a life vest, turned to wave at supporters waiting to catch a glimpse of the royal couple before they embarked on their river journey. This touching moment was captured and shared on Instagram by @kingsguardtours, where it quickly delighted royal enthusiasts.
One fan commented enthusiastically: 'She's a dream.' Another wrote: 'My favourite couple,' while others responded with love heart emojis beneath the clip. The engagement formed part of a carefully planned programme built around the River Thames, designed by Kensington Palace to illustrate how the river remains at the heart of London communities and trade.
Personal Health Choices Revealed
During their visit to Fabal Beerhall, where they learned about the Bermondsey Beer Mile and its collection of craft breweries and tap rooms, Kate revealed a personal health decision. When invited to sample some beer and cider, the Princess explained to owner Hannah Rhodes: 'Since my diagnosis I haven't had much alcohol.'
She added thoughtfully: 'It's something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.' Kate, who underwent chemotherapy in 2024 and announced she was in remission from cancer last year, was offered a soft drink instead by Ms Rhodes, who responded: 'Fair enough.' Turning to her husband, Kate patted William's knee and said: 'But you like your cider, don't you?'
Brewing Expertise and Bee Knowledge
The royal couple began their day at Southwark Brewing Company, one of the area's first small-batch breweries founded under railway arches in 2014. Greeting Peter Jackson, 66, they were shown how to ascend a ladder where William wore black rubber gloves to add hops to the brewing 'kettle.' After tipping the hops in, William remarked: 'It smells like horse feed as you're doing it. There's a real mixture of smells.'
Kate then climbed the ladder to stir the mixture. The couple participated in a friendly competition to see who could pull the best pint, with their efforts declared superior to the owner's own technique. Mr Jackson joked: 'Do you know what? You can come back on Saturday for a shift.'
Later at the beerhall, William sampled various beers and ciders, including some from Ms Rhodes's brand Hiver, which uses honey from bee hives as a replacement for sugar during fermentation. Kate, known to keep beehives at her Norfolk home of Anmer Hall, demonstrated her expertise by trying some honey and explaining: 'If you take the honey off the hive in early summer it tastes very different.'
Speaking about harvesting honey, she added: 'If you take the honey off when it's wet it is a natural fermentation process anyway.' William laughed and joked affectionately: 'She knows a lot about bees. Be careful what you say, you might be corrected.'
Surprise Market Appearance
In another engagement, the couple made a surprise appearance at Borough Market, where they served crumble and custard to unsuspecting shoppers. William and Kate were put to work chopping cheese, while the Princess made coffee for her husband, who suggested a market stall could sell her brew instead.
They were met by crowds of Londoners and tourists, who seemed shocked to see the future King and Queen and gathered around them taking photos on their phones. William and Kate moved through the market on foot during this previously unannounced trip, with crowds flowing around them without security barriers.
Fashion and Personal Connections
The Princess was stylishly dressed for the occasion in a £95 blue shirt from British womenswear brand With Nothing Underneath, paired with a Catherine Walker blazer, chocolate brown cigarette trousers, and new suede ankle boots by Jimmy Choo.
During their brewery visit, Peter Jackson pulled out his mobile phone to make a video call to his son, Will Jackson, an accountant celebrating his 34th birthday in Manchester. After showing Mr Jackson how to start the call, Prince William said: 'William, happy birthday. I hope you've got a good party tonight.' When told his son was heading to a restaurant to celebrate, the Prince quipped: 'Is your dad paying? We're just in here trying not to ruin his brewery. We've just been given a pint-pulling contest.'
Reflecting on the importance of community spaces, William later commented: 'Pubs are so important,' adding that they serve as 'places for people and the community to come together.' The Bermondsey Beer Mile itself originated in 2009 when the Kernel Brewery established itself under railway arches near London Bridge, sparking a craft beer revolution in the area.
The day concluded with the RNLI engagement, marking a full circle return to the River Thames that had framed their entire London itinerary.
