Prince William met the Isles of Scilly's oldest resident, 102-year-old Hilda Richards, during a visit to the newly built Isles of Scilly Hospital. Mrs Richards had spent a night in hospital after a fall at home. The prince joked that he never asks a lady her age, adding: 'You don’t look anywhere near 102.'
Mrs Richards, who was born on St Martin's but has lived on St Mary's for over 100 years, told the prince about her father's work on the land and her arthritis. William asked about her care and recovery, and she was later discharged.
During the visit, William also met construction workers and spoke about the challenges of building the new facility on an island. The redevelopment, supported by the Duchy of Cornwall, combines NHS and social care services.
The prince visited the site of ten new sustainable homes being built by the Duchy to address the islands' acute housing shortage. Properties will be timber-framed with solar panels and electric vehicle charging points.
William also met emergency responders and planted a Monterey pine as a symbol of recovery after Storm Goretti, which brought near-100mph winds and felled around 500 trees. He described the devastated shelterbelt as 'like something out of a horror film'.
After the visit, William posted on social media that the Duchy is moving from passive stewardship towards active contribution with social and environmental purpose at its heart, adding: 'We’re on a journey... our direction is clear.'
