Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, have begun a visit to Northern Ireland.
The couple arrived in Derry for a day-long trip meeting young people and hearing how organisations are engaging across communities, and began by touring Ulster University’s Magee Campus.
The campus was far removed from the glitz and glamour of the world premiere of the new James Bond movie No Time To Die the couple attended on Tuesday night in London.
The Cambridges are making their first visit to Derry and will be shown a specially designed simulated ambulance, the only one of its kind in the region, built on campus to train the very first-year group studying the new BSc Hons paramedic science programme in Northern Ireland.
The course, which started last week, is offered by the University to support the development of the paramedic profession in Northern Ireland and further afield.
William and Kate will also meet in person a group of student nurses from the university they spoke to, via a video call, in February, when they heard about their experiences taking part in hospital placements during the pandemic.
At the start of the first lockdown the students from Ulster University’s School of Nursing joined the frontline fight against Covid-19 working on wards or in the community.
During the call the duchess told the trainees: “Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in the country, so you couldn’t have chosen a better career choice and it’s needed now more than ever.”
Exciting day at Magee as 40 students start NI's first ever BSc Hons in Paramedic Science which will support the development of the paramedic profession here.
🚑A state-of-the-art simulated ambulance has been built to train our future #UlsterParamedics
↪️https://t.co/5MrGpUdQiw pic.twitter.com/EhFR4Ntgkw— Ulster University (@UlsterUni) September 20, 2021
During their tour the Cambridges will meet the first cohort of medical students studying at the University’s new School of Medicine, established this year in response to the nationwide shortage in the medical workforce, with the aim of training the next generation of doctors.
Away from the text books and practical lessons, William and Kate will learn how the undergraduates relax and spend their free time when they visit the Student Union as it hosts a “Culture Shock” event.
The duke and duchess will have the opportunity to sample some Northern Irish food and drink from whiskey and soda bread to Tayto crisps.
Students will teach them some local expressions and to finish they will hear some of the university’s talented musicians playing traditional instruments.
