Duke of Gloucester visits Orkney

HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited the West Mainland of Orkney today, as part of a two-day visit to the county.

His tour included a visit to the St Magnus Kirk in Birsay to commemorate 900 years since the death of Earl Magnus in 1117; and St Peter’s Kirk at the Bay of Skaill, which he last visited in 2003 to mark its refurbishment.

HRH then spent time in Stromness meeting members of the Stromness RNLI to mark 150 years since the establishment of the Stromness Lifeboat Station in 1867. Local historian Bryce Wilson described the exploits and achievements of Dr Rae the Artic Explorer, and the story of Stromness’s creation as a Burgh of Barony by Royal Charted in 1817.

He also formally opened the Warehouse Buildings in Stromness, the Council facility which was completed in May 2015 to house the town’s library, as well as Council Customer Service provision and Police Scotland public counter services, congratulating all involved in creating a building which can be ‘used by the community in so many ways’.

He also enjoyed a tour of the Stromness Museum and visited the Hall of Clestrain, home of Arctic explorer John Rae.

This evening, he will attend a service in the St Rognvald Chapel of St Magnus Cathedral and also attend the Annual General Meeting of The Society of The Friends of St Magnus Cathedral, of which he is Patron.

HRH will continue his visit tomorrow with a trip to some of Orkney’s outer isles, marking the Golden Jubilee of Loganair’s North Isles Air Service which commenced in September 1967.

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary.

He has visited Orkney on two previous occasions; in 2003 to mark the refurbishment of St Peter’s Kirk at the Bay of Skaill and in 2008 to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of The Society of The Friends of St Magnus Cathedral in 1958.