THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Royal Berkshire Hospital today to meet with NHS staff and to thank them for their tireless efforts during the pandemic.
Over the years, Reading has had its fair share of visits from royalty from the Queen Mother to Princess Anne.
READ MORE: Prince William and Kate arrive in Reading for Royal Berks visit
We have delved back into the archives and listed various occasions when royals have visited the town.
Queen Elizabeth II
The RBH is no stranger to a Royal visitor including the Queen who visited on February 24, 2006.
In December 2005 the hospital completed an eight-year building project to bring services from Reading’s Battle Hospital on to a single site near the town centre.
Countess of Wessex
The Countess of Wessex has also visited RBH where she joined in with festive fun at the children’s Christmas party.
Prince Edward 2020
Prince Edward visited various places in Reading just last week.
The Earl of Wessex visited the University of Reading and Newbury Market.
He also made a trip to Read College in recognition of their performing arts.
Princess Anne 2019
Princess Anne visited female students at the University Technical College (UTC) back in January last year (2019).
The royal made the visit to support the launch of a new game, designed to break the stereotype that science, technology, engineering and maths careers are more suited to boys.
The Princess is a patron of WISE who released the free to use game, My Skills My Life.
Georgia, a student from University Technical College, said: “I think it was exciting and nerve-racking meeting Princess Anne, but a lot of people won’t get the chance to meet a royal.”
Prince Charles 2019
The Prince of Wales visited Reading in March 2019 to celebrate the centenary of University College of Estate Management (UCEM).
His Royal Highness, who is a Patron of the College, took a tour around the building on Queen's Road, learned about its new virtual learning platform and unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit.
Queen Mother 1955
A treasure trove of old black and white photographs dating back over six decades show the Royals visiting Reading.
The photos were taken on cumbersome plate cameras, using a negative measuring 5x4 inches and then printed directly on to photographic paper.
One of the pictures shows The Queen Mother visiting Reading’s Huntley and Palmers in November 1955.
A crowd of workers can be seen cheering and clapping as she passed between the factory buildings, whilst another shows her watching a master cake decorator, piping icing into intricate shapes.
Another picture shows a visit that she undertook as the Queen in April 1948 to HMS Dauntless in Burghfield, the training centre for Royal Navy Wrens.
Princess Margaret
Prince Margaret visited the Mary Hare School in Newbury in July 1951.
A guard of honour formed by Guides and Scouts, greeted the Princess, who had joined herself as a Brownie in 1937, she herself becoming President of the movement in 1965.
Prince Philip
The Duke of Edinburgh who gained his pilots wings at White Waltham Airfield near Maidenhead, arrived in the Royal Flight’s Wessex helicopter during a visit to the Englefield Estate, Theale in 1955.
Whilst touring the area he is pictured chatting to members of the Benyon family and estate workers.
King George VI
A post-war Royal visit undertaken by King George VI involved him taking the salute during a parade near Reading Town Hall.
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