Kate and William wow the crowds as they attraction royal followers on shock go to to Belfast

The Princess of Wales today accompanied her husband for the first time on one of his engagements to combat homelessness, with William proudly telling his hosts: ‘I am bringing her to see a one-stop-shop on homelessness today.’

The couple – known as Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland – were in Belfast to visit two projects connected with the future king’s Homewards initiative.

The scheme aims to eradicate homelessness in key areas of UK as an example of how the issue can be tackled when organisations and agencies pull together.

Dressed in a kilt, frilled blouse and blazer, the princess arrived with her husband amid a strict security blackout.

According to Northern Ireland protocol, royal visits are shrouded in secrecy until after they take place for security reasons.

The couple were greeted by deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Belfast mayor Róis-Máire Donnelly and South Belfast MP Claire Hanna, who is also SDLP leader.

At The Commons, a former church on Belfast’s Ormeau Road, which has been transformed into a community centre by David and Jill Hines, they first met a number of local groups including Flourish, which works with trafficking survivors, and Sew-cial Circle, a handicrafts group.

Volunteer Pauline McGouran said the princess chatted enthusiastically about the importance of crafts in bringing people together and bettering mental health.

‘She was just lovely, incredibly charming and interested. And we all said no one of us could have carried off a skirt like that!’ she said afterwards.

Much of the focus of today’s visit was to highlight employment opportunities for young people to stop them falling into a cycle of homelessness in the first place, particularly those leaving care.

While the rate of care leavers ending up homeless is one in three in the UK, this rises to one in two leaving care in Northern Ireland within ten years.

The couple spoke to employers, frontline organisations and young people involved in the Homewards’ New Employment Opportunities Network (Neon), a cross-sector organisation which was launched in Northern Ireland in 2025 and has already seen seven local employers recruited 21 young people through the network and is being rolled out nationwide.

William peppered them with questions, including: ‘Has it made a real difference do you think being so closely connected to community?’

He added: ‘We can all be little islands and it’s sometimes we need something like this to bring us together to work on an issue we all care so much about.

‘I think employers want to help out but sometimes they don’t know how to help.‘

A senior royal aide said the princess has been keen for some time to see the work of Homewards as it tied in with her own early years work to better the lives of under-fives.

‘The issue of social and emotional development in young children directly links to issues such as homelessness so she has been really keen to come and see its work and take this back to her own Centre for Early Childhood,’ they said.

Before they left the couple were given flowers and a gift bag of homemade goodies including wheaten bread, gin and knitted dishcloths by Seth Haines, 18, and his sister Mia, 23.

Their father David said: ‘I’ll be honest with you, I can take or leave royalty but these two were really impressive. They were very thoughtful and natural and interested in what we have achieved here. And the prince is showing real leadership in the field of community cohesion. Everyone was blown away.‘

Outside a large crowd had gathered after word quickly spread of their arrival, cheering as the couple appeared outside the former church.

They decided to embark on a walkabout, shaking hands, posing for selfies and cooing over babies.

William and Catherine shook hands with the crowd, with the prince making a FaceTime call to the mother of one of those waiting.

William also greeted a fellow Aston Villa fan, telling him he was ‘a bit nervous, but excited’ about the team’s prospects for the rest of this season.

The princess spoke at length to Deborah Ramsaropp, a former military wife who wanted to speak to her about the lack of support for army families.

She said: ‘She was very well aware of the issues we face and was very sympathetic.’

Catherine also gently stoked the head of a seven-month-old baby. ‘They are wrapping you up warm,’ she smiled.

She beamed as one lady told her: ‘Thank you for coming to Northern Ireland.’

Catherine chatted with a group of schoolchildren about her own youngsters too, telling them how Prince George had just started a new school.

As she admitted another little boy’s squishy toy, he asked her what her children were called. ‘Thank you for asking,’ Catherine said. ‘I have George and Charlotte and the little one is called Louis.’