HAWICK welcomed royalty on Wednesday as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay made a special visit to Johnstons of Elgin’s Eastfield Mill.
And His Royal Highness, wearing a modern Hunting Stewart tartan and sporting a Royal Regiment of Scotland tie, admitted he was hugely impressed with what he had seen in the factory.
He said: “It’s such a pleasure to see all the remarkable work done by Johnstons of Elgin and having visited the Elgin works I’m thrilled to have the chance to see the works here in Hawick.”
He added: “I can’t tell you how proud it makes us feel that these products are being produced here in Scotland in such a beautiful way.”
The royal couple were on a whirlwind tour of the Borders and had earlier visited the Robert Noble Mill in Peebles and Heriot Watt University in Galashiels.
They arrived in Hawick in the early afternoon amid beautiful sunshine.
Provost Stuart Marshall, who was one of the first to be presented to them, said: “He said to me ‘I’m sorry for keeping you late sir’.”
And he added: “He later asked about the tie I was wearing. He said it looked very good and I told him it was this year’s Cornet’s tie and that we’d just celebrated our Common-Riding.”
Ruathy Bannerman, daughter of managing director Nick Bannerman, presented the Duchess with a posy of flowers from Hoops-a-Daisy.
The Duke and Duchess were then given a guided tour of the mill by director James Sugden, before entering the £1million visitor centre where they met with leading members of staff and unveiled the Royal Warrant.
Originally Posted by cessna152towser
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