London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 14, 2025

Coronavirus: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Barry Island

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have heard how businesses and families have struggled in the pandemic during a visit to south Wales.

The royal couple were at Barry Island which is home to TV comedy Gavin and Stacey, but William admitted he has never watched the show.

They also played games at an arcade which was the setting for Nessa's Slots in the series.

Later, they met residents and their family members at a Cardiff care home.

Prince William and Catherine heard how people had struggled with being unable to visit their loved ones at the height of lockdown.

While the Duchess was pictured days earlier wearing a face mask during a visit to a baby bank in Sheffield, face coverings are not mandatory in Wales, except on public transport.

Last year about 424,000 visitors headed to Barry Island to play on the slot machines and enjoy the seaside resort, well known to fans of Gavin and Stacey.


The royal couple visited the arcade where Nessa, of hit TV show Gavin and Stacey, worked



William and Catherine toured the haunts of the comedy drama's characters - the arcade where Nessa worked and Stacey's employer Marco's cafe - but the duke confessed to never having seen the popular series.

"It's one of the few boxsets I haven't already watched. I've never actually watched it," he said.

"But I know how much it has done for the economy here and it's a wonderful series."



Gavin and Stacey ran for three series and returned for a special last Christmas after a 10 year absence


With pubs, cafes and restaurants only able to reopen indoors from Monday, businesses told the royal couple how lockdown had impacted them.

The change in lockdown rules also meant groups of up to 30 people have been able to meet outdoors and many young children are able to play with their friends for the first time since lockdown began.

The royal couple also visited the beach huts on the promenade, installed as part of the Vale of Glamorgan Council's £6m regeneration project.



William and Catherine wore face masks on their visit to a care home



Later in the day they travelled to Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff, where they spoke to staff, residents and their family members in the home's garden.

In May, the royal couple hosted a bingo game for residents at the home via video link, and got to meet some of them in person during the visit.

At the time, Joan Drew-Smith, 87, made headlines when she said the royal bingo game "wasn't as good as it should have been".

And when the duke introduced himself during the visit to the home by saying: "Hello Joan, do you remember we did the bingo with you? You said we weren't very good."

She swore in her reply when describing what she thought of their efforts - which the couple laughed at.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
Shell Pulls Out of Two UK Floating Wind Projects Amid Renewables Retreat
Viagogo Hit With £15 Million Tax Bill After HMRC Transfer-Pricing Inquiry
Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Pinches UK GDP, Bank of England Says
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
×