London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

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
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×