Crowds cheer return of royal couple

Prince William meets well-wishers in St Andrews
12 April 2012

Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets of St Andrews to cheer Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton as they returned to the university where their fairytale romance began.

The couple, who will marry on April 29, were given a warm welcome by the large crowd which turned out to see them on their first official engagement in Scotland.

The pair, appearing delighted to be back in the picturesque Fife town, were guests of honour at the University of St Andrews, where they kicked off its 600th anniversary celebrations.

During the two-hour visit, William praised the university as the "best in the world".

Addressing students and staff gathered in St Salvator's Quad, William said: "This is a very special moment for Catherine and me, it feels like coming home.

"Despite being one of Europe's leading research institutions, the third-oldest university in the English speaking world, and of course far and away the best university in the world, St Andrews still has that uncanny knack of feeling like home and so it must have done for generations of undergraduates before us."

Miss Middleton, who took part in another official joint engagement on Thursday in Wales, appeared to be settling into her new high-profile role in the public eye.

She wore a vibrant red skirt and jacket, teamed with a black belt, black gloves and boots for the landmark occasion.

In the seaside town, royal fans did not let the wet and windy weather which began the day dampen their spirits as they tried to secure the best vantage points to see the couple.

Later on, however, the clouds cleared and the sun shone as the pair emerged from their official engagements to conduct a walkabout through the centre of the town.

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