Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh makes historic royal visit after 30 years

Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, made a special royal visit to Derwen College in Gobowen, Shropshire, which supports young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

During his visit, Edward met gold award holder Brendan Langan-Hart, who proudly showed him the college’s canoe simulator, as reported by ShropshireStar.

Sharing about his meeting with the royal, Brendan said, "It was an absolute privilege to meet him. I am really proud of myself."

Additionally, learning support assistant Andrew Hamilton also reflected on Edward's visit, saying, "It is really good recognition of all the hard work that staff put in and all support they give to the students. It is such an honour for him to come and visit."

Another person who met the Duke of Edinburgh stated, "I have been so excited for the day to meet Prince Edward and I am very proud that I got to."

Notably, this si the first royal visit in 30 years following The Duchess of Kent visit in 1994.

Moreover, the Principal and CEO of the college, Meryl Green also expressed her pride in receiving Prince Edward, saying it "was a huge honour for the whole college."

"We feel very privileged to have been able to highlight the work that we do to prepare young people with SEND for adult life," she added. "We were particularly proud to showcase our fully accessible Duke of Edinburgh’s Award outdoor centre which has been developed over the 10 years the college has been running the award, and ensures that young people with disabilities don’t miss out on the fabulous opportunities the scheme offers."

"The visit was a fantastic occasion for all involved, which shone a light on the importance of the work the college does every day to support young people with SEND," she stated further.

It is worth mentioning that this visit by Prince Edward comes after he made a significant appearance at the RAF Waddington in Lincoln.