Prince William made his first official visit to the Isles of Scilly on Friday since becoming Duke of Cornwall in September 2022. 

The Duke visited St Mary’s Harbour and met representatives from local businesses operating in the area as well as local schoolchildren.

His Royal Highness then travelled to St Mary’s Community Hospital to meet staff and hear about a new integrated health and social care facility which is set to be built on adjacent land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

Prince William met patients and staff after breaking the ground at the site of the new facility.

He was asked by administrator Tracey Smith how his wife was doing. The prince said she was “doing well” after her cancer diagnosis.

The Duke also met with representatives from the local council who are working with the Duchy of Cornwall to make the new healthcare facility a reality.

A key tenet of the Duchy of Cornwall’s operating principles is to support communities and the people within them, working alongside stakeholders and partners, such as the NHS and the council to deliver investment and opportunities.

The new health and social care facility will provide twelve residential care home beds, NHS inpatient beds and a modern maternity suite.

The aim is to develop a new model of care that provides robust services to keep people at home, or close to home where clinically possible, by maximising digital technologies and access to remote support.

The land for the building has been provided by the Duchy of Cornwall on long lease, and the Duchy have facilitated early entry onto the site to ensure work can begin as soon as possible. The facility is due to open by summer 2025.