The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have found themselves contending with an unexpected alteration to their diary, as a planned engagement in Scotland had to be scrapped at short notice.
Prince Edward and Sophie, who are in Edinburgh for the city’s renowned International Festival, had intended to watch two performances during their visit.
While their attendance at Come From Away at the Fleming Theatre will still go ahead, the production of Ingoma at the Royal Lyceum Theatre – where the Prince Edward serves as patron – was pulled from the programme.
The cancellation has left Edward and Sophie needing to adjust their itinerary.
A statement posted on the festival’s official website confirmed the withdrawal.
“Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the producers of Ingoma! have informed us that this production cannot go ahead this year, and as a consequence, it will not be performed at the festival,” it read.
No further explanation was offered regarding the precise nature of the disruption.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have found themselves contending with an unexpected alteration to their royal diary
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PA
Written by Kiki Katese, Ingoma centres on a group of Rwandan women drummers challenging cultural taboos in the aftermath of genocide.
The festival’s website described the show as featuring a thrilling mix of rhythms, songs and dances drawn from both West and East African traditions, blending the traditional with the newly composed.
Despite the setback, the duke and duchess have plenty to occupy them during their stay north of the border.
On Thursday, Edward and Sophie were spotted at the European Athletics Championships
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Edward is due to visit Dance Base at Grassmarket to celebrate the organisation’s 25th anniversary.
Their trip to Edinburgh carries particular significance, given that the pair assumed their current titles in 2023, having previously been known as the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
It caps off a notably packed week for the couple. On Monday, Sophie took to the slopes after she was unveiled as royal patron of the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team (AFPST).
The duchess could be seen kitted out in full ski gear and racing down the indoor snow at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead.
On Monday, Sophie took to the slopes after she was unveiled as royal patron of the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team
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PAThen on Thursday, the couple were spotted at the European Athletics Championships, where they were pictured alongside Dame Denise Lewis, UK Athletics president, on day four of the competition.
Most importantly, however, their son, James, Earl of Wessex, passed his A-Levels, announcing he would attend the Royal Agricultural University to study rural land and property management.
A Palace spokesman stated: “He will head straight there without taking a year out.”