William and Kate join Charles and Camilla for rare royal joint engagement, visit defence rehabilitation centre

It is rare to see the four royals on a joint trip together considering their busy schedules

PUBLISHED FEB 11, 2020

Prince Charles was joined by Camilla, Prince William, and Kate for a rare joint engagement on Tuesday as they visited a rehabilitation center dedicated to members of the armed forces.

The royals met staff and patients at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Loughborough. And while there was heavy hail before their arrival, the weather cleared up just in time so they could walk from their cars to the center, Town & Country reports.

It is rare to see the four royals on a joint trip together considering their busy schedules. It, however, highlights the importance of supporting servicemen and women for the royal family.

Prince William has his shoulders rubbed by Prince Charles after the Duke attempted and failed to throw a basketball into the hoop during a visit to the defense medical rehabilitation center (DMRC) Stanford Hall in Loughborough, UK, on February 11, 2020 (Getty Images)

Furthermore, it also offers a glimpse into the future of the monarchy. The two couples are currently holding the fort as the royal family is embroiled in a crisis.

The number of family members carrying out royal engagements has reduced significantly, especially with Prince Philip retired, a disgraced Prince Andrew stepping back from his duties, and Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down as senior royals.

That said, both couples were welcomed by Captain Alison Hofman QARNNS, Commanding Officer of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) before she took them on a tour of the site.

The royals are slated to visit some of the rehabilitation areas and observe patients taking therapeutic gym sessions.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, during a joint visit to the defense medical rehabilitation center (DMRC) Stanford Hall in Loughborough, UK, on February 11, 2020 (Getty Images)

The DMRC Stanford Hall, as the £300-million center has come to be known, is operated by the Ministry of Defence and began admitting patients in October 2018. It is now the primary rehabilitation center for the armed forces.

"I have seen the growth of an idea transfer into what we see today, and it is a rare and immensely satisfying thing to have witnessed," Prince William said at the handover, after having been a patron of the charity that raised money for the new center.

It was Gerald Grosvenor, the 6th Duke of Westminster, who proposed the DNRC initiative with a founding gift of $90M. After Grosvenor's death in 2016, his son Hugh carried forward the idea and increased the family’s overall gift value to a whopping $136M.