Prince William's two-word command to Princess Kate showed his true colours on tour

A Royal commentator who watched Prince William and Princess Kate during their latest trip to Northern Ireland has revealed just how competitive the pair became while taking part in various activities.

The Princess of Wales made her first visit to Northern Ireland since October 2022 earlier this month alongside her husband.

The couple arrived for the surprise engagement on Tuesday morning, with Kensington Palace confirming they would spend the day "visiting innovative organisations that showcase growth and investment in rural areas and demonstrate entrepreneurial and creative opportunities for young people".

Among their stops was a session creating apple and potato bread, where both royals rolled up their sleeves to harvest apples before baking the traditional loaves.

Daily Mail Royal editor Rebecca English revealed on the Palace Confidential that the pair's competitive streak emerged during the bread-making activity.

She explained: "When they were making this apple and potato bread, at one point they were having to peel the apples they'd already harvested on this farm William [was] telling Catherine 'Keep up'. In any other situation it could have sparked a bit of domestic and she was just like 'Yeah, yeah, yeah', she's very game."

The apple-themed engagement also saw them sampling cider at Long Meadow Cider, operated by the McKeever family, including Catherine and her son Peter. Discussing the visit, Peter revealed details of his encounter with William and Kate and the conversation he had with the future monarch.

He stated: "The juice was freshly pressed, with no added water or sugar. They got it in its raw, pure state, and they absolutely loved it. William didn't say what he liked as a favourite, but he said he likes a dry cider."

Recent days have seen mounting attention on William, not solely due to his Northern Ireland visit, but also owing to his connections with his uncle Prince Andrew, who relinquished his Duke of York title following discussions with his nephew and King Charles.

This development has sparked fresh conjecture about William's potential treatment of the disgraced Andrew once he ascends to the throne.

Royal correspondent Roya Nikkhah, writing in the Times, indicated that William may adopt a harsh stance towards his uncle, including potentially excluding him from all public occasions.

She wrote: "The next monarch will be more ruthless. Buckingham Palace says the Prince of Wales was 'consulted' on the decision, but it is understood that he is not satisfied with the outcome and knows the "Andrew problem" will be in his in-tray at some point.

"When William is King, Andrew will be banned from all elements of royal life. He will excluded from public and private royal events, including the coronation, and banned from most state occasions."