The Prince and Princess of Wales embarked on a unique royal outing today, immersing themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the Bermondsey Beer Mile, where they not only sampled pints but also tried their hand at brewing beer.

Prince William and Catherine explored this famed stretch in South East London, known for its collection of over 20 craft breweries, taprooms, and bottle shops, each contributing to the area’s rich brewing culture.

Their first stop was the Southwark Brewing Company. Here, the royal couple received a warm welcome and a hands-on introduction to the brewing process. They engaged in the sensory experience of smelling ingredients and even participated in stirring a brewhouse kettle, gaining insight into the artistry behind craft beer.

Established in 2014 by Peter Jackson, the Southwark Brewing Company was among the original five breweries on the beer mile. It features a ten-barrel brewing setup and a quaint taproom, both crafted with care and dedication.

Continuing their journey, William and Catherine visited Fabal Beerhall, the latest endeavor from Hiver Beers. This independent, female-owned brewery prides itself on using exclusively British ingredients, reflecting a commitment to local craftsmanship.

The Bermondsey Beer Mile itself has a storied history, dating back to 2009 when the Kernel Brewery set up shop beneath the railway arches near London Bridge. This marked the beginning of a craft beer renaissance in the area, transforming it into a hub for enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.

On another engagement earlier today, the couple served up crumble and custard to unsuspecting shoppers as they made a surprise appearance at Borough Market.

William and Catherine were put to work chopping cheese, while the Princess made coffee for her husband, who suggested a market stall could sell it instead.

They were met by crowds of Londoners and tourists, who seemed shocked to see the future King and Queen and thronged around them taking photos on their phones.

William and Catherine made their way around the market on foot on the previously-unannounced trip, with crowds moving around them without security barriers.

It was their first stop on a day out in London as they make several unannounced visits and finish with an engagement at an RNLI tower station on the River Thames.

Kensington Palace said the programme was built around the river, designed to illustrate how it remains at the heart of London communities and trade.

At Borough Market, famous as one of the capital’s oldest food markets, William and Catherine visited Trethowan Brothers, an award‑winning family cheesemakers producing small‑batch traditional cheeses who have had a stall there since 1998.

The Prince gestured to a tall tower of cheddar, asking questions of owner Todd Trethowan and happily agreeing to a taste test.

Both the Prince and Princess tried their hand at slicing the Pitchfork Cheddar, and Catherine asked which cheese was the most popular.

Mr Trethowan said afterwards that they were ‘big cheese fans’, telling him ‘that’s lunch taken care of!’ when he gave them cheese and chutney to take away.

Asked about their cheese cutting skills, he said: ‘They were naturals’.

They were particularly interested to hear about the ‘blossoming’ success of the British cheese industry, he said, after he told them many young people are now getting into the job.

Their Borough Market stall opened in 1998, bringing cheeses such as Pitchfork Cheddar and Gorwydd Caerphilly to London.

Gorwydd Caerphilly, a raw milk cheese from Trethowan’s Dairy, has received multiple awards, including ‘super gold’ at the World Cheese Awards 2022/23.

Walking through the market, occasionally stopping to greet people and waving as they moved, the Prince and Princess then stopped at Change Please, a social enterprise supporting people experiencing homelessness through barista training and wrap‑around support.

Last year, the Prince’s Homewards programme funded Change Please to run an employability scheme in Northern Ireland.

Prince William told staff he would like to get the coffee into the cafes of the royal palaces, naming Windsor Castle in particular. ‘It’s fantastic,’ he said.

The Princess was keen to learn more about coffee grinding, asking ‘can you show me how to do it’ as she darted inside the stall to try her hand.

After taking a few minutes to work the machines, froth and pour, she held a coffee cup out and said: ‘William, I made you a coffee!’

Appearing to know he would not drink it, she conceded ‘it’s not decaf’ and he suggested: ‘They [stallholders] can sell it!’

In the end, she carried it around the market herself, taking a sip.

Change Please trains homeless people to become baristas and supports them by providing a living wage job, accommodation advice, therapy, a bank account and job opportunities.

Their third and final stop was at Humble Crumble, a dessert business which grew from a single market stall into multiple locations and now has a large social media following.

The Princess greeted founder and creative director Kim Innes enthusiastically, telling her she had watched her on Masterchef last night.

Ready to work, William and Catherine put aprons on and stepped inside the market building to serve up pots of crumble and custard.

The Prince took charge of ladling the fruit and crumble, while the Princess was tasked with the embellishments: pouring custard, piping pink marshmallow fluff, and sprinkling toppings.

Gabriel Unger, the chief executive of the company who placed the first order from the royal visitors, proclaimed ‘taste test: very good’.

He joked that they would ‘pass their trial shift’ easily and be offered a job, if they wanted.

‘It’s completely surreal,’ he said, adding that Catherine in particular had done a ‘brilliant job’.

Ms Innes said the Princess’s piping skills were ‘fantastic’, adding ‘She could teach the team, she’s a natural’ while William ‘did a good job of the correct ratio of fruit to crumble.’

Humble Crumble began in 2018 when Ms Innes started selling fruit crumbles from a farmers’ market stall.

The concept was centred on a single dessert style; crumble paired with custard and toppings, and quickly built a viral following through word of mouth.

Hundreds of people, most holding up phones for photographs, thronged close to the couple but watched respectfully as they got to work.

Afterwards, the Prince and Princess stopped for selfies and shook hands with those in front of them.

Borough Market near London Bridge station is home to more than 100 traders and tenants, including artisanal producers, street food stalls, restaurants and pubs.

The market is owned by a charitable trust and run by a board of volunteer trustees, with a mission to provide a world-class food market for London and its communities.

It has community partnerships, education programmes and food redistribution initiatives, while aiming to achieve short supply chains and reduced food waste.

After the trip to the Bermondsey Beer Mile, William and Catherine will travel upstream by boat to the RNLI.

At the RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station, the Prince and Princess will hear about the work of the crews and volunteers saving lives along the Thames.

They will meet the duty crew, hear about recent rescues, and speak to lifeguards who are currently preparing for the upcoming Boat Race.

Tower is the RNLI’s busiest lifeboat station, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This visit comes as the RNLI marks the 25th anniversary of RNLI Lifeguards, who also patrol Britain’s beaches and support major river events.

The Prince last visited the previous Tower Station site in 2016 and has also met RNLI crews in Cornwall and Anglesey.