Kensington Palace has released a Kate Middleton Three Peaks Challenge picture taken in June, showing William and Catherine with members of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team in Wales. The image surfaced on Mountain Rescue Awareness Day, alongside a joint message thanking volunteers for their work in the mountains.
The couple said: "On Mountain Rescue Awareness Day, we send our heartfelt thanks to all those who volunteer their time and expertise to keep people safe in some of our most beautiful but challenging landscapes." They also said: "We are incredibly proud to support the extraordinary volunteers who respond in all conditions, often at a moment's notice, to help others when they need it most."
Catherine in June
The photograph was taken during the Princess's Three Peaks Challenge in June, when she had a chance to thank the Llanberis volunteers for their efforts in safeguarding people who venture into the mountains. The image shows the couple at the base of Yr Wyddfa, known in English as Snowdon, with members of the rescue team.
William serves as Royal Patron of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, which places the release in direct line with the couple's public support for rescue volunteers. Kensington Palace used the day to tie the picture to the work of people who respond in dangerous conditions across Britain.
Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team
The team in the picture is described as the busiest mountain rescue unit anywhere in the UK. It responds to a high volume of incidents on and around Wales's highest peak throughout the year, which gives the tribute a practical edge beyond the photograph itself.
Mountain Rescue Awareness Day is timed to coincide with the annual clock change and is meant to remind hillwalkers and climbers to equip themselves properly for winter conditions before setting out. The timing matters because darker evenings and harsher weather make the mountains less forgiving, and the volunteers thanked in the photograph are the people called out when those risks turn into emergencies.
For readers heading into the hills, the immediate message is simple: prepare for winter conditions before going out, and treat the image as a reminder that the rescue teams being praised are the same teams most likely to be needed when conditions change quickly.
