By Cheryl Wood

NO VISIT to Anstruther is complete—not even a royal one it seems—without fish and chips.

As Prince Charles and wife Camilla left the East Neuk town’s rainy and windswept harbour yesterday their convoy stopped outside the famous Anstruther Fish Bar.

An aide entered the famous chippie and emerged with a bag of haddock and chips for the Duchess of Rothesay.

Her tasty treat was perhaps on the recommendation of stepson Prince William, who was a regular customer of Scotland’s official best chip shop during his student days at St Andrews University.

Staff were stunned when a suited man came in and announced that the Duchess of Cornwall—as she is also known—would like fish and chips, but she needed it quickly.

Alison Smith, who owns the fish bar with husband Robert and was on duty, said, “We thought he was pulling our legs at first. Some of our customers had been winding us up in the morning, asking which chairs we were keeping for Charles and Camilla!”

But she added, “It was lovely and quite an honour.”

The couple were in the East Neuk to meet and pray with the families of local fishermen who lost their lives at sea and to visit the Anstruther RNLI station.

East Neuk men Martin Gardner, Edward Gardner, Ian Donald and their Aberdeen crew mate Sidney Low went down with the Meridian during stormy weather in the North Sea in October and John Bowman lost his life when his trawler, the Unity, sank off the coast of Dorset in December.

Among those the duke and duchess met in the Scottish Fisheries Museum were Martin’s widow Julia, Edward’s widow Eleanor, Mr Low’s daughter Kelly Colinson and Mr Bowman’s crewmates Fergus Middleton and Graeme Hughes who survived the tragedy.

A spokesman for Clarence House said, “Their royal highnesses were pleased to be asked to meet the families of those in the two recent tragedies at sea.

“They spent a few minutes meeting privately with the families and there was a short prayer.”

She added, “Their royal highnesses were fascinated to see this award-winning museum and met with those who are part of this fishing community.”

Scores of spectators braved the wet and windy weather to see the royal couple—Camilla wearing a green and blue tartan skirt, green tweed jacket and tartan scarf under her raincoat—arrive on a visit which saw more action than the royal visitors expected.

As they were shown the Mersey class lifeboat, Kingdom of Fife, an emergency call came in that a woman had been injured on the Isle of May.

The crew, who had lined up to meet the visitors, sprung into action and a team of six, led by coxswain Stephen Small, were scrambled.

The emergency was only the eighth for the station this year, and the woman, who had suffered a suspected broken tendon, was returned to shore where an ambulance took her to Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee.

Lifeboat press officer Paul Lewis said everyone was surprised when the alarm was raised.

He said, “It was the last thing we expected given the circumstances.

“However, when it was over everyone agreed that the royal party had thoroughly enjoyed seeing the lifeboat go out to sea.”

The prince went on to Falkland without Camilla, where he learned about the work of the Falkland Centre for Stewardship and its forthcoming event, Big Tent 2007.

Prince Charles is patron of the National Trust for Scotland and Great Steward of Scotland and met volunteers working at Falkland Estate.

He then walked to Falkland Palace field—the site of next month’s three-day environmental festival—and talked to some of those who will be taking part.

Founder of the centre and keeper of Falkland Palace, Ninian Stuart, said, “We were thrilled to welcome his royal highness to Falkland as we launch the countdown to Big Tent 2007.

“While the festival’s programme is designed as a fun weekend for all, the serious issues of sustainability and stewardship of local and global resources are, we all understand, very close to Prince Charles’ heart.”