'Are you the prince?' Funny moment Duchess of Cambridge is mistaken for her husband

Watch: ‘Call me Catherine’ - Kate charms kids during Orkney visit

The Duchess of Cambridge was mistaken for her husband in a light-hearted moment as the couple toured Scotland.

Kate, 39, stopped outside the European Marine Energy Centre in Stromness on Tuesday to speak to schoolchildren waited to catch a glimpse of the royals.

And in something of a mix-up, one little boy bravely asked the Duchess: "Are you the prince?"

The mother-of-three took the confusion well, and replied: "I'm not the prince, no.

"I'm the Duchess of Cambridge. Lots of people call me Catherine."

STROMNESS, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge speak to school children as they visit the European Marine Energy Centre on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Stromness, Scotland.  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
William and Kate stopped to speak to schoolchildren in Stromness, Scotland. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
STROMNESS, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge speak to school children as they visit the European Marine Energy Centre on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Stromness, Scotland.  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
William and Kate outside the European Marine Energy Centre on day five of their week long visit to Scotland. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

She asked the children how old they were and told one girl she looked like a princess in her pink coat.

Prince William is on day five of the visit to Scotland, with Kate joining him on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday they opened a new hospital in Orkney, with the duchess being the one to unveil the plaque.

They thanked staff at the new Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, with William saying: "It must be reassuring to know we are all in this together."

While in Scotland they are known by their Scottish title the Earl and Countess of Strathearn, and Kate wore Strathearn tartan and a beige Massimo Dutti coat for the visit.

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Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) and Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive to open The Balfour, a new hospital in Kirkwall, Orkney on May 25, 2021, during the Duke's week-long visit to Scotland. - Recently opened in 2019, The Balfour replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
William and Kate outside The Balfour, a new hospital in Kirkwall, Orkney. (Chris Jackson/AFP)
KIRKWALL, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laugh as they officially open The Balfour, Orkney Hospital on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Kirkwall, Scotland. Recently opened in 2019, The Balfour replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. The new facility has enabled the repatriation of many NHS services from the Scottish mainland, allowing Orkney’s population to receive most of their healthcare at home. The new building’s circular design is based on the 5000-year-old Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae, making it a unique reflection of the local landscape in which many historical sites are circles. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The couple visited The Balfour, which replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. (Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

William, 38, and Kate, 39, had a private tour of the £65m hospital, including its sensory garden.

Paul Maguire, catering assistant, said afterwards: "We spoke about how it has been in the last year and I explained how we split into two teams so I hadn’t seen most of my colleagues till now. It’s been tough.

"He asked what the most popular meal was and I told him it was macaroni cheese."

The new hospital replaced one which had served the community for 90 years, and has a circular design, based on the 5,000-year-old Neolithic settlement Skara Brae, which is one of Orkney's most visited sites.

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KIRKWALL, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge officially open The Balfour, Orkney Hospital on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Kirkwall, Scotland. Recently opened in 2019, The Balfour replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. The new facility has enabled the repatriation of many NHS services from the Scottish mainland, allowing Orkney’s population to receive most of their healthcare at home. The new building’s circular design is based on the 5000-year-old Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae, making it a unique reflection of the local landscape in which many historical sites are circles. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The hospital has been running since 2019 but the Earl and Countess of Strathearn (William and Kate) unveiled a plaque to make it official. (Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
KIRKWALL, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as she visits to officially open The Balfour, Orkney Hospital with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Kirkwall, Scotland. Recently opened in 2019, The Balfour replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. The new facility has enabled the repatriation of many NHS services from the Scottish mainland, allowing Orkney’s population to receive most of their healthcare at home. The new building’s circular design is based on the 5000-year-old Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae, making it a unique reflection of the local landscape in which many historical sites are circles. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The duchess wore a Strathearn tartan scarf, a nod to her title in Scotland. (Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
KIRKWALL, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laugh as they officially open The Balfour, Orkney Hospital on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Kirkwall, Scotland. Recently opened in 2019, The Balfour replaced the old hospital, which had served the community for ninety years. The new facility has enabled the repatriation of many NHS services from the Scottish mainland, allowing Orkney’s population to receive most of their healthcare at home. The new building’s circular design is based on the 5000-year-old Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae, making it a unique reflection of the local landscape in which many historical sites are circles. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Kate and William shared a laugh with staff while they visited the hospital in Kirkwall. (Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Kate changed her outfit as the couple headed from the hospital to the marine energy centre, opting for jeans and a hunting jacket by Seeland.

She also swapped heels for See by Chloe boots for the visit, which saw them climb aboard the Orbital tidal energy turbine.

Kate wore a blouse from Scottish brand Brora and wore a floral face covering when necessary.

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STROMNESS, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a visit to the European Marine Energy Centre with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on day five of their week long visit to Scotland on May 25, 2021 in Stromness, Scotland.  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Kate swapped the wide-leg trousers and long coat for a hunting jacket and jeans during the second visit. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The couple's royal tour will include a trip to St Andrew's, where they met 20 years ago.

The royals are staying at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the Queen's official residence in Scotland.

William arrived in Scotland on Friday and carried out engagements on his own over the weekend, but Kate joined him on Monday, when they headed to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) in Cockenzie.

They saw some of the schemes which are trying to tackle the root causes of violence and Kate tried her hand, somewhat unsuccessfully, at music production.

She produced a bass track with a piercing synth over the top, which William said was "hurting" his ears.

As they left she told them to "delete it".

Watch: Turn that off, it's hurting my ears: Prince William teases Duchess Catherine's 'musical skills'