William and Kate all smiles as they arrive on Bute

The Prince and Princess of Wales were all smiles when they arrived on Bute to celebrate the Scottish island’s community, after a war of words broke out over a controversial memoir about Diana, Princess of Wales.

William and Kate travelled to the west of Scotland to highlight those bringing residents together, and their first stop was Bute Shinty Club to learn how the sporting centre has become a vital social hub.

The trip came as a public dispute blew up between the King and Earl Spencer, who claims in a new book about his sister, Diana, that the King said “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”, days after her death.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in response that “fraternal grief can cloud reason”.

The Prince and Princess of Wales (known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland) arrive for a visit to the Bute Shinty Club, in Rothesay PA Media

William and Kate are known by their Scottish titles, Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, when visiting the country, and they arrived on Bute at their namesake town of Rothesay.

It was the first time the couple have visited Bute, arriving by ferry from the mainland.

They toured the islands of Iona and Mull in the Inner Hebrides last year.