Adorable South Shields tots have William and Kate beaming on Royal visit

Don't be Shy photo by Elizabeth Price William and Kate

Prince William and Kate were in the region on a double engagement in Sunderland, officially opening the city’s new arts hub, The Fire Station, before going on to inspect the Northern Spire bridge currently being built across the River Wear.

As the Royal couple arrived at The Fire Station, Kate was all smiles as she was presented with a beautiful bouquet by siblings Harper and Lyle Mack.

Siblings Harper (left) and Lyle Mack, both 3 and from South Shields, waiting outside the Fire Station arts centre in Sunderland ahead of a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday February 21, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Cambridges. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

The three-year-old siblings certainly made an impact, both dressed in smart powder blue coats and hats.

But it might have all been a bit too much for bashful Lyle who shyly turned away while Kate gave him a beaming smile.

It’s not the first time Lyle has made the headlines.

Back in 2014, he made his arrival in the world by being born on Christmas Day at South Tyneside District Hospital, much to the delight of proud parents Carly Maddison and Kevin Mack.

Little Lyle made his arrival two days early – meaning that the bouncing baby boy was born just over nine-and-a-half months after his older sister, Harper - as the couple’s second child of the same year.

Meanwhile, pregnant Kate - who is expecting her third child in April - left the north east with an artistic reminder of her visit after being given a henna tattoo while on her visit to the Fire Station.

They later moved on to the Northern Spire bridge, where they donned safety gear to help put the finishing touches to the new £117million crossing.

Wearing hard hats, goggles and high visibility jackets, William and Kate tightened a couple of nuts on the bridge, due to open this Spring.

As he used a ratchet wrench, the duke joked about doing “the DIY” but unlike the children’s character Bob - whose motto is Can we fix it? Yes we can - William later quipped “we’ll walk away and the bolt will drop out”.

It had been planned for the Duke to do the work alone, but the couple changed tact and decided to do it together, with William going first and being encouraged by the Duchess who said “well done” and clapped as he finished tightening the bolt holding part of the bridge’s parapet barrier in place.

Kate then used two hands to work the wrench and was also given a polite round of applause when she completed the task.