TWO young people have met with royalty after achieving their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Leo Hackett and Dylan McFadden, pupils at Knox Academy Meadowpark, met the Duke of Edinburgh at a Palace of Holyroodhouse celebration.
Hosted by the Duke as patron of the DofE charity, the duo joined thousands of other young people and their loved ones for a festival-style celebration in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Garden.
The celebration recognised more than 600 young people who showed perseverance, creativity and resilience to complete their Gold DofE in schools, community organisations, youth groups and workplaces, all over the UK.
The newly crowned gold award holders, who, along with Alister Frizzell, did their DofE at Meadowpark in Haddington, were just a handful of young people to personally speak to Prince Edward at the event.
During the exchange, they spoke about being the first group from their school to complete their DofE Awards and the pride they felt in helping to establish a lasting legacy for future participants.
They shared how they hope to inspire other pupils through a display wall in the school celebrating their achievements and they reflected on the positive impact of volunteering activities such as litter picking, which allowed them to make a visible difference in their local community.
Leo told the Duke: “We're the first group from our school to complete DofE, so it feels really special.
“We want to inspire other pupils to get involved.”
In response, the Duke said: “That's fantastic. It's wonderful that you're encouraging others to follow in your footsteps.”
To achieve a Gold DofE Award, young people spend at least 12 months honing new skills and talents, planning and completing an expedition and residential, and volunteering for a cause they are passionate about.
Kirsty George, operations officer for East Lothian at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scotland, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome this group and celebrate their achievements.
“They represented their school exceptionally well and spoke passionately about the impact of their DofE experience.
“Their commitment, resilience and enthusiasm were clear to see, and they should be very proud of everything they have accomplished.”
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