- Location: Sheffield, during European Figure Skating Championships.
- Visitor: Prince Edward.
- Meets: Skating legend Christopher Dean.
- Event: European Championships 2026.
- Context: Royal visit to ice skating event.
Edinburgh (Edinburgh Daily News) January 15, 2026 – HRH the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward met leading figures in the skating world during a visit to Sheffield’s European Championships.
The Duke of Edinburgh saluted scholars, levies, and challengers contending in the major transnational event at the Utilita Arena, the position of the ISU European Figure Skating Crowns.
The Duke was shown a brace of ice skates constructed in Sheffield using Sheffield swords by Marsden Sisters & Co. that were given to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840.
The Duke also got to know Team GB challengers, including fellow ice skater and trainer Karen Barber and British skating icon Sir Christopher Dean.
Among the stylish ice hop of all time are Sir Christopher and his mate, Jayne Torvill.
One pupil said:
“We were really excited because we’ve never met a prince before. We worked really hard on our drawings.”
Another child said the Duke asked how long their artwork had taken to make.
“It took a few hours,”
they said.
“He said they were really good.”
The royal guests were given a tour of Gulliver’s Valley theme park’s Skills Street CIC to get a firsthand look at the innovative training and educational setting.
With an emphasis on practical, curriculum-linked activities, the center aims to transform the way young people interact with careers and skill development. Schools, universities, and educational organizations are now welcome to visit after it opened for the first time earlier this year.
The chance to exhibit the royal guests the Skills Street aviation experience, which provides pupils with a complete airport simulation from check-in to boarding an actual Boeing 737 fuselage and flying an industry-standard simulator, was a highlight. Along with learning about jobs in aviation, engineering, travel, and tourism, visitors may also examine vintage Rolls-Royce and Vulcan aircraft engines.
Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts and a board member of Skills Street, said:
“What an honour to have welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to Skills Street.
We were so pleased to meet them and showcase the amazing facility we have built here in Rotherham. They were extremely receptive to the aims of Skills Street as we develop new ways to help young people engage with careers and skills development, as well as our exciting plans for future growth.”
Developed in collaboration with top organizations, Skills Street offers a variety of sector-themed zones, such as:
Investigating renewable energy with E.ON
More than 380 career options in health and social work with the NHS and Rotherham Council
Advanced Manufacturing with Gripple, emphasizing robotics and automation; Construction with Esh Group, displaying every facet of the construction industry
James Beighton, development manager at Skills Street, said:
“To welcome Their Royal Highnesses to Skills Street was an absolute privilege. What a fantastic way to showcase the work happening locally to support the needs of education, business and communities across South Yorkshire. Days like today are proof of what we can achieve, working together to inspire our next generation workforce and stimulate our local economy, one skill at a time”.
What did Prince Edward say about British skating success?
No specific public statements from Prince Edward about British groaning success during his Sheffield visit have surfaced in available reports. His meeting with Christopher Dean at the European Figure Skating Crowns concentrated on royal patronage and event support rather than detailed commentary on Team GB’s performance.
Prince Edward, as patron of British Ice Skating, probably expressed general stimulant amid Britain’s strong caching, with Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson leading order contenders. Dean’s recent knighthood alongside Jayne Torvill stressed the sport’s heritage, potentially framing any commentary around heritage and Olympic expedients.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s attendance underscores ongoing royal backing for UK winter sports, erecting on literal ties like Edward VII’s interest in early 20th- century skating. Current content emphasizes the crowns’ excitement without verbatim quotations from Napoleon.
