TOMMY Sheppard has hit out at the royal cross border train trip to Scotland while travel restrictions are in place saying it sends out a "wrong and confusing" messages during the public health crisis.

The SNP MP said the Earl and Countess of Strathearn should not have made the visit at the current time and should have waited until the New Year.

Under curbs in place at the moment all travel to and from Scotland from all other parts of the UK and the Irish Republic is banned unless it is considered essential.

Exemptions include travel for work, caring for another person, for medical care and for charity.

READ MORE: William and Kate breach Scots Covid travel ban as royal train tour arrives in Edinburgh

Sheppard, who represents Edinburgh East, said while it was debatable whether William and Kate's journey was essential, he "certainly" didn't think it was.

"It is a judgement call and it's for the Palace to judge that for themselves, but I think it is very much sending out the wrong and confusing signals to the public who are having to bear the privations of isolation and who are unable to travel freely around the country," he said.

"It is very unfortunate that they have done this and I think in hindsight I am sure the Palace would now agree that this would have been better waiting until the new year. There is no reason why it had to be done as a festive jaunt."

He added he believed the couple had been badly advised over the visit and the decision to make the journey lacked common sense, perhaps in a drive to get some festive photos of them.

Sheppard added: "I do think people in the public life, there is an expectation that they set an example, that they don't try and undermine public health messages and that protocol applies as much to the royal family as anyone else."

William and Kate arrived in Edinburgh yesterday on the first stop of a 1250-mile, three-day journey around the UK to “thank communities, outstanding individuals and key workers for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.” Other UK stops on the tour include Cardiff and Reading.

People who violate the ban can be fined £60, unless they have a “reasonable excuse” such as work, caring responsibilities, or hospital appointments.

The First Minister revealed yesterday that the royal household had been warned in advance of the restrictions in place.

Despite that, the future king and queen, persisted with their journey.

Devi Sridhar, the US-born professor and chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and a senior adviser to the First Minister tweeted: “Love it here but some things I will never understand about Britain. Aren’t we all in a pandemic and living under travel restrictions?”

READ MORE: 'Aren’t we all in a pandemic?' Devi Sridhar hits out at William and Kate's Edinburgh visit

Earlier today Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething was asked if it is the right time for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit Wales.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'd rather that no-one was having unnecessary visits and people always have divisive views about the monarchy, but their visit isn't an excuse for people to say that they are confused about what they are being asked to do."

Asked whether William and Kate should still go, he said: "I'm not particularly bothered or interested because I don't think that is going to be an excuse for people to say 'I should go and behave in a different way and I should act as if the harm that is being seen in front of us in every part of our healthcare system is not taking place'."

The couple arrived in Cardiff today-  the first stop on the final day of their royal train tour.

William and Kate visited Cardiff Castle in the centre of the city to meet university students and hear about the mental health challenges they faced during the pandemic.

Asked whether Boris Johnson's Government shared the concerns of the Welsh and Scottish administrations, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters:

"That is obviously a matter for the palace and I would point you towards them.
"But we set out clearly the tiers and the advice around the current guidelines that we are asking the public to abide by."

Challenged on whether the royal couple had complied with the rules, the spokesman said: "I'm making the general point that we have set out the regionalised tier system that is now in place and the guidance that we are asking people to abide by."

In response to a suggestion that No 10 was refusing to give its backing to the couple's trip, the spokesman said: "I would point you towards the palace."

Later today the royals travelled to Reading to meet nurses at the Royal Berkshire Hospital - their third stop of the day.

Kate was born at the hospital and Graham Sims, chairman of Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, told her: "Welcome back."

The duke and duchess were introduced to members of the trust's 775-strong team of nurses and midwives.