Large crowds are expected in Glasgow today as William and Kate arrive in Scotland for a two-day tour.

The royal couple will visit a range of projects today, from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at the Emirates Arena where cyclists will be training, to launching a new Scottish project for their foundation to train the next generation of young sports coaches.

Kate, who is five-and-a-half-months pregnant, and William are known as the Countess and Earl of Strathearn when in Scotland - a title bestowed by the Queen to mark their marriage.

First today, William will make a Skype web call to two homeless Scottish people working in Holland. He will chat to Dylan Howie, 18, and Lyn Buchan, 21, who are taking part in an innovative exchange programme, as he tours Stopover, a project for rough sleepers run by the charity Quarriers.

The pair from Glasgow are on a work experience placement in the Dutch town of Papendrecht as part of the charity's Way to Work initiative run with Dutch partner Werkcenter.

Mr Howie, who first stayed at the Stopover project in September 2011 when aged just 16 before returning last December, said: "It's just amazing that I will get a chance to speak to the Duke of Cambridge. It's brilliant - I'm very excited.

"The past year has been really tough for me - but since coming to Quarriers' Stopover my life has been turned around. Everyone at Stopover is brilliant and now I'm on the Quarriers Way to Work programme I can see a brighter future.

"I've never been abroad before so it's a great experience to see a different culture and get work experience at the same time. I feel really positive about getting a job and my own place when I get back to Glasgow."

William has a keen interest in tackling the problem of homelessness and is patron of Centrepoint, a charity that has been providing support and care for rough sleepers for decades.

Paul Moore, chief executive of Quarriers - one of Scotland's largest social care charities, said: "This will have a huge positive impact on the lives of these two young people who have already had to overcome more obstacles than many their age."

Tomorrow, the royal couple will travel to Dumfries House in Ayrshire, an 18th century mansion bought, along with its contents and adjoining land, by a consortium led by the Prince of Wales in June 2007.

Charles will join his son and daughter-in-law as the Manoukian Foundation, a new outdoor centre for uniformed youth services and schools, is opened in the grounds.

The visit will be marked by a fly-past of three Typhoons from 6 Squadron, RAF Leuchars - a base close to St Andrews University where William and Kate first met as students.

The royal couple will then travel to Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria to learn about the new Astute Class of nuclear powered submarines being built for the Royal Navy by BAE Systems.

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