London, England (CNN) -- Britain's Prince William and fiancee Kate Middleton made their first official engagement as a couple Thursday, launching a lifeboat in Wales.
The pair, who are due to marry in April, officially named the "Hereford Endeavour" lifeboat in a ceremony at the Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station in Anglesey, North Wales.
"We effectively have two launches today," said CNN royal contributor Mark Saunders. "The launch of the lifeboat by William and Catherine and, at the same time, the launch of William and Catherine into this celebrity saturated world they are going to be living in".
Despite the modest nature of the event, hundreds of people turned out to watch the royal couple conduct their first official duty together.
"In 20 years of royal reporting I've never witnessed quite such excitement for such a single job," said Saunders. CNN
