The Princess Royal tucked into a Hebridean-inspired lunch after sampling products from a Lewis-born brand that is now stocked in London's Dorchester Hotel.

Malcolm Macrae, co-founder of ishga, said he was "honoured" to welcome Princess Anne to the company's headquarters at the Glenn Seileach Business Park in Stornoway. 

The visit included a discussion about the history of seaweed on the island, its potent skincare benefits and how the brand sustainably harvests the unique ingredient from the pristine waters of the islands.

The 74-year-old princess was invited to add the unique seaweed extract into a batch of ishga’s Anti-oxidant Marine Cream, one of the company's best-sellers.

ishga founders explain the benefits of seaweed to the Princess Royal ishga founders explain the benefits of seaweed to the Princess Royal (Image: ishga)

The company's products are now available in more than 100 spas in the UK and countries world-wide including the US, Australia, China and Japan.

The Princess Royal was shown ishga’s unique candle collection created in partnership with The Dorchester hotel in London and a special oil co-created with Coworth Park to mark the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.

ishga harnesses the benefits of seaweed in its skincare productsishga harnesses the benefits of seaweed in its skincare products (Image: ishga)

Later, she tucked into a Hebridean lunch using local firms that was prepared by Alan Macritchie, otherwise known as The Niseach Chef.

The menu included chive Scotch pancake, cream cheese and 'Uig lodge' smoked salmon and 'Cross Stores' black pudding and quails eggs Scotch egg with curried mayo.

Mr Macrae said the Royal visit was a "true highlight for the team".

He said: "Huge thanks to His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Western Isle, Mr Iain Macaulay for making this visit possible."


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Mr Macrae, who has a background in science, left the island to study at the University of Glasgow and returned after being offered a job with a pharmaceutical firm. 

The business employs around 50 people on the island.

He credits the brand's success with the products having such a strong connection to Lewis with ingredients like seaweed, spring water and herbs and plants sourced on the island.

He said: "I think if you have a business and it doesn't have a connection to the land and the sea, you might struggle to market it and to convince anyone that it's unique."

Princess Anne's visit was part of a wider programme of community engagements on the Western Isles.