The cold weather that swept in overnight and left the city carpeted in snow forced nearby Bristol Airport to be shut for a period and closed dozens of local schools.
A planned walkabout by the duke and duchess was curtailed, with snow and slush on the cobbled street outside the theatre making walking difficult.
Later the couple will tour the historic venue, which is undergoing a multimillion pound restoration and has a unique place in British theatre history, having nurtured the talents of countless famous actors from Sir Daniel Day-Lewis to Peter O’Toole.
Stirling prize-winning architects Haworth Tompkins led the redesign of the theatre, built in 1766, which includes a full-height timber and glass-fronted foyer that reveals the original auditorium facade to the street for the first time.
The internal layout has been transformed, with the restoration of the Georgian Coopers’ Hall, a new studio theatre created in the old barrel vaults and mezzanine galleries.
The project is the second stage of a 10-year £26 million programme to completely overhaul and safeguard the future of the theatre.