4 days ago
Prince of Wales knocks back Cornish cider and gin with his aunt
The Prince of Wales and his aunt, the Duchess of Edinburgh, knocked back local cider and gin during a rare joint outing.
The pair attended the Royal Cornwall Show, where they had no qualms about letting their hair down and sampling the local tipples.
The show, established in 1793, celebrates the best in Cornish heritage and tradition through agriculture, food and drink, entertainment and competition.
The Prince is attending for the first time as the Duke of Cornwall, following in the footsteps of his father, a regular attendee when he held the title.
Prince William is patron of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, while the Duchess is the vice president of the organisation. She is also patron of the Association of Agricultural Show Organisations.
Their first stop on arrival was the Royal Cornwall Food and Farming Pavilion, which showcases artisan food and drink producers from across the county who make cheeses, jams, preserves, gins and other spirits.
The royal visitors were then due to separate, with the Prince visiting the Duchy of Cornwall hub, which is shining a spotlight on rural mental health.
He will also visit an education hub seeking to preserve traditional farming skills while also supporting future regenerative farming practices.
The Duchess, who last attended the show in 2014, was due to visit two organisations of which she is patron – Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf) and the Girl Guides – which play a key role in the running of the event.
While the Prince and the Duchess have rarely conducted such a double-handed engagement, it is not the first.
In June 2023, the pair enjoyed a joint night out at a screening of Rhino Man at the newly renovated Battersea Power Station in south-west London.
The Edinburghs are known to be close to the Waleses.
