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NDTV
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Prince William Laughs Off An Awkward Question During Duchy Meet And Greet
Prince William, 42, recently visited his Duchy of Cornwall estate for his monthly "Duchy day", where he interacted with staff, tenants, farmers, and local residents, according to The Telegraph. During the meet and greet, a tenant, Gerald Addicott, asked Prince William if he could make his home rent-free, sparking a light-hearted exchange. The prince laughed off the query, revealing it wasn't the first time he'd been asked this. Asked what the Duchy can do to help their day-to-day lives as tenants, patriarch Gerald Addicott - who is now retired but met the then Prince Charles several times during his own tenancy - teases the Prince that he could make it "rent-free". "You're not the first person to say that," laughs William, adding - apparently semi-seriously - that he questioned whether he could do just that when he took over and "got a lot of sweaty faces" responsible for balancing the books looking back at him. According to The Telegraph, having spent the past few years speaking to farmers, he has concerns about how best to convince the public of the quality and benefits of locally grown, sustainably produced food. "There is a huge problem here, and I haven't got an answer," he says of how to recognise the work of British farmers amid cheap supermarket food and the "generalised" approach of the "mass retailers". "We keep asking more and more of our farmers, but you don't necessarily get any benefits back on top of everything you have to do." Figuring out whether the Duchy can help to promote its small producers is on his to-do list. Staff, by now, are used to receiving a follow-up call or message after each of these visits. Despite the awkward moment, locals and staff agreed that Prince William is working to modernise the Duchy and bring about real change. His visit to the estate followed a statement from him and Catherine expressing sadness over a tragic incident during Liverpool's Premier League title parade.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Prince William laughs off awkward question during Duchy of Cornwall meet and greet as ‘demanding and ambitious' royal reveals plans to bring about ‘real change'
Prince William laughed off awkward questions during a meet and greet in his Duchy of Cornwall estate on Friday. The Prince of Wales, 42, was undertaking his monthly 'Duchy day' where he visits the farms and offices on his vast estate, shaking hands and checking in on staff, tenants, farmers and local residents. During his rounds, one tenant asked whether the royal could not only reduce the rents but make the properties on the Duchy of Cornwall's land completely rent-free. William laughed off the query and joked that it wasn't the first time he'd heard that. The uncomfortable moment came after one of the prince's staff described the heir to the throne as 'demanding' when asked about his approach to his new role. But locals and staff alike agreed the prince was going everything he could to modernise the Duchy and bring real change to locals. During a walkabout, The Telegraph revealed that retiree Gerald Addicott asked Prince William whether he could make his home rent-free. The Duke of Cornwall said he wasn't the first person to ask that and then revealed that he had originally looked in to whether it would be possible but was met with 'a lot of sweaty faces' from people who balance his books as they did the calculations. The revelation came after the Duchy of Cornwall's Senior Development Manager Will Bax described the prince as 'pretty demanding' before quickly clarifying that he is in fact 'pretty ambitious' and likes to make change and support new ideas. Ben Murphy, the Duchy's estate director joined in, adding the William is impatient just like his father King Charles because he really cares and that he is constantly trying to increase the pace on projects around the estate. William's tour of his estate comes after he and Catherine revealed they were 'deeply saddened' after a driver ploughed into a crowd of people during Liverpool's Premier League title parade. A total of 79 people including children were injured after the Ford Galaxy rammed into the crowd on Water Street, in the Liverpool city centre, at around 6pm on Bank Holiday Monday. Merseyside Police insisted there was a 'robust' traffic plan in place and that the car followed an ambulance after a roadblock was temporarily lifted so paramedics could help a man who suffered a suspected heart attack. Former Royal Marine, from West Derby, Paul Doyle, 53, appeared before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday morning charged with seven offences, including dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm (GBH). The court heard the charges relate to six alleged victims, including four adults - two men and two women - and two children aged 17 and 11. The maximum sentence he could face is life imprisonment. He did not indicate a plea. Prince William and Catherine released a statement on Tuesday afternoon at the same time as King Charles and Queen Camilla, while Princess Anne paid a surprise visit to first responders at a major hospital in Liverpool. The Prince and Princess of Wales said: 'We are deeply saddened by the scenes in Liverpool yesterday. What should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy. 'Our thoughts are with those who were injured and to the first responders and emergency services on the ground.' King Charles, who is in Ottawa with Queen Camilla to mark the opening session of Canada's parliament, also said they were 'deeply shocked and saddened'.
