The Duke of Cambridge has a strong interest in all things agriculture and is practising his skills at Sandringham ahead of taking over the reins of the Duchy of Cornwall from his father.
Prince William has revealed he shares his father’s passion for farming — as do his children. The Duck of Cambridge, who will one day take over the Duchy of Cornwall estate, told ITV that he is ‘very passionate’ about farming and ‘just [wants] to learn more about it.’
Taking part in a two-part documentary that celebrates the Prince of Wales’s 50th working year as the Duke of Cornwall, the Duke toured part of the 130,000-acre estate, which spans 23 counties, and spoke with local farmers. He admitted he should have brought his children along because they all have an interest in agriculture — particularly Prince George, whom he described as nothing short of ‘obsessed’.
‘My children are already playing on the tractors,’ the Duke said. ‘It’s so important to get outside and have the children understand nature.’
Prince William is learning the ropes on The Queen’s Sandringham estate but was keen to hear from the Duchy of Cornwall’s own farmers what could could help make their life better — although he, like his father before him, could not offer any solution to the Brexit conundrum that one of the Duchy’s tenant raised as a ‘big rural issue’.
The Duke’s devotion to farming struck a chord with Prince Charles, for whom agriculture has been a lifelong and, at times, controversial interest — as one of the pioneers of organic methods in the UK, he attracted the scorn of the many who could not see the point of producing food in a more environmentally friendly way, with one tabloid going as far as calling him ‘a shop-soiled Royal’.
Today, the Prince of Wales is vindicated not only by the enormous success of the organic practices he helped take hold across the country but also by his son’s burgeoning passion.
‘When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it, I was deeply touched and moved by what he said,’ the Prince said.
‘It practically reduced me to tears. Because I suddenly thought, well, just hearing that from him, has made the last 50 years worthwhile.’
The second episode of the ITV Duchy of Cornwall documentary will air at 9pm on Thursday, October 31.
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