Prince William promises to be a 'force for good' as supporting farmers is a 'branch of philanthropy'
30 May 2025, 09:32 | Updated: 30 May 2025, 09:45
Prince William said he recognises the 'responsibility' of supporting farmers as he visits Duchy of Cornwall tenants.
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The Prince of Wales, also the Duke of Cornwall, visited Corston Fields farm in Somerset.
The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate established to provide income for the heir to the throne, and today it operates as a vast portfolio of land, property, and commercial assets across England and Wales.
“I’m trying to make sure I’m prioritising stuff that’s going to make people’s lives, living in those areas, better,” Prince William said
“That, I feel as Duke of Cornwall, is something I should be doing. It’s about responsibility, it’s about leadership, and doing what’s right on the social issues of our time.”
He met farmers, Emily and Eddie Addicott-Sauvao, who grow quinoa and own a vineyard on Duchy of Cornwall land - which William owns.
“I see it as a branch of my philanthropy,” William says.
“There’s so much good we can do in the rural world. I see it [the Duchy] as another arm to the work that I want to do, which is being a positive force for good.”
He adds, “I think the Duchy have got way more levels and gears they can go through to be able to be a bigger force in the community.”
The royal spoke with the tenants about convincing the public benefits of locally grown, sustainably produced food, The Telegraph reported.
"There is a huge problem here and I haven’t got an answer," he said.
"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."
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Emily raised the issue of the lack of rural skills being taught in schools.
"We keep talking about the importance of being outside in nature but we don’t always give the jobs,” Prince William said.
"These jobs where you have that time in nature and think, ‘I enjoy it, I’m loving this.’ The opportunities need to be there in schools."
In the Duchy offices of Bath, Prince William said the estate serves as a "glue" to bring local charities, government departments and local authorities together to make change.
“It’s a family feeling,” Sarah Bird, a land steward who has worked at the Duchy for 18 years, said.
“The tenants care as much about us as we do about them.”
The Prince has recently became patron of the charity We Are Farming Minds, co-founded by Sam Stables, 45, who once came close to ending his life due to the pressures of farming.
Mr Stables set up a 24/7 support line to help other farmers - as well as offering funding for counselling, mental health training and social meet-ups.
The Duchy came under fire after Channel 4 Dispatches released a joint documentary with The Sunday Times: The King, The Prince & Their Secret Millions.
It claimed the estate made “millions of pounds a year by charging the Army, the Navy, the NHS, the prison service and state schools to use their land, rivers and seashores”.
It was a "load of twaddle" one Duchy farmer told The Telegraph, claiming the estate was "one of the best things that could have happened to us".
What is a Duchy?
A Duchy is a historical landholding traditionally governed by a duke or duchess, and in modern Britain, only two remain — Lancaster and Cornwall.
The Duchy of Cornwall was established in 1337 by Edward III to provide a private income for his heir, a purpose it still serves today for Prince William, the current Duke of Cornwall.
Despite its name, the Duchy’s land stretches far beyond Cornwall, covering over 20 counties across England and Wales, including farmland, commercial property, beaches, rivers, and even the Oval cricket ground in London.
The estate generated £23.6 million in the year to March 2024, with income coming from residential tenants, commercial leases, and land deals — while the Duke pays voluntary income tax, the exact figure remains undisclosed.
Critics often highlight its annual profits and royal privileges, but under Prince William’s stewardship, the Duchy has adopted a new mission focused on creating a “positive impact for people, places and planet.”
