As patron to more than 70 organizations and charities, many of them in food and farming, the Duchess of Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the most active members of the royal family on agricultural issues. In her capacity as patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organizations, a role she has held since 2012, Sophie attended the Royal Welsh Show in the village of Llanelwedd on Tuesday, approximately 60 miles north of Cardiff.
Running through Thursday, July 23, the Royal Welsh Show is a four-day event covering everything from livestock and equine competitions to food, horticulture, and rural skills demonstrations. There is also a winter fair at the end of November. Tuesday’s visit marked Sophie’s first appearance at the show in her capacity as royal patron, but she previously attended the Royal Welsh Show in 2003 and the Winter Fair in 2018. The association is the representative body for the UK’s agricultural, horticultural, equine, and countryside events.
The visit comes just days after the Duchess of Edinburgh published a rare personal essay in The Yorkshire Post making the case for Britain’s agricultural shows at a time when rural life faces growing competition for public attention from digital entertainment.
“Beyond the fabulous experiences they provide, they also offer an opportunity for our rural businesses to showcase what they do and how they do it, and to allow visitors to gain a deeper understanding of our important rural industry,” Sophie wrote. “Agricultural shows are a place where town can meet country, bridging the gap between what is perceived and what is real. They are a looking-glass into the lives of our rural community who work so hard to provide for us, while trying to make a living for themselves.”
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at .
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