The Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie has shared a rare personal essay for a UK publication to champion British farming and the importance of the role of regional country shows.
Writing in The Yorkshire Post, the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is also a Patron for the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO), has written an impassioned defense of rural communities and their agricultural shows, which she described as ‘the greatest shows on earth’.
Known for her natural, hands-on style of royal work, the Duchess used her essay to comment on the divide between our towns and the countryside, urging the British public to do more to be aware of where their food is sourced from.
Bridging the town and country gap In the essay, the Duchess of Edinburgh spoke about how the efforts of rural workers may go unnoticed by those of us living in our large cities.
“Much of our nation’s attention is focussed on our more populated settings, and the understanding of what our rural industries contribute is often scant, yet we could not survive without this important sector of our national framework.” – Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh The Duchess of Edinburgh described country shows as a “looking glass” into the lives of those involved in the farming industry.
It’s here that the worlds of towns and country meet and help to debunk any myths around what modern-day farming actually looks like, according to the Duchess. A long-term Royal Patronage of British Farming The Duchess of Edinburgh is well-acquainted with the UK’s agriculture sector and has been Patron of the ASAO since 2012.
She visits rural events across Britain year after year and for the last two decades has been an honorary patron at events including: – The Royal Show (President in 2007) – The Royal Bath & West of England Show (President in 2011) – The Royal Norfolk Show (President in 2019) –
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The Driffield Show (President in 2023) Not only this, but she also works to engage teenagers and young people in agriculture career opportunities, including her role with Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF).
This recent essay is a reminder of her lasting commitment to British farming.