One of the funniest things about Prince William’s relationship with his father is that William is constantly stomping on Charles’s newscycles and Charles inevitably has to eat it. Sure, Charles will bitch and moan and the royal reporters will dutifully report “the king certainly wishes William wouldn’t have announced this on such-and-such special day,” but Charles fears his incandescent son, so nothing really happens. Well, just ahead of Trooping the Colour, wouldn’t you know, William decided to launch a new project/mission/scheme. William traveled to Dartmoor on Thursday and unveiled a new “20-year project” to restore the moor/habitat.
Prince William is on a new mission. The Prince of Wales, 42, made a surprise visit to a remote part of southwest England on June 12, kicking off an ambitious restoration project. William — dressed for the outdoors in rain boots and a flat cap — visited an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor. He was there in his capacity as head of the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns about 68,000 acres of the ancient moor, which is now a protected national park. But peatland, which is a natural store of carbon, is being eroded, and climate change is causing other stresses to the landscape.
A collaboration between the Duchy and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project is uniting landowners and others to encourage new approaches to grazing, biodiversity, conservation and river restoration, as part of the largest project of its kind in the U.K.
The new landscape vision for Dartmoor which hopes to restore the wilderness while also strengthening its resilience to changes in the climate and also meeting the changing needs of local people and farmers. The plan hopes to recreate wooded areas to shelter rivers and re-establish more traditional cattle and sheep grazing practices — and building more affordable housing.
Prince William, who was hosted on Dartmoor by Duchy tenant farmers David and Justine Colton as he was updated about the initiative, called it “bold and ambitious.”
Writing in the foreword to the Landscape Vision for Dartmoor, the prince says, “The balance between nature and people has evolved for thousands of years to shape the landscape we recognize today. To keep Dartmoor special, we must respond to the twin challenges of global warming and the requirement to restore nature, while ensuring the communities on Dartmoor can thrive.”
Every public statement from William really comes across like a kid reading a book report. As for the Dartmoor project… it’s fine. Last year, there were calls for William to do more and be more engaged with what was happening in this area, on duchy land, and look, he’s stepping up and doing something. I’m sure it’s mostly being organized by staff and professional conservationists, but that’s fine – I’d much rather William just put his name on something than try to reinvent the wheel and leave a mess for someone else to clean up. As for William’s look in Dartmoor… I remain disgusted by the beard, but the cap improves his look overall. He looked like he was having a really hard time walking in those wellies (they were too big for him, right?). Anyway, I’m sure William will continue to steal his father’s thunder on Sunday too – Father’s Day! New photos will drop.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, during a visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 12 Jun 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, speaks with Richard Drysdale, Director of Conservation and Communities of Dartmoor National Park Authority, and other key stakeholders during his visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 12 Jun 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, speaks with key stakeholders during his visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 12 Jun 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, during a visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 12 Jun 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall while in Cornwall, during a visit to Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, as the Duchy of Cornwall launches a new landscape vision for the moor Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 12 Jun 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I’m reminded of an old commercial where the line was “I’m a big boy now!”
Such a big boy, Willy. He can do the things! (that’s serious sarcasm!)
Haha I remember those commercials—for disposable potty training pants 😂 in all seriousness though this is the kind of project he should be highlighting and supporting there in his own country with measurable impacts for the people of UK so I’m glad to see him there.
Big important Willy .
Now if he would only fix the run down places that make him a slumlord.
Yes redistribute the unearned income from the duchy into useful projects like this and actually help other people and your own tenants. Just don’t rely on big hand gestures alone whilst turning up empty handed at food banks! No one is asking some to reinvent the wheel but use that wealth to help others that need it? Why does Will make such heavy weather of things when bread and butter events plus The Prince’s Trust etc., already exist to help people? Why does he turn his nose up at the basics like everything has to be a bright,new , shiny project with media coverage and loads of celebrities?
I mean, I’ve been moaning about how he needs to support meaningful local projects instead of bloviating at his cousin Albert’s conference in Monaco while the real advocates and scientists gather next door in Nice. So, this is a start.
This “collaboration” probably just means he’s giving them money in return for control over some part of the decision-making. That’s probably fine. As Kaiser said, nobody needs him to reinvent the wheel and make a big mess for others to clean up. The question is, how much money is he giving them? £20k? Or a meaningful amount? Specifically, has he given them enough to plant a few trees for more photo ops, or will the promised low-income housing ever happen?
The cynic in me also wonders whether this is meant to distract from the Dartmoor prison scandal. The Duchy of Cornwall owns HMP Dartmoor and leases it to the Ministry of Justice for £1.5 million a year, and that’s income to Willy. But the prison is uninhabitable and stands vacant, so taxpayers are paying Willy a large annual sum for nothing. Count me unimpressed if he’s just transferring a fraction of his massive Dartmoor prison income to plant a few trees so he can deflect from his vacant prison cash cow.
I think what he’s contributing is land owned by the duchy of Cornwall not funding. He’s probably, at least potentially, making money from the project in rent from property used in the project
I was wondering about that, too. Is part of this habitat restoration going to be the demo of Dartmoor prison, removing the HAZMAT materials & etc.?
Has he fixed his housing issues in Dartmoor? Improved his tenants’ lot?
He looks awkward in that jacket (waxed/oiled cotton?). Needed a trench coat. Should have brought an umbrella.
Did he send that fridge to Estonia and or donate to any cancer charity or help Liz Hatton’s parents fund raise in memory of their daughter?
Oh you know Willy, he likes to make his big announcements but never follows through!
I really am keen on finding out about that fridge. Such a low hanging fruit but not a word since his promise. I mean Willy, how many fridges can you buy with the cost of a chopper ride between London and Norfolk?
In the UK the news cycle has been dominated by the UK economy, the terrible plane crash in India and Israel bombing Iran. Nobody is talking about Charles or William so thunder stealing seems pointless as no one is paying attention!
Well, this makes a lot more sense than Earthshot. There seems to be a plan made by knowledgeable people and the scope looks reasonable. But I don’t think he’ll get Heidi Klum to show up in wellies for this…then again…if he pays enough…
Will KP/the wales even mark father’s day with photos? They didn’t mark Mother’s Day with photos this year. Anyways, if the duchy is collaborating with this project, does that mean they donate money to it? Or just add their name? It does sounds like a good project.
This actually looks a bit like a traditional royal “patronage” of an existing charity. Without using the dreaded word “patronage” because he’s always harping on about how he doesn’t want to do that old bread-and-butter stuff the late Queen did so well. So he’s calling it a “collaboration” instead.
As you say, who knows what the new “collaboration” terminology means in terms of giving them money (how much money?), telling them what to do with their existing projects, or plonking his name on it and just turning up for photo ops.
KP has stopped giving photos to the press for publication in the papers so they’re probably going to release a photo on social media during the day on Sunday instead of the night before.
But they didn’t even post new photos on SM for Mother’s Day this year did they? So wouldn’t it be strange to post on SM for Father’s Day but not Mother’s Day?
It seems like a good project. I just think the Royal Family shouldn’t be landlords and they definitely shouldn’t be owning National Parks.
looks like William has recovered his emotional balance compared to his nervous and shaky appearances early this year.
Yawn. Probably nothing will come from it because his ideas are like throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping it sticks in the hopes of outshining Harry.
If Peg can work five days a week, it may enhance his reputation as a committed and serious individual—a king in waiting or whatever. But he won’t do it.
When it comes to his various projects, he thinks he’s a pollinator. Just hopping from one issue to another. He lacks commitment and focus.
Does anyone remember a long time ago. Where the English tabloids for a few weeks kept running that the Queen wasn’t sure if she was going to allow Charles to be the next King. I didn’t read any of the actual articles. But all the headlines kept saying Charles might not get the job. Could the tabloids do the same thing with William. Report that the Crown might go straight to George. I figure that would pull Williams chain for awhile. And would definitely upset Kate.
The tabloids report that all the time but I don’t think that’s the way it works. And I never believed it about QE2 because her father was king due to a succession/constitutional crisis type thing so I imagine she would have been about the letter on that one, while clinging onto it with every thing her hands held until she died.
I remember QE2 had to campaign hard for Charles to be accepted as head of the commonwealth. Given all the firings of BRF by commonwealth countries, I think William might be a hard sell and I love it very much for him.
He looks a lot older especially with the scruff on his face
Oh yes, father’s day this Sunday: Charles worst day of the year
He actually looked good in the flat cap. I bet he’d make a fine chauffeur or groomsman.
Anyway, there’s plenty to be done and hopefully his involvement will help, certainly a lovely future achievement for his reign if accomplished.
???? It’s not wilderness if you’ve got housing & sheep/cattle grazing. Good luck, though, with the habitat restoration.
Probably same in UK. In America RE public land: it’s not unusual to have private property within the borders that stays private. The stipulation is that the property is permanently occupied and the farm or mine does not expand its business.
Future King’s ridiculous beard and jazz hands! Too bad that’s all there is to him.
No interests, no passions – other than rose trimming and raging about two youngsters and their parents. It would be mildly amusing if it weren’t so pathetic.
Good for PW for this project. Maybe he will take care of the tenants as well. This is a wonderful start.