Monday marked the start of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall’s three-day tour of the South West.
It was a summer morning for Charles and Camilla, arriving at Mevagissey harbour and welcomed by many local residents and The Stuns’ Is Sea Shanty Group performing music.
The Stuns’ls Sea Shanty group perform at Mevagissey Harbour ahead of Their Royal Highnesses’ arrival. ? ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/GhGpYaYnCo
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) July 15, 2019
Many of those who came out to meet Charles and Camilla are from local community groups, including fishermen, Her Majesty’s Coastguard and the Royal Navy Lifeboat Institution.
Mevagissey is a traditional fishing village and the second fastest growing port in Cornwall.
Whilst visiting the harbour, The Princess of Wales tasted some rum served by the bar maid from The Fountain Inn; the locals cheered as Charles downed the drink in one go! The Duchess of Cornwall played it safe by staying away from the rum and instead tried some vanilla ice cream.
During the walk about, Charles and Camilla were shown a local war memorial, which was inscribed in 2016 to a local man called Sapper Elijah Bond, who died from injuries sustained in Afghanistan in 2011.
At lunchtime The Duchess of Cornwall, in her capacity as patron, attended a Big Lunch at the Eden Project.
The Big Lunch is a community initiative that has brought people together with their neighbours for a few hours of fun and friendship every June since it began in 2009. Camilla sliced a large cake to celebrate 10 years of The Big Lunch. More than 6 million people now take part each year in The Big Lunch.
The Big Lunch’s founder, Peter Stewart, said the Duchess’s championing of the idea has added much value to the success of the initiative; he said: “It’s just outstanding! We owe her a huge debt of thanks for everything she has done. If we ever need a project like this, it is now.”
The Duchess of Cornwall said, “This is so important. I have been to communities in Belfast where neighbours haven’t spoken to each other in years. Having had a Big Lunch, they have all got together and actually found they get on quite well!”
Camilla was also presented with a card ahead of her 72nd birthday on Wednesday.
Whilst his wife was celebrating, The Prince of Wales visited Boscastle to mark the 60th anniversary of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Whilst in Boscastle, Charles met with those affected by flooding in the area 15 years ago, and those who were involved in the recovery efforts.
Later in the afternoon, Charles – who is referred to as The Duke of Cornwall in Cornwall – viewed a hedging demonstration, which forms part of the Kerdroya Project.
The Duke of Cornwall views a hedging demonstration, which forms part of the Kerdroya project.
The project, run by @CornwallAONB, aims to construct a Cornish-hedged landscape. pic.twitter.com/ghi0VMgoWi
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) July 15, 2019
The Kerdroya Project is run by the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the aim to construct a Cornish-hedged landscape.