Prince William Heads To Cornwall for First Time Since Receiving New Title — and Valuable Estate
Hugh Hastings/WPA Pool/Shutterstock Prince William makes his first official visit to Cornwall
Prince William is checking out his new domain!
William, who became Duke of Cornwall with the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth in September, is visiting the area in the southwest of England for the first time since receiving the new title.
The Duchy of Cornwall is also now a vitally important part of his public life. The vast estate of property and farms and other interests traditionally supports the heir to the throne and his family. In recent years, Prince William, 40, has been shadowing his father, King Charles III, and has made quiet visits to the Duchy, learning more about the 130,000 acres of land with 160 miles of British coastline in 23 counties of England and Wales.
The Duchy was established by King Edward III in 1337 to provide an income for the heir to the throne. King Charles used it also to pay for the life and public work of the heir to the throne and his family — and with Charles at the helm, it has become a major financial concern.
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Hugh Hastings/WPA Pool/Shutterstock Prince William makes his first official visit to Cornwall
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The estate of farmland, property and commercial businesses is worth around $1.3 billion. Last year, it provided Charles with an income of around $25 million.
"He is going to very much take an active role in it. He is fully immersing himself in it," a royal source told PEOPLE in October.
On Thursday, Prince William met some of the organizations in Newquay that are supporting the local community and staff working for the Duchy of Cornwall.
Hugh Hastings/WPA Pool/Shutterstock Prince William makes his first official visit to Cornwall
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His first stop was at Newquay Orchard, a seven-acre urban green space located on Duchy land which provides environmental education, employability training and community events.
Very much a key community resource that was built and run by the locals, the Orchard has flourished and is now home to a variety of initiatives that aim to combat social isolation, promote healthy lifestyles, and support those who are feeling the difficult impacts of the cost-of-living crisis. The site also runs a community café and acts as a venue offering a space for local people to run events, workshops, classes and social clubs.
He joined volunteers at "An Lowarth," Cornish for "garden," where volunteers can learn skills like mulching and wedding and planting trees as well as improve their physical and mental health.
Hugh Hastings/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
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The Prince of Wales spent time with some people being trained in cooking, gardening and other practical skills to help them move into employment, education or further training. He visited the community Canteen at the Orchard, where they serve produce grown and picked by volunteers in the gardens.
Prince William also met with Duchy staff at their offices. William has already held meetings with Duchy of Cornwall leaders as he builds his knowledge of the enterprise.
