The Princess of Wales made a striking appearance in Wales today, donning a vibrant orange vintage Welsh wool coat as she toured local businesses and unexpectedly revealed a charming new addition to her family. During her engagements, Kate Middleton visited Melin Tregwynt woollen mill and Hiut Denim, where she engaged with staff and demonstrated her growing interest in textile craftsmanship.
Royal Visit to Welsh Textile Heritage
Kate's first stop was Melin Tregwynt, a remote woollen mill in Pembrokeshire renowned for producing traditional blankets and throws. The future queen was given a comprehensive tour of the production process, observing everything from the initial weaving stages to the final finishing details applied to the luxurious fabrics. Demonstrating hands-on involvement, Kate participated in quality control by repairing a broken thread in a fabric roll under the guidance of staff member Paula Harding.
"You have to have really good eyesight and patience," remarked the princess as she carefully completed a two-inch repair. Ms. Harding later praised her technique, stating: "She did it right, it's amazing, and she didn't go through the other side, that's skill – she's got the skill." The visit highlighted the mill's generational legacy, with Kate noting: "That's what's wonderful about these family businesses, they're so based on these families and intergenerations passing on these techniques."
Denim Workshop and Family Revelation
Later at Hiut Denim in Cardigan, a family-owned company manufacturing premium jeans entirely within the UK, Kate's visit took a personal turn. As she conversed with employees, the owner's dog Barney playfully circled her feet, prompting the princess to gently pat the animal and share news about her own pets. She revealed: "So we've got a little puppy. He's only eight months and Orla is five."
This announcement confirms a new canine member has joined the Wales household alongside their established black cocker spaniel Orla, who was gifted to the family by Kate's brother James Middleton in 2020. Given that Orla gave birth to four puppies in May, the new eight-month-old addition likely originates from that litter, marking continued expansion of the royal family's pet companions.
Developing Textile Expertise
Throughout her visits, Kate demonstrated considerable knowledge and enthusiasm for textile production. At the denim workshop, where staff were sewing edges onto cloths as part of final processing, she confessed: "I was trying some sewing at Christmas time – I was very slow." This admission aligns with her broader pattern of textile-focused engagements over the past year.
The Princess of Wales has cultivated a notable interest in fabrics and manufacturing processes, having visited numerous weaving mills and textile producers across the United Kingdom. Her recent itinerary includes a tartan-weaving studio in Stirling visited in January, plus previous engagements with textile makers in Carmarthenshire, Suffolk, Kent, and County Tyrone. She further examined historical fabric samples during a visit to the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, east London, indicating a sustained commitment to understanding Britain's textile heritage and contemporary manufacturing.
Kate's choice of attire for today's engagements – the eye-catching vintage Welsh wool coat – appropriately reflected her support for traditional craftsmanship while making a bold fashion statement. Her hands-on participation in repair work and sewing activities suggests genuine engagement rather than ceremonial observation, potentially signaling deeper royal patronage of Britain's textile industries moving forward.
