The Princess of Wales has made a special journey to west Wales to honour and celebrate some of the nation's most esteemed textile producers and their enduring craftsmanship.
Royal Engagement with Fabric Heritage
Kate commenced her visit at Melin Tregwynt, a renowned woollen mill nestled within a secluded wooded valley along the picturesque Pembrokeshire coastline. The mill is famous for weaving traditional Welsh designs into luxurious blankets and throws, maintaining a century-old legacy of quality.
A Sustained Passion for Textiles
The future Queen has demonstrated a profound and consistent interest in fabrics and textiles over the past twelve months. This visit forms part of a broader pattern of royal engagements dedicated to Britain's manufacturing heritage.
Her itinerary has included a tour of a tartan-weaving studio in Stirling during January, alongside previous visits to textile makers in locations such as Carmarthenshire, Suffolk, Kent, and County Tyrone. Furthermore, she examined a historic William Morris fabric sample book during a trip to the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, east London.
Historic Mill with a Modern Structure
Melin Tregwynt boasts a rich history, having been operated by successive generations of the Griffiths family for more than a hundred years. In a significant transition, the business was established as an employee-owned trust in 2022, securing its future and preserving local employment.
The company continues to weave its distinctive fabrics within the original mill building, which was purchased by Henry Griffiths back in 1912 when he first founded the enterprise. This continuity underscores a deep commitment to traditional methods and sustainable local industry.
The Princess's visit highlights the vital cultural and economic role played by such heritage manufacturers across the United Kingdom, blending historical technique with contemporary business models for continued success.
