The Princess of Wales showcased her practical skills and enthusiasm for traditional craftsmanship during a day-long visit to West Wales' renowned textile and fashion hub. Kate's engagements highlighted the region's premium fabric production and celebrated family-run businesses that have sustained Wales' manufacturing heritage.
Hands-On Royal Engagement with Welsh Industry
During her tour of West Wales' textile centres, the Princess of Wales proved herself remarkably adept with needle and thread. Her visit encompassed both contemporary denim manufacturing and traditional woollen weaving, demonstrating the breadth of Wales' fabric production capabilities.
Personal Touch for Prince William
At Hiut Denim in Cardigan, Kate took to the factory floor where she personally stitched a "Made in Wales" label into a pair of £245 organic Hack jeans intended as a gift for her husband, Prince William. When informed the trousers were destined for the Prince of Wales, she responded warmly: "He will love those."
The Cardigan-based company has revived local jeans production after the area's original factory closed in 2002. Hiut Denim, founded in 2011, brought manufacturing skills back to Wales that had previously moved overseas. The princess met with experienced cutter Claudio Belotti, 75, who possesses five decades of cutting expertise, and even tried her hand at cutting a pair of the company's soon-to-be-released slim fit women's denims.
Demonstrating Needlework Proficiency
Kate's crafting abilities received particular praise at Melin Tregwynt, a historic woollen mill near Fishguard known for producing luxury blankets and throws. There, she successfully completed a delicate repair on a roll of reversible fabric, carefully mending a broken thread without piercing through to the other side.
Staff member Paula Harding, whose family has worked at the mill for three generations, commended the princess's technique: "She did it right, it's amazing, and she didn't go through the other side, that's skill – she's got the skill." Kate acknowledged the challenge, telling Ms. Harding: "You have to have really good eyesight and patience."
Sustaining Welsh Manufacturing Heritage
The princess expressed particular appreciation for the intergenerational nature of Wales' textile businesses. After learning about Ms. Harding's family history at Melin Tregwynt, Kate observed: "That's what's wonderful about these family businesses, they're so based on these families and inter-generations passing on these techniques."
Melin Tregwynt itself represents this continuity, having been operated by generations of the Griffiths family for over a century before transitioning to employee ownership in 2022. The company continues weaving premium fabrics in the same mill purchased by Henry Griffiths in 1912, with their renowned wool blankets commanding prices up to £450.
Royal Enthusiasm for Craftsmanship
Throughout her visit, Kate demonstrated genuine interest in manufacturing processes and personal crafting. While cutting denim at Hiut, she shared: "I love making things, so I think I would really enjoy making denims. The most adventurous I got was making a pair of pyjamas... and I don't know where they have gone now."
The princess appropriately dressed for the occasion in a vintage Welsh wool coat, further emphasising her support for local textile production. Her engagements highlighted both the historical significance and contemporary relevance of Wales' fabric industry, from Cardigan's jeans manufacturing legacy dating to the 1960s to traditional woollen mills maintaining centuries-old techniques.
