The Princess of Wales today put Britain’s textile industry in the spotlight with a visit to Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk, a family-run weaving firm that has been creating jacquard fabrics for more than 300 years – before making her way to another manufacturers in Kent.
Outside, she was greeted by scores of children from the local Saint Gregory’s Primary School, who cheered and waved Union Flags as she arrived.
Employing more than 100 staff, the mill produces cloth for top fashion houses, interior designers, and heritage institutions.
The Princess toured the design studio, where she was shown how historic archive patterns inspire modern designs, before moving onto the weaving floor to see traditional looms and state-of-the-art machinery in action.
She was welcomed by Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, William and Kate’s former private secretary and top aide, now Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk.
Staff said the Princess spent time speaking with everyone she met, sharing words of encouragement and praising the skill involved in producing such high-quality fabrics.
Steven Harris, head of production, recalled the Princess spotting a detail on a piece of fabric and saying, ‘You’ve got the job.’ She added: ‘You’ve got to have an eye for detail,’ highlighting the precision and care required in the craft.
During the visit, she spoke with account manager Beth Humes, 35, emphasising that artisan skills are ‘still vitally important’ and describing the ‘Made in the UK’ hallmark as a global symbol of excellence.
The royal, pictured during the visit today, was the image of elegance as she sported a suit and heels
Kate showed off her bronde tresses as she made the visit this morning – with her hair styled in waves
She also met designers Mae Littleton, 30, and Lucy Spendlove, 28, praising their work as ‘magical and wonderful’ as she watched sketches and patterns transformed into finished fabrics.
Textiles are a personal passion for the Princess, whose paternal ancestors once owned William Lupton & Co, a woollen manufacturer in Leeds.
Palace aides noted her long-standing commitment to the sector and its cultural importance, pointing out that she has previously visited mills in Leeds, Lancaster, and South Wales to champion British craftsmanship.
Palace officials said the day was about ‘celebrating British creativity and craftsmanship’ and highlighting the skills that keep the UK’s textile industry thriving, from centuries-old weaving techniques to modern design innovation.
Before she left she collected flowers from the school children who had waited to see her. The Princess asked, ‘What’s it like to go back to school?’
They all cheered: ‘It was crazy. She recommended going to the factory. She asked us about school.
Tilly Chapel, nine, said, ‘It was amazing to meet her. My family will be so jealous. I told her it was great to be back at school.’
Arthur Gilligan, nine, said, ‘I was really excited I never thought I’d meet a royal person.’
Kate there spend time with Design Director Tandine Rawkins’s free-hand sketch work, and marvelled at her pieces, praising the ‘artistry’ of the industry
She also got to take a look at the printing room, where she will even take part in screen-printing a design by pushing coloured dyes through an engraved silk-screen using a squeegee
After leaving Suffolk, the Princess headed to Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent, a smaller family business specialising in hand-designed and screen-printed fabrics, to continue her tour of the nation’s textile sector
Kate was the image of elegance in a fitted suit with what is understood to be a Prince of Wales print
The Princess of Wales opted for chic stiletto heels as she attended the textile manufacturers this morning
Swarms of wellwishers could be seen crowding around the manufacturer for Kate’s visit this afternoon
After leaving Suffolk, the Princess headed to Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent, a smaller family business specialising in hand-designed and screen-printed fabrics, to continue her tour of the nation’s textile sector.
‘It’s nice to know that you work well together,’ she could be heard saying during the visit. ‘It’s so lovely to see all these businesses, like yourselves, really thriving here in the UK.’
‘It did take them sixty years to thrive,’ one joked in reply, which had the royal in stitches.
Established in 1967, the Kent-based production is known for its ‘artisan craftsmanship’.
Kate there spend time with Design Director Tandine Rawkins’s free-hand sketch work, and marvelled at her pieces, praising the ‘artistry’ of the industry.
She also got to take a look at the printing room, where she will even take part in screen-printing a design by pushing coloured dyes through an engraved silk-screen using a squeegee.
It’s not the first time the royal has shown an interest in the world of textiles, having visited a South Wales manufacturer earlier this year and going to chat to factories in Leeds and Lancaster in 2023.
The Princess of Wales chatted with adorable wellwishers as she stopped for a conversation with some children after the visit
Kate smiled as she spoke with kids after wrapping up her first visit of the day, in Suffolk, this afternoon
The Princess also enjoyed chatting with supporters as she left her first engagement of the afternoon
The Princess of Wales pictured today during a visit to Sudbury Silk Mills in Sudbury after the event
The Princess, pictured, posed for a group photo with the staff at Sudbury Silk Mills this afternoon
Kate, pictured, looked impressed as she took in the fabrics and textiles at the manufacturers today
The royal looked to be in high spirits as she got to take a look at the materials on display this afternoon
Kate visited the designers and also got to speak with the operators on the weaving floor, and see the looms for herself – before then taking in the quality process and final inspections
Kate, pictured, opted for a simple leather belt and black jumper to let the print do most of the talking
Kate, 43, wore a stunning ensemble as she stepped out to ‘celebrate the unique skill, creativity and craftsmanship’ of British creative industries
Kate opted for a sophisticated sartorial display as she arrived for the engagement this afternoon
Her first stop was at the family-run Sudbury Silk Mills, known for its jacquard weaving, which has been going for more than 300 years
It also aims to highlight the nation’s rich heritage in the trade, with the royal’s own paternal ancestors were the owners of the woollen manufacturer and merchant, William Lupton & Co, which was based in Leeds
Kate showed off her sense of style as she donned a grey trouser suit during the visit this morning
The look was perfectly autumnal, as the Princess teamed a black jumper with a patterned blazer and trousers
The royal was in high spirits as she spoke with others at the family-run weaving mill in Sudbury today
Kate opted for a stylish suit – accessorised with a leather belt – for the occasion in Suffolk this mornig
Smiling Kate looked to be enjoying the conversation as she was greeted for her visit to Sudbury Silk Mills
There, Kate chatted with the design team and observed their creative process – which included looking through archives and hand-drawing
Kate pictured as Sudbury Silk Mills in Sudbury, in Suffolk, a family-run weaving mill that has been at the forefront of jacquard weaving
The mill has an integral part of the British textile industry for over 300 years. Kate pictured at the event
The Princess was the image of elegance as she showed off her newly-lighter hair once again this morning
Kate’s hair was golden in the sun, as she also opted for minimal jewellery to accentuate the ensemble
The Princess was the image of elegance in a fitted £1,370 suit as she made the visit – as her brother-in-law Prince Harry is today set to leave the UK following a landmark meeting with King Charles; their first in 19 months.
Kate, 43, put on a sartorial display in a plaid-print £845 blazer and £525 trousers from Bella Freud, as she stepped out to ‘celebrate the unique skill, creativity and craftsmanship’ of British creative industries.
And the pattern, a signature example of the Prince of Wales check which uses interwoven stripes to create the illusions of small squares when viewed from afar, appears to be a sweet nod to her husband William.
It’s not the only seemingly sweet hidden message in the clothing, with the jacket potentially named after the son of British designer Bella’s close friend Nick Cave – Earl, of whom she is the godmother.
The fashion aficionado, 64, is the great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud, and has become known in the industry for her playful use of language.
Keeping her look sleek and elegant – and letting the tailoring speak for itself – Kate kept accessories to a minimum with simple black heels from Stuart Weitzman, Daniella Draper earrings and a leather belt. Beneath the jacket, she kept it chic with an understated Boden jumper.
Today’s engagement aims to highlight the nation’s rich heritage in the trade.
The Princess’s engagements come amid a poignant time for the family, with Prince Harry recently reuniting with his father, the King, for their first meeting in 19 months.
William and Kate smiled as they both made an appearance at the engagement in honour of Elizabeth on Monday
The Duke of Sussex described the monarch as doing well after a long-awaited reconciliation meeting at Clarence House. Pictured today during a visit to take part in a panel discussion on how social action positively impacts mental health with four young people who are involved with The Diana Award
Prince Harry was all smiles as he meets with corporate sponsors and government ministers at a reception for the Invictus Games
Prince William visits Spiral Skills, a youth organisation in Lambeth, in London. During his visit, William visited a music studio and said he was making sure his children are learning to play instruments because music is ‘crucial’
The Duke of Sussex described the monarch as doing well after a long-awaited reconciliation meeting at Clarence House.
He said of Charles – ‘Yes he’s great, thank you’ – when asked about the face-to-face catch-up during a reception for the Invictus Games, which he launched in 2014 as a tournament for injured service personnel and veterans.
Appearing relaxed, smiling and upbeat, Harry mingled with corporate sponsors and government ministers as he attended the event in The Gherkin, London, ahead of a speech outlining the next 10 years of his Invictus movement.
The prince arrived at the event 40 minutes later than planned after travelling directly from a private tea with his dad, which lasted for 55 minutes. It was their first meeting in 19 months since the Duke flew to the UK to see Charles in February 2024.
He was spotted being driven into the royal residence in a black Range Rover at 5.20pm before leaving in the same car at around 6.15pm.
Earlier, the King was seen arriving at Clarence House at 4pm, having landed at RAF Northolt at around 3pm following a flight from Aberdeen Airport. Charles met with Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg, where he was invested with an MBE.
Charles had flown to the capital after a stay at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, raising the possibility of a meeting with Harry during his son’s four-day stay in Britain.
Harry was due to arrive at the Invictus reception at 6.45pm but organisers said he was running late, before he finally arrived at 7.24pm.
It is believed the Duke travelled to the event straight after seeing his father but traffic has been very heavy in central London this week due to an ongoing Tube strike.
The Duke is today wrapping up his rare four-day trip to the UK, carrying out a string of solo charity visits, but until yesterday had not seen the King or his brother William.
Harry arrived in Britain on Monday and attended the WellChild Awards at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel to celebrate the achievements of seriously ill youngsters.
He then travelled by car to Nottingham on Wednesday to visit the Community Recording Studio and announce a £1.1million personal donation to the BBC’s Children In Need.
On Thursday, Harry was all smiles as he was greeted at the Centre for Blast Injury Studies in White City at about 1pm and hugged former Army captain David Henson.
The ex-Royal Engineer served as Team GB captain for the inaugural Invictus Games and attended Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in 2018.
Mr Henson lost both his legs above the knee after standing on an improvised explosive device in 2011 while clearing a compound in Afghanistan. He went on to gain a PhD in Amputee Biomechanics at Imperial.
Harry opened the Centre for Blast Injury Studies in 2013, which was the forerunner of Imperial’s new centre which was launched a few years ago on its White City campus.
Prince William and Kate during a visit to the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death
Pictured: Prince Harry arrives for a visit to the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham yesterday
Clinically-driven trauma injury research is carried out at the building, and the King visited in February to highlight support for injured soldiers in Ukraine.
Harry’s office said that his foundation has donated $500,000 (£370,000) to projects supporting injured children from Gaza and Ukraine, including helping the World Health Organization with evacuations and work developing prosthetics.
The Duke visited the centre to learn more about its work, especially an increased focus on injuries suffered by children and those sustained in natural disasters.
‘No single organisation can solve this alone,’ Harry said in a statement. ‘Gaza now has the highest density of child amputees in the world and in history.
The Prince of Wales, meanwhile, visited a youth organisation in Lambeth, south London, yesterday, while his brother Prince Harry was in Nottingham.
Spiral Skills has received funding from the Prince’s homelessness initiative Homewards to move into a new hub for young people at the Oasis Village in Tulse Hill.
During his visit, William visited a music studio and said he was making sure his children are learning to play instruments because music is ‘crucial’.
Prince George, 12, plays guitar, Princess Charlotte, ten, plays piano and Prince Louis, seven, plays the drums.
It appears Charlotte is following in her mother’s footsteps – as the Princess of Wales has previously shown her skills at the piano, giving a surprise performance during the Eurovision finals in 2023, and playing a duet at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve in 2021.
Yesterday, the heir to the throne turned down the opportunity to play the drums on a visit to a music charity, saying his son Prince Louis would have done if he had been there.
Asked by 16-year-old Django Brooke whether he wanted to play, William laughed and replied: ‘I’m definitely not a drummer. I’m happy to see you do it, if my youngest was here, he’d have a go, because he’s practising at the moment, but I’d love to hear you do it. But thank you for asking.’
The Prince told the young musicians taking part in a workshop: ‘It’s brilliant, you guys have clearly done a lot of practising, well done, that’s not easy doing that in front of everyone – that’s brilliant.
‘You’ve all got amazing rhythm and it sounds fantastic, I wish I started when I was your age.
‘I couldn’t read music so that was my biggest weakness, I started off playing piano, trumpet and the drums and then realised I had to memorise every tune and it just fell away.
‘I make sure my children learn music because I love music and it’s crucial, really important.’
Meanwhile on Monday, the Prince of Wales said that he ‘couldn’t believe it has been three years’ since the death of his grandmother as he paid tribute to the late Queen on the third anniversary of her death.
Joined by his wife the Princess of Wales, who was a surprise addition to the schedule, Prince William was speaking as he visited the national federation of the Women’s Institute (WI) in Sunningdale, Ascot; just a 16-minute drive away from Windsor Castle, where the Duke of Sussex was understood to have visited his grandmother’s grave.
Over tea and cake, William heard stories of the late Queen and shared some more recent memories of his own family life.
