Prince William visited Woodgate Valley Urban Farm where he was introduced to several different animals – and on stroking one particular creature he revealed some pets Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have been keeping at home
Prince William has shared a glimpse of family life with his three children and revealed their family pets that few people know about.
The Prince of Wales lives at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor with wife Kate and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – and it appears they share their home with some other furry friends too. Yesterday while on a visit to the West Midlands, William visited Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, where he got to meet a range of animals – including some very cuddly guinea pigs. The prince got to pet them and was also allowed to brush the fur of one called Snowflake. And he told some of those he met at the farm: “These guys are pretty cool. We’ve got guinea pigs at home and they are not like this.
“I have to spend my life cleaning out the guinea pig cage because the children forget to do it. And then they run off because you have to handle them all the time, that’s why these ones are so calm. The ones we’ve got at home, they’re off. You have to keep them constantly stroked and looked after.”
So it seems the family guinea pigs join their other animal, their Cocker Spaniel Orla, as the Wales’ family pets. Elsewhere on the farm, which provides mental health support and holiday activities to young people, William also talked about how the breathing of horses could be relaxing and admitted he used to lie down next to them to chill out and told one boy how it was “very important” to talk to sheep and other creatures to ask how they are feeling.
He also chatted with two boys who have also been helped by the work of the registered charity, which relies on donations to feed and care for its animals and run community activities. After being told that the farm’s ginger-coloured Tamworth pig, three-year-old Hetty, liked to eat jam sandwiches, the prince remarked to laughter: “The pig likes jam? Who knew?”
Speaking after the visit, farm trustee Sue Hawkeswood, 46, said the prince had been really interested in the farm’s work to support children with mental health difficulties and help them gain a new sense of purpose.
Ms Hawkeswood, who is also a project manager at the site, told reporters: “That’s our whole aim here. We’re not an education facility, we are green care, so it’s all about mental health and well-being, improving self-esteem, teaching resilience and opening up conversations using animals.
“We change the dynamic, we remove the pressures by introducing an animal and then conversation comes. What we do is nothing new. It could be done in every city, it’s a small piece of land with a few animals, nature, and we are just facilitating conversations about animals really.”
