PRINCE William and Kate Middleton got their hands dirty as they petted sheep and drove a tractor while visiting a farm today.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were all smiles as they carried out royal duties on a visit to family-run Manor Farm in Little Stainton, Durham this afternoon.
During the visit, the Duke and Duchess were taken on a tour of the farm, including to the cattle, calving and lambing sheds, with owners Clare Wise and Stewart Chapman.
Dressed casually for the countryside, Kate and Wills also took turns behind the wheel of a tractor before petting the adorable lambs at the farm.
Farmer Stewart Chapman sat in the cab giving instruction on how to drive the tractor as the couple separately took charge of the heavy duty vehicle.
They later joined a discussion with local farmers about their experiences of the last year, including the mental health impact of the pandemic for the farming community and the challenges of balancing home-schooling with farm work.
It marks one of the Cambridge’s first royal engagements following the death of Prince Philip.
Two weeks of royal mourning for the Duke of Edinburgh ended on Friday for the Windsors – and senior royals are expected to continue their duties.
During the visit, William expressed his sympathy for farmers who have lost the social impact of their industry during the pandemic – including market stalls and country fairs.
He said: “That is one of the ongoing things, being at home all day, it starts to wear on people and the pandemic has take away those coping mechanisms.”
