Prince William tried printing and stopped to stroke a pet alpaca during a visit to the aptly named Princetown, where he launched a new regeneration fund aimed at supporting the isolated Dartmoor community.
The Prince of Wales has pledged £250,000 for grants supporting projects that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits for Princetown and its residents.
The funding is part of a wider £1.5 million package announced earlier this year, which will reinvest income from the former Dartmoor Prison in the local community.
The move follows widespread public criticism after it emerged that the Duchy of Cornwall, the private estate that funds William in his role as Prince of Wales, was receiving the prison’s annual £1.5 million rent despite the site standing empty since 2024.
The prison was closed after high levels of radiation were discovered in prisoners’ accommodation. Its closure dealt a severe blow to the local economy, affecting jobs and businesses across the community.
It subsequently emerged that the Duchy of Cornwall had signed a £37 million agreement in 2022 to lease the building to the Ministry of Justice. The deal provides annual rental income of £1.5 million for 25 years.
After learning about the arrangement, William is said to have felt strongly that the duchy’s rental income should instead be invested in the surrounding community.
William’s visit came as his brother, Prince Harry, marked his 42nd birthday with Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after returning to the UK from California.
Prince William tried printing and stroked a pet alpaca during his visit to the aptly named Princetown, where he launched a regeneration fund for the isolated Dartmoor community.
The royal took part in a hands-on printing exercise using natural inks and colours sourced from the Moor. He said: ‘It’s looking pretty good.’
William met residents and local businesses as he walked from Gather & Moor to the youth club, where he was introduced to alpacas Treacle and Noodle.
To celebrate Harry’s birthday, Meghan Markle posted nine family photographs on Instagram showing the prince with her and their children. She captioned the collection: ‘He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love’, followed by a heart emoji.
The images feature Harry enjoying outdoor adventures with Meghan, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, as well as the family’s labrador, Pula. In one photograph he kisses Lilibet, while another shows him carrying her bicycle.
The Duke of Sussex also appears driving a quad bike along a track, with Lilibet and Archie seated behind him on either side of a Marks & Spencer bag as their dog follows.
The montage was set to an excerpt from ‘Simply the Best’, an indie-folk cover of the Tina Turner classic by duo The Hound and The Fox.
Meghan also posted a video on her Instagram Stories later in the day of Harry in a car to the soundtrack of Noah Kahan’s Stick Season.
It comes as the Sussexes were revealed to have already moved Archie and Lilibet to a new school after the family relocated from the US on August 26.
The children had only just started classes in England, but they will now join another school after the lengthy journey was said to have caused issues for the security team.
For William, however, it was business as usual as the Prince of Wales visited the newly opened Gather & Moor, a visitor centre and cafe in the heart of the town and met local artists who will showcase and sell their wares in the space.
He took part in a manual printing exercise, using natural inks and colours from the Moor itself.
He said: ‘It’s looking pretty good.
‘Are you seeing good footfall coming in, being really busy?
‘Has the weather been, same sunshine as the rest of the country?
‘There does tend to be that patch of fog around here.’
Emma Hogbin and Jon Palmer, of Princetown Press, showed William how to use botanic ink from the local area to create a poster marking his trip.
William brushed ink onto the letters and pulled a roller over the sheet of paper to make the memento. ‘Fantastic,’ he said.
Speaking to local businesses and organisers about regenerating the area, William asked: ‘How high is ambition? I will be intrigued to see what ideas come out’
The royal has committed £250,000, which will be made available for grants for projects delivering social, economic and environmental benefit to the town and the people in it
Princetown dates back to the 1700s and was named after the then Prince of Wales. Pictured: Prince William greets a member of the public
While on the visit, The Duke visited the newly opened Gather & Moor, a visitor centre and cafe in the heart of the town and met local artists who will showcase and sell their wares in the space
Emma Hogbin and Jon Palmer, of Princetown Press, showed William how to use botanic ink from local area to create a poster marking his trip
The Duke then headed to the Princetown Youth Club. Following a previous private visit in 2025, William spotted the roof was in disrepair and asked the Duchy to support in fixing it
Speaking to local businesses and organisers including Nora Corkery, CEO, Devon Communities Together and Pete Vallance, Duchy’s incoming Princetown Regeneration Manager, about regenerating the area, he asked: ‘How high is ambition? I will be intrigued to see what ideas come out.’
He spoke about the ‘economic impact of losing Dartmoor Prison’ and ‘seeing the effect’ on local communities.
The local leaders explained how the communities ‘under threat’ as people needed access to local services as lacking in access to jobs and transport.
He added: ‘Keep in touch. I want to see where the ambition goes.
‘It’s not about me coming telling you what to do you tell me what you want to do.’
The Duke then headed to the Princetown Youth Club.
Following a previous private visit in 2025, William spotted the roof was in disrepair and asked the Duchy to support in fixing it.
While at the Youth Club, he met local children and heard more about the workshop and activity taking place within the newly renovated building.
The Duchy has spent £50k on the building, an example of the type of project that will be carried out within the £1.5m investment.
Speaking to the youngsters, he said: ‘Is it better now there’s no hole in the roof?’
The children shouted out ‘yes’.
Afterwards Emma Byron, youth club chair, said when William last visited she told him they could not afford the repairs.
While at the Youth Club, he met local children and heard more about the workshop and activity taking place within the newly renovated building
Prince William is seen greeeting schoolchildren during his visit to Princetown. The local leaders explained how the communities ‘under threat’ as people needed access to local services as lacking in access to jobs and transport
One local said to William: ‘I think Princetown is busy as ever now, things change, the early days, no one wanted to live here – everything is changing. People want to be here’
She added: ‘He said ‘not on my watch’ and it isn’t.
‘We’ve still got so much to do to keep the funding going.
‘Funding is really difficult. Princetown is a town of deprivation for a lot of children and isolation as don’t get the same opportunities as places nearby like Plymouth.’
He also met locals and businesses in the street as he walked from Gather & Moor to the youth club, where he met alpacas Treacle and Noodle.
‘Thank you so much for coming back to the village,’ their owner said.
‘They look well looked after,’ their prince replied.
One local said to William: ‘I think Princetown is busy as ever now, things change, the early days, no one wanted to live here – everything is changing. People want to be here.’
Business owner Nikki said: ‘I’m feeling really positive now about the town, it feels like we’re shouting about what’s here now. I think what you’re doing is amazing.’
William replied: ‘I feel like this provides a lot more interest, it’s crucial we support this community. Good luck with the business.’
Princetown dates back to the 1700s and was named after the then Prince of Wales.
