Prince of Wales to appear on episode of Clarkson’s Farm

The Prince of Wales is to appear on an episode of Clarkson’s Farm, and revealed that Prince George will be among the fans tuning in.

William was joined by stars of the hit series, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland on a visit to meet young farmers in Somerset on Wednesday.

A camera crew from the Amazon Prime show followed William on his trip to Folly Farm, nestled in a 250-acre nature reserve in Pensford, Chew Valley, where he was raising awareness of mental health care for farmers.

The Prince of Wales and Clarkson’s Farm star Kaleb Cooper joked together (Darren Staples/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Darren Staples

William told Cooper as they met outside in the spring sunshine: “You’ve got George watching now. I said to him ‘What shall I say if I meet Kaleb?’”

“He said ‘Tell Kaleb to mind his language”.

Cooper joked about how much he swears when appearing on Clarkson’s Farm, filmed on former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire.

Ireland said afterwards, of hearing that Prince George watched the programme: “It’s great because it’s meant to bring everyone together, isn’t it – on the family sofa.”

Cooper joked: “I did get told off for swearing too much… I tried to stop, but at the same time, it’s awesome. That’s what I like about the whole show… I’ve had so many people thank me, going ‘you brought the family together’. It’s a great feeling.”

The Prince of Wales congratulated presenter Vick Hope on her new role with Countryfile (Darren Staples/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Darren Staples

Cooper greeted William with the quip “great hair”, with the prince laughing and remarking “Is that your clean shirt?” and joking about his shoes: “Are they the cleanest ones you’ve got?”

Also there was the BBC’s new Countryfile presenter Vick Hope who was recording a special mental health-focused episode for the show featuring the prince.

William congratulated her on her “brilliant” new role with the programme, with radio star Hope saying how it was nice “to spend time in nature”.

The prince’s visit coincided with the announcement of his new position as patron of We Are Farming Minds, a duchy of Cornwall-supported charity, set up to help farmers experiencing isolation and mental health issues.

William was joined by its founders, duchy tenants Sam and Emily Stables, who started the organisation from their Hertfordshire farm in 2020 after Sam tried to take his own life following his struggles with his mental health.

William and Kate met Emily Stables during a visit to the We Are Farming Minds Charity at Kings Pitt Farm in Hereford in 2023 (PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Cameron Smith

The couple met William and the Princess of Wales in 2023 and took them on a tour of their Kings Pitt Farm in Aconbury to discuss the charity.

William joined Sam, Emily and Hope for a fireside chat about mental health in front of a group of 60 from the next generation of duchy tenant farmers.

The session was part of an inaugural event aimed at inspiring young farmers with their future ventures, such as succession planning.

William as the Duke of Cornwall is landlord to duchy farming tenants.

His new patronage builds on the duchy’s rural mental health strategy, launched in 2023, which aims to make the duchy the leading provider of mental health support to all its tenants.

So with a lot of the work and the research we've done, it will take a generation to fix this, but I do think we're headed the right way, and I'm excited by that journey and that progress

William on efforts to destigmatise mental health issues

A moo-ing ringtone sounded out at the start, prompting laughter, with William saying: “Was that a phone or an actual cow?”

Sam, who also shared his experience of mental health illness, spoke about the importance of having William on board as patron, saying: “It’s incredible. I can’t describe the feeling.”

He added: “British agriculture is under stress, beyond stress, and we talk about resilience: that’s a big word, and farmers are resilient but… we’re facing a crisis.”

William, describing the efforts made to destigmatise mental health issues in the UK, said: “Unfortunately, it’s probably going to be generational.

“So with a lot of the work and the research we’ve done, it will take a generation to fix this, but I do think we’re headed the right way, and I’m excited by that journey and that progress.”

He also discussed the importance of taking a break from phones.

The prince said: “I worry how much we’re on our phones and data… First thing you’re doing when you wake up in the morning, last thing you do at night – check phones.

“We’ve got to get out of that habit, because mentally, that is not good for all of us. Your brain is not resting.”

The Prince of Wales watches a tug of war during his visit to Pensford (Darren Staples/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Darren Staples

Cooper told the prince that as a contractor he visited 15-20 farms a day and liked to try to boost morale wherever he went.

William replied: “Laughing is so important – a sense of humour – for getting through life.”

At the end of the visit, William watched the young farmers take part in a tug of war, overseen by Cooper.

Standing on the field, the prince shouted to one team: “Don’t let them pull you up the hill. Come on – get it back!”

We Are Farming Minds says that, on average, poor mental health in farming is 46% higher than in other occupations, with isolation, long hours and factors outside farmers’ control, such as the weather and prices, leading to anxiety and depression. Rural communities also have less access to support.

The charity offers a 24-hour support line, funding for professional counselling, and social events to combat isolation and bring farmers together.