Royals

Did Prince William just break royal protocol by asking farmers about Brexit?

During a trip with Duchess Catherine to Cumbria on Tuesday the Duke asked local farmers if they were worried about Brexit.
prince william and kate middletonGetty Images

In a rare foray into politics, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got caught up in a debate about Brexit during a trip to Cumbria in North West England, where they talked to farmers about the difficulties they experienced due to rural isolation and lack of young farmers.

The royal couple visited the Brown family at Deepdale Hall Farm in Patterdale where they got stuck in lending a hand by attempting to shear sheep, “She’s not going to be happy with her haircut,” William joked.

But it was Prince William’s rare discussion of politics that’s got people talking.

Sitting down for a discussion with local farmers, the future King carefully asked how they thought Brexit may affect them, asking: “Is that something you’re worried about?”, The Telegraph reports.

According to People, the royal couple were told that a no-deal Brexit (with stalled negotiations, Britain is facing leaving the European Union without trade deals) could be a “perfect storm” that could force many farmers out of business.

Sam Rawling, a farmer from west Cumbria told William and Kate: “I was quite surprised that farmers voted for Brexit, to be honest.

“It’s like a turkey voting for Christmas.”

Did Prince William break protocol by bringing up politics? (Image: Getty)

The discussion of Brexit was a surprising move by William, as the royal family generally steer clear of politics to remain apolitical.

As the official royal website states: “As Head of State The Queen has to remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters, unable to vote or stand for election, however Her Majesty does have important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the government in the UK.”

So did Prince William break protocol? Not quite.

While the Prince brought up an obviously political topic, his careful wording meant he wasn’t giving away any clues about his own personal views on the matter.

Something he does have a very passionate view on however, is climate change, also asking the farmers how they thought it would affect them.

The couple spent the day in Cumbria, meeting local heroes and volunteers in Keswick and farmers. (Image: Getty)

The visit to the farm was part of a jam-packed day of engagements for Duke and Duchess, who started the morning is Keswick, where they sampled cheese from the market, met with royal fans and celebrated the work of local heroes and volunteers supporting the rural community in Cumbria.

The parents-of-three also joined children from Patterdale School and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust for an environmental education session on the Ullswater Way.

The couple’s laid back outfits for the day were quite a contrast from pomp of the weekend, where they celebrated the Queen’s birthday at Trooping the Colour.

For the Saturday celebration the Duchess opted for a pastel yellow ensemble by Alexander McQueen, paired with a Philip Treacy hat – the very same one she wore to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in May last year.

The Cambridge’s made their debut as a family-of-five at Trooping the Colour on Saturday. (Image: Getty)

As a Royal Coronel, Prince William made a grand entrance riding on horseback behind the Queen’s carriage, wearing his impressive, red ceremonial uniform.

Enjoying the parade with their three children, Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1, the family-of-five joined members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the festivities, much to the delight of Prince Louis – his first experience of the spectacular annual event.

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