Prince pulls the crowds
PRINCE Harry put the "royal" into the Royal Norfolk Show this week when he joined a record crowd enjoying the first day of this year's spectacular.
Arriving 15 minutes late, he headed to the cattle rings and spoke to stockmen and handlers, but did not take the opportunity to check on one of his grandmother’s cows, being shown by West Norfolk farmers Tony and Ann Barratt.
Head steward in the Countryside Area, Simon Hickling, was able to have a long chat with Prince Harry as he guided him around the popular part of the showground.
The Prince was at the show to mark the centenary of the granting of the “royal” title to the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.
Mr Hickling, land and farm agent with Maxey and Son’s Lynn office, has been involved with the Royal Norfolk Show for 13 years and was head steward of the countryside area for the second year.
“It was a really fantastic day. Prince Harry was very good at talking to a wide range of stall holders and he took a real interest in all of them,” said Mr Hickling, who spent his early years on the Stow Estate near Downham where both his father and grandfather were managers.
“We kept everything very light-hearted and I was able to have a long chat with him. He was running a bit behind so we couldn’t take him to all the things we had planned,” Mr Hickling said.
The Prince, who had a go at pole-lathe turning during his visit, has a real understanding of rural issues, added Mr Hickling.
Prince Harry spent around three hours at the ground and also met show president and head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannat – the man who sent him to Afghanistan. He also visited the stand of the Royal Norfolk Regiment Association before he had lunch.
The prince proved a big attraction with girls on the showground, who jostled for a glimpse of him.
The show itself included around 600 trade stands, livestock, displays by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
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Weather for Kings Lynn
Sunday 01 August 2010
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
