King Charles praises ‘amazing’ group of young ‘changemakers’ as he celebrates 35 years of his ’35 under 35′ charity in Scotland

The King hailed a group of ‘amazing’ young ‘changemakers’ today as he met them in Scotland.

The young men and women are all members of his King’s Foundation ’35 under 35′ network, designed to highlight some of the most inspirational young talent in the country to mark three and a half decades of his charity.

Speaking to the group at the organisation’s headquarters at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Charles, 76, marvelled at a tartan outfit sported by Siobhan Mackenzie, a Scottish fashion designer from the Black Isle, who champions sustainable methods and wool in her designs.

The tartan will be used in branding and advertising at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

‘Marvellous!’ the King said.

He also met William Campion, an architect and ‘inventor of the world’s first carbon-negative robotic construction method’ who is building global net-zero housing, and Kyle Frank, the founder of Frank’s Remedies, a skincare brand based on sustainability and ‘vegan principles’ which he founded after a personal battle with acne and reactions to acne medications.

The scheme was launched to mark the Foundation’s 35th anniversary, and includes young people working across the charity’s key areas, including traditional craftsmanship, sustainable fashion, architecture, health, and the environment.

The Foundation, founded by Charles when he was the Prince of Wales in 1990, offers education courses for around 15,000 students a year.

During the reception inside the house’s Tapestry Room, the King sipped a cup of tea as he made his way around the groups, hosted by Dame Anna Limb, the foundation’s chair. Charles’s cousin, Lord Snowdon, who is vice-president of the Foundation, also joined him.

The King also met Beth Gregg, who makes cloches which are used across Highgrove’s gardens. 

‘They’re wonderful,’ Charles told her.

‘I’m glad you like them, I now want to make lots of beautiful accessories for English gardens,’ Beth added.

The King was also shown an acrylic painting of the gardens at Highgrove by the artist Jo Rance, and a hat made by the milliner Barnaby Horn, who has studied on the foundation’s millinery course at Highgrove.

After spending more than 45 minutes with the group – for what should have been a half-hour engagement – he then watched as they placed some of the items into the Foundation’s anniversary time capsule, which the King launched at Dumfries House in January, and which will be buried for a century early next year. 

‘I hope there’s space for them,’ he joked.

It comes just two days after the monarch enjoyed meeting a prize-winning cow on Tuesday while attending a reception.

Pedigree Sussex cow Poppy was one of the stars of an event at Clarence House, His Majesty’s London residence, held to mark £50 million in Duchy Originals sales given to charity.

Charles formed the organic food brand in 1990 using produce from his Highgrove estate before being taken over by Waitrose in 2009, with a proportion of profits going to charities supported by the King Charles III Charitable Fund (KCCF).

More than 1,000 organisations have benefitted from the scheme.

Charles, who donned sunglasses for the party, was introduced to Poppy and her handler Leighton Snelgrove, 26, who thanked the King ‘for all you do for young farmers’.

The breeding cow, who has won multiple prizes at country shows, then made the King laugh as she knocked over a small table and crashed into a low hedge.

Leighton said to the King: ‘Sorry about your garden.’

Turning round, the King, smiling and looking relaxed at the antics, said to other guests: ‘Don’t push her back into my boxed hedge.’

Minutes later, after he walked away to speak to other guests, Poppy then urinated on the pathway.

Speaking afterwards, Leighton, of Black Ven Farm, Uckfield, East Sussex said: ‘She was amazing, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was great to talk to him about farming.

‘I said thank you for everything you do for young farmers. The King has been a huge support and enthusiasm to young farmers.’

Asked about Poppy’s run-in with the hedges, Leighton said: ‘I didn’t want footprints over his lawn. He said it’s fine don’t worry about it

‘He’s an inspiration to younger generations.’

The King held the reception to mark 35 years since establishing Duchy Originals to support sustainable farming and provide a market for organic goods from small farmers.

Among the charities present who have benefited from funds raised by the brand were the Soil Association, Prince’s Trust International, Coast, BirdLife International, Plantlife, and The King’s Foundation.

The King also met Mex, nine, a cockerpoo, and Monty, a 20-month-old Australian labradoodle, from Wag & Company, which sends dogs into care homes to help elderly people combat loneliness.