Royal patronage for agricultural show

The Princess Royal has accepted an invitation to become Patron of the Royal Three Counties Show.

Only last year, the Show was granted a prestigious Royal title – further endorsing its place as one of Britain’s top agricultural events.

Organiser, the Three Counties Agricultural Society, said it was thrilled with news of the patronage, which would help to strengthen the Royal connection, and give additional credence to its work to promote food, farming and rural enterprise.

Said Chief Executive, Ken Nottage: “We are naturally delighted that Her Royal Highness has agreed to be Patron of our Show. As a resident of Gloucestershire, she has a strong personal connection with one of the counties our organisation represents, and has always been supportive of events here.

A Royal patronage adds weight to our efforts to make the Royal Three Counties the very best it can be, and I am sure that Her Royal Highness’s presence at Shows will be a source of delight for all the exhibitors, competitors, traders, visitors, staff and volunteers, who play a part in staging the event each year.”

HRH The Princess Royal is very familiar with the Three Counties Showground, having first visited in 1976, and served as the Society’s President in 1981.

In 1986, she was in Malvern again to open the new Members’ Complex overlooking the Main Arena, and in 2006, she attended the National Pony Society’s 100th Summer Championship Show and the National Sheep Association Show.

In 2010, she was guest of honour at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show (now the RHS Malvern Spring Festival), as part of its 25th birthday celebrations.

The Royal Three Counties Show has been promoting breed development, commercial farming and food production for more than two centuries, and brings pedigree livestock from across the country to Malvern.

It hosts many national breed society shows and the largest Rare & Minority Breeds Show in Britain, supports traders and local schools and colleges, and now sponsors a Nuffield Scholar each year.

Aside from food and farming, it is a source of entertainment and a great day out for families from in and around the region.