Duchy College welcomed the Duke of Cornwall last Thursday (October 17) for a whistle-stop tour of their Stoke Climsland campus.

Prince William arrived at the college in the Tamar Valley in perfect sunshine and spent 45 minutes visiting different areas of the facility, chatting to students about their studies.

College CEO Rob Bosworth hosted the duke during his trip accompanied by VIPs including the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Sir Edward Bolitho, members of the Cornwall College Group and Cllr Sarah Ross from Stoke Climsland Parish Council.

The Prince dusting a fingerprint at the forensic crime scene set up by the Maps students studying military services at Duchy. (Picture: Sarah Martin)
The prince dusting a fingerprint at the forensic crime scene set up by the Military and Protective Services Academy (Maps) students studying military services at Duchy. Picture: Sarah Martin ( )

The visit was heralded a success by the chief exec, who said: “Today, everything fell into place. The prince met entry-level students working in our kitchen, Sam’s, all the way through to our degree-level students in agriculture and horticulture; he literally met the whole range of students and I have to say he was absolutely amazing. I hope we’ve done Cornwall proud.”

The Maps (Military and Protective Services Academy) students set up a crime scene of a burgled car for the Prince to dust for fingerprints. (Picture: Sarah Martin)
The Maps (Military and Protective Services Academy) students set up a crime scene of a burgled car for the Prince to dust for fingerprints. Picture: Sarah Martin. ( )

Students from the Military and Protective Services academy at Duchy were the first to greet the Prince. A forensic crime scene with a burgled car was set up for the Prince to investigate, but before dusting that for prints he was invited to try his hand at lifting a finger print off a table using special dusting powder. The card with the lifted fingerprint was presented to the prince as a memento.

Jack Newton, the student incident commander for the crime scene, said: “The smile he had on his face meant a lot of to me today and that he was really interested in what we were getting up to.”

The Prince chatted intently with students and staff about the Future Farm programme in Sam's cafe, while an equine demonstration takes place in the background. (Picture: Sarah Martin).
The prince chats intently with students and staff about the Future Farm programme in Sam's cafe, while an equine demonstration takes place in the background. Picture: Sarah Martin. ( )

After exploring the world of forensics, the prince moved on to chat with Darren Watson, supervisor of Sam’s, a student-run kitchen and cafe on campus. Darren revealed during their chat that he’d researched William’s favourite cake, a refrigerator biscuit cake, which the students had made for him to take away.

“It’s something I will remember forever,” he said. “It was absolutely amazing that he’s come to our department to see our little cafe.”

Cuddles for Stanley, the cockerspaniel who is one of the staff dogs on campus at Duchy. (Picture: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
Cuddles for Stanley, the cocker spaniel who is one of the staff dogs on campus at Duchy. Picture: Andrew Parsons/ Kensington Palace. ( )

Prince William moved on to sit with students who are part of the Future Farm programme; the latest addition to the range of agriculture specialisms at Duchy but it was the encounters of the furry kind which stole the show as the prince finished his tour of the college greeting assembled students clambering to take selfies with His Royal Highness and excited staff dogs Stanley, a cocker spaniel, and labrador-retriever River.

The staff dogs come to the campus each day and form part of the curriculum explains Kaz Addy, curriculum manager for animal science and apprenticeships.

She said: “It was really exciting to meet Prince William and show him how wonderful our campus is, and for me, the way in which he engaged with the students was just amazing and really lovely for them.”

The Duke of Cornwall was happy to take selfies with students who had lined up to see him at the end of his visit. (Picture: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
The Duke of Cornwall was happy to take selfies with students who had lined up to see him at the end of his visit. (Picture: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace) ( )

First-year equine student Ellie Baiss was chosen to present the prince with a bouquet at the end of his trip. The prince was then whisked away in his black Land Rover to the sound of cheering and clapping from the crowd.