As Prince William has taken over the Duchy of Cornwall, his focus has shifted more towards countryside issues, championing environmental innovation, sustainability in farming practices, rural wellbeing and nature restoration around the UK.
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Here, we look at how his work is shaping the future of the British countryside – and why it matters.
What has Prince William done for the countryside and nature?
The Earthshot Prize
Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 with the aim of identifying and funding innovative solutions to the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges. The prize took inspiration from former US President John F Kennedy’s Moonshot initiative, which challenged scientists to land an astronaut on the Moon and return them to Earth, a campaign which made major advances in space technology.
Campaigning for rural mental health
Building on his mental health campaigning, the Prince of Wales has addressed rural mental health and the wellbeing of farmers in remote communities. In 2023, the Duchy of Cornwall and Prince William launched a new mental health strategy for their tenants, focusing on farmers and rural communities. This included the offer of a dedicated wellbeing service, staff and farmer training, and the hosting of social events.
He has continued to champion this work through ongoing visits and media appearances. Prince William appeared on Countryfile and Clarkson's Farm to discuss mental health in young farmers in 2025.
Farm visits
Over the years, Prince William has made visits to farms around the UK to learn about sustainable farming practices and support mental wellbeing in rural communities.
In 2025, he visited Lower Blakemere Farm in Hereford to look into how they are implementing regenerative farming practices and diversifying their farm income. He also went to East Scryne Fruit Farm in Scotland and Long Meadow Cider in Northern Ireland (where he learned how to make potato apple bread).
What is the Duchy of Cornwall doing for nature?
In his capacity as the Duke of Cornwall, Prince William manages the Duchy of Cornwall, a private landed estate. According to its mission statement, the Duchy is ‘committed to empowering communities, championing its tenants, supporting mental health, and tackling climate challenges through its net zero goal and environmental initiatives.’ The Duchy aims to become net zero by the end of 2032. Across the estate, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are focusing on landscape recovery projects, reintroducing native wildlife, and protecting and restoring farms, properties, forests, rivers and coastline.
Dartmoor Landscape Vision
With the income generated from the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William is able to support his philanthropic work, with projects including the Dartmoor Landscape Vision, a new project to restore nature on Dartmoor while also protecting it from the impact of climate change. Over the course of 20 years, the project plans to restore peatlands, upland habitats and promote sustainable farming.
Curlew recovery
Picking up on the work started by the former Duke of Cornwall, King Charles III, Prince William continued the Duchy of Cornwall’s work with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) on Dartmoor, recovering endangered curlews.
His father King Charles is one of the UK's biggest landowners, with the Crown Estate containing approximately 615,000 acres – a significantly larger area than the Duchy of Cornwall. He is therefore in line to inherit the management of approximately 185,000 acres of agricultural land and property across England and Wales, as well as rights to the majority of the UK's seabed and foreshore – which means his role in protecting the countryside and rural communities is only just beginning.
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Top image: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales walk during their visit to Mallon Farm, a flax farm in County Tyrone that is spearheading the revival of flax growing for linen, as a blueprint for sustainable farming systems (credit: Getty Images)
