Duchess Sophie goes into 'farmer mode' in Hampshire
Published May 28, 2026
The Duchess of Edinburgh has made a purposeful appearance at the Waitrose Farm on the Leckford Estate in Hampshire on May 28.
Preparations ramp up for this weekend’s LEAF Open Farm Sunday - marking the event’s 20th anniversary.
Sophie who serves as President of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), visited the working farm in Stockbridge to see first-hand how the site is gearing up to welcome the public for the annual countryside celebration.
The engagement shows the growing focus on sustainable farming and public education, with Open Farm Sunday offering visitors a rare chance to explore how food is produced and how British agriculture is evolving.
Her visit to the Leckford Estate, home to Waitrose farming operations comes just days before thousands of farms across the UK open their gates to the public in celebration of two decades of LEAF’s flagship initiative.
Open Farm Sunday tweeted: "It’s a perfect day to roll up our sleeves and prepare the Waitrose Farm.
Together with hundreds of host farmers on 7 June, we’ll share the story and importance of farming with nature with hundreds of thousands of people across Britain. @RoyalFamily #OFS26."
