Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal marks 75th Anniversary with visit to our South Molton depot

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), visited our South Molton depot today to mark our 75th anniversary, celebrating three-quarters of a century championing UK sheep farmers and promoting the value of British wool.

The visit carried special significance as it took place during Her Royal Highness’s own 75th birthday year, bringing together two landmark milestones that honour a shared commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and rural communities.

During the visit, The Princess Royal toured the depot’s grading facilities, met with local farmers, staff, and innovators from across the region, and learned more about how we are driving forward the use of natural, traceable fibres in fashion, furnishings, and beyond.

To commemorate the occasion, Her Royal Highness unveiled a special plaque at the South Molton site, officially marking 75 years of British Wool.

The Princess Royal was also presented with a handcrafted shepherd’s crook by Jim Robertson, Chairman, as a symbol of the organisation’s heritage and enduring connection to the UK’s farming community.

Andrew Hogley, CEO, said: “It was an enormous honour to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, to our South Molton depot in this milestone year. Her Royal Highness’s lifelong support for British farming and her deep understanding of the UK’s fashion and textile sector made this a truly special day for everyone involved.

British wool has been woven through generations of farmers and makers since 1950, and it continues to play a vital role in sustainable fashion and interiors today. The Princess Royal’s visit is a fitting tribute to an industry that is both proud of its past and optimistic about its future.”

The South Molton depot is one of our eight key regional centres operated across the UK, collecting and grading fleece from thousands of sheep farmers.

Her Royal Highness’s visit forms part of a wider series of 75th anniversary celebrations held across our network of depots this autumn, each event honouring the people, skills, and stories that have shaped the UK’s wool industry for generations.

The gallery of images from Her Royal Highness’s visit captures the spirit of the celebrations, and an institution that has stood at the heart of the UK’s wool industry for decades.