The Princess of Wales championed a brand once made famous by Meghan Markle on Tuesday as she paid a visit to textile manufacturers in the stunning landscapes of West Wales.
Kate, 44, spent time at Melin Tregwynt, a woollen mill weaving traditional designs in a remote wooded valley on the Pembrokeshire coast. She joined weavers at the loom, learning about the traditional process of double-cloth weaving, and following the process of blanket weaving.
Later, the royal is set to visit Hiut Denim, a family-owned company based in Cardigan - and a brand once associated with Meghan Markle. The Duchess of Sussex famously wore their high-waisted skinny jeans on a trip to Cardiff Castle with Prince Harry in 2018, her first official royal visit to Wales, and brought the company to global attention.
It sparked what the founders called the "Meghan Markle effect", telling the BBC previously: "When Meghan Markle wore our jeans we had the world's press on our doorstep, so our grand masters [workers], as we call them, have become used to being featured in things... it's good for business."
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© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceKate visited Wales today
The Princess of Wales looked radiant on Tuesday as she arrived in West Wales wearing a bespoke tartan coat, believed to be vintage.
Her visit is intended to celebrate the heritage, creativity and craftsmanship of textile manufacturers, showcasing the heritage skills in the industry.
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© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceThe Princess has been championing British textile manufacturers
It is the latest of the royal's visits to British textile manufacturers, having last month paid a visit to a tartan-weaving studio in Stirling in Scotland.
In 2025, she visited textile manufacturers in Carmarthenshire, Suffolk, Kent and County Tyrone and has sought to increasingly give them a platform with her work. She also looked at a William Morris fabric sample book during a visit to the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, east London.
Kate also has a close family connection to the industry, as her paternal ancestors owned William Lupton & Co, a woollen merchant and manufacturer based in Leeds.
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© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceShe learned about traditional weaving processes
Melin Tregwynt has been in continuous operation since 1841 and today employs over 40 local people to create woollen blankets, scarves and cushions.
Melin Tregwynt was run for more than 100 years by generations of the Griffiths family before it was set up as an employee-owned trust in 2022.
Known for its luxurious woollen blankets and throws, the company still weaves its fabrics in the mill bought by Henry Griffiths in 1912 when he started the business.
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© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceShe spent time with weavers at the loom, learning about the skills required for Welsh double cloth weaving, which Melin Tregwynt is renowned for. It is a traditional technique that produces reversible, thick blankets with inverted patterns on each side.
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© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceKate heard how the mill is preserving traditional skills
The Princess heard how the mill is preserving traditional craft skills by drawing on generations of expertise among its staff to mentor and inspire a new cohort of young apprentices.
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© Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington PalaAs she arrived at her second engagement, Hiut Denim, the Princess met English cocker spaniel, Barney.
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© Getty ImagesThe royal mother-of-three followed the jeans production process, meeting teams across design, cutting and making.
These included four trainees, who represent the next generation of British denim craftsmanship.
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© Getty ImagesThe Princess was given the chance to sew a label onto a pair of jeans made specially for Prince William.
She held up the finished jeans, which would usually cost £245, and said: "He will love them!"
At this point she had a go at cutting out a pair of organic Mari jeans – the firm’s soon to be on sale slim fit women’s denims – and joked there was “no pressure”.
While cutting, Kate said: “I love making things, so I think I would really enjoy making denims.
“The most adventurous I got was making a pair of pyjamas… and I don’t know where they have gone now.”
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© Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington PalaThe Princess went on to the factory floor where she learnt about the history of the company and had the opportunity to stitch on a "Made in Wales" label to a pair of £245 organic Hack jeans which were to be given to her as a present for the Prince of Wales.
When told the trousers were a gift for her husband, she replied: "He will love those."
As a thank you for the visit, Kate was presented with a pair of Mari jeans, for herself, and the Hack denims for William.
