Mucking in on the farm the duchess of edinburgh enjoys some animal magic on a day out in kent

T he Duchess of Edinburgh got up close and personal with a group of four-legged friends during a visit to Kent.

Touring Brockhill Performing Arts College in Hythe, which includes animal management and gardening among its programmes, Sophie, 58, was introduced to the animals on its working farm and petted a calf as it was groomed by one of the students.

She also helped plant a tree and didn’t seem to mind the risk of mud on her pale grey suede shoes, the final touch of an outfit that included a red and navy checked Me+Em blazer, black tailored trousers and a crisp white shirt.

HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE

Sophie was at the college to mark it becoming the first Leaf Education Demonstration School to receive Gold status for its commitment to using food production, farming, and the environment as part of its broad and balanced curriculum.

An advocate for helping young people reach their potential, the Duchess is the president of Leaf, a charity that promotes sustainable farming and offers farm experiences and other education resources to schools. It is one of Sophie’s 70-plus patronages; they reflect her broad interests and include charities tackling blindness, dementia, gender inequality and poverty.

ROYAL LESSONS

From Hythe, Sophie travelled to Canterbury to see the work of the Kent Refugee Action Network, which assists unaccompanied refugees and asylum-seekers aged 16-24 in adapting to life in the UK.

To celebrate the network’s 20th anniversary, Sophie joined one of its Learning for Life classes, taking to the whiteboard to draw the royal family tree and explain the line of succession.

Starting with her mother-in-law the Queen – drawn with a sad face for her death last year – she added lines to the King, the Duke of York, her own husband the Duke, and the Princess Royal. She also drew a smiling Prince of Wales wearing a crown, like his father, to show his future role.