Prince William set to guest edit magazine to share his passion for rural life

The Prince of Wales will be the guest editor for a November edition of Country life magazine, which will feature his favourite recipes and artwork

Prince William is set to guest edit an edition of Country Life magazine, where he will showcase his love for rural life while featuring his favourite recipes and artwork. The Prince of Wales follows a group of royals who have also guest edited the magazine, including his father King Charles, his step-mother Queen Camilla, and his aunt Princess Anne.

William, who has already had his first meeting with Country Life’s editor-in-chief Mark Hedges, will have a special edition of the weekly magazine released on November 11. Mr Hedges described William as a “passionate countryman” who cares deeply about the welfare of those who look after the British countryside.

The editor-in-chief said: “I’m completely thrilled that the Prince of Wales has agreed to edit a very special issue of Country Life. Having met with him last week to discuss his plans for his edition, I was struck by what a passionate countryman he is and how much he cares about the welfare of those who manage it.

“I believe that HRH’s views, concerns and hopes for its future will resonate deeply with our readers and I am excited to see how his energy and commitment to changing rural lives will be reflected in his curated edition.”

The prince’s edition of the magazine will celebrate both his love of the countryside and his desire to protect and enhance the natural environment.

It will also reflect his advocacy for improving access to mental health services in rural regions, and share his selection of notable countryside champions, as well as his most loved view, his chosen painting and favourite recipe, the magazine said.

The King, then the Prince of Wales, twice guest-edited Country Life, firstly for his 65th birthday in November 2013, and then for his 70th in 2018. In 2020, the Princess Royal guest-edited an edition for her 70th birthday.

Camilla’s guest edition of the magazine in 2022 to mark her 75th birthday was the biggest-selling issue of all time, with the front cover of the then-Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla, taken by the now-Princess of Wales.

The cover image - which was taken in the gardens of Raymill, Camilla's Wiltshire home - showed a relaxed and smiling Camilla wearing a blue and white floral dress and cardigan, sitting on a bench with a trug filled with pelargoniums, ready to be planted.

Mark Hedges said at the time: “We are thrilled to have our guest editor captured so magnificently by royal photographer the Duchess of Cambridge.

“We understand this is the first time a formal portrait of the Duchess of Cornwall has been taken by the Duchess of Cambridge for a magazine and we are honoured to have been chosen to be the first to publish this beautiful photograph. The photographs are superb and we would be delighted to offer the Duchess of Cambridge another commission!”

William has a passion for country living and preserving rural land, as he inherited the Duchy of Cornwall landed estate, which spans 128,000 acres over 19 counties, when he became heir to the throne. He also has a countryside retreat, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk.