Smiling Prince William is unruffled in Devon as he steps out on Prince Harry's birthday - best photos


The Prince of Wales visited Princetown near Devon near Dartmoor Prison on Tuesday, as Prince Harry marked his 42nd birthday


Eleanor Dye
Eleanor DyeOnline Royal Correspondent
Updated: 13 minutes ago

Prince William was business as usual as he visited a village near Dartmoor prison on Tuesday – as Prince Harry marked his first birthday since returning to the UK. 

The Prince of Wales, 44, stepped out in Princetown near Devon to discuss the Princetown Community Fund, which will make £250,000 available to support locally led social, economic and environmental projects in the moorland village.

The future king visited community and culture hub Gather & Moor, and met residents and community leaders in the village. 

Can the brothers, Prince Harry and Prince William, build bridges in the upcoming months© Getty Images
Prince Harry turns 42 on Tuesday

The outing came as Prince Harry celebrated his 42nd birthday, with wife Meghan Markle sharing a gushing tribute on Instagram, calling him "simply the best". 

William is yet to publicly address his brother's return to the UK, as the pair are not believed to have been in contact for several years. 

See the best photos from William's outing below…

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The Prince of Wales appeared in bright spirits as he met members of the community© Alamy Stock Photo

A royal welcome

William appeared in great spirits on Harry's birthday as he was welcomed to Princetown, beaming as he shook hands with residents on arrival.

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Prince William was business as usual© Alamy Stock Photo

The Prince wore a navy suit after announcing the new community fund. 

The future king is no longer personally benefiting from the controversial £1.5 million annual rent generated by the abandoned prison, in a change announced earlier this year.

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William had a go at using the printing press© Alamy Stock Photo

Getting stuck in

At Gather & Moor, William met representatives from heritage business Princetown Press, and even had a go himself at using their printing press.

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Prince William admired the finished result© Alamy Stock Photo

As he rolled the ink, he was told "fantastic" and "good", before pushing down the pedal and admiring his handiwork, receiving a round of applause after a brief moment of panic when he dropped the paper. 

"There we go, excellent, and it's spelled correctly!" he joked, looking at the perfectly printed sheet, adding: "What's so lovely is how crisp each letter is."

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A print made by the Prince of Wales, who is known as the Duke of Cornwall whilst in Cornwall© Alamy Stock Photo

The final result

The final result read: "Gather & Moor Princetown. Opened by His Royal Highness, Prince William, The Duke of Cornwall. 15th September 2026. 

"This broadsheet was set by hand and printed by Prince William to mark the day, on land held by the Duchy of Cornwall, Dartmoor, Devon."

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Prince William at the Princetown Press during a visit to Princetown in Dartmoor © Alamy Stock Photo

A busy schedule

He also met Princetown residents, community leaders and organisations who have been helping to develop plans for the Devon village

Later on, William met residents at a youth club, which recently received money from the heir's Duchy of Cornwall to improve their facilities. 

Latest developments in Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall

A Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation in 2024 discovered the Duchy of Cornwall signed a £37 million deal in 2022, before Charles became King and William the Prince of Wales, to lease Dartmoor Prison to the Ministry of Justice, paying £1.5 million a year over 25 years, and a deal with the Ministry of Defence to allow the armed forces to train on Dartmoor land.

But the category C prison has been empty since July 2024 after high levels of radon, a toxic gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks and can cause lung cancer, were recorded in prisoners’ accommodation.

A portrait of The Duchy of Cornwall during a visit to Corsten Fields Farm Vineyard near Bath© Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall is undergoing several changes

The new regeneration fund will be delivered by Devon Communities Together, and grants ranging from £500 to £40,000 will be available, alongside support for organisations applying for funding.

It forms part of the Prince’s plan for the Duchy to deploy more than £500 million over the next decade to invest in local communities, homes, local economies, renewable energy, farming resilience and environmental recovery.

The fund will build on work by the Princetown Place Strategy and the Encounters Shop initiative.

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