Prince William has visited a small Welsh village that has endured four major floods in just six years, leaving some residents questioning whether they can continue living there. Several families have reportedly sold their homes, while others have struggled to secure insurance. On Thursday, the Prince of Wales travelled to Skenfrith, near Monmouth, to see the situation for himself and speak directly with the people affected.
His visit was deliberately low-key. There was no grand stage or lengthy formal speech. William walked through the village, stopping at homes and speaking with residents about what repeated flooding has done to their lives. At one garden gate, he met Rod and Helen Wyatt, who described just how high the water had risen during the most recent flooding.
The couple explained that the water had come dangerously close to the gravestones in the churchyard opposite their home. They had since tiled the ground floor of their house because tiles are easier to clean after floodwater enters. It was a practical decision, but it also revealed something deeper. Rather than believing another flood might never happen, they have had to adapt their home to the possibility that it could happen again.
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Other residents shared even more difficult experiences. Some neighbours have apparently been forced to leave after their properties lost value and insurance became increasingly difficult to obtain. For people whose families have lived in the area for generations, the possibility of being unable to insure or sell a home is deeply troubling.
William listened before responding. He told the residents, “It must be so demoralizing,” acknowledging the emotional toll of repeatedly watching floodwater threaten their homes.
Then he made a particularly striking observation about the way flood risks are measured. William referred to the familiar idea of a “one in 50-year event” and said, “It doesn’t make sense anymore.” His point was straightforward: if events described as exceptionally rare appear to be happening much more frequently, residents naturally begin to question whether traditional risk calculations still reflect what they are actually experiencing.
He did not point fingers or name individuals responsible. Instead, William spoke about the need for a more comprehensive approach. He suggested that dealing with flooding cannot simply mean constructing one barrier or protecting one section of a river. The wider landscape has to be considered, from the hills where rain first falls to the valleys and homes where the water eventually collects.
For the residents of Skenfrith, being heard appeared to matter. During the visit, William was presented with a carved Welsh love spoon, a traditional Welsh craft that has long been associated with affection and goodwill.
The timing of his visit was also significant. Autumn and winter bring the possibility of further storms, meaning residents are once again facing months of watching the river and wondering what the next period of heavy rain could bring.
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But William's day was not only about flooding. His next stop took him to Great Tre-hew Farm near White Castle, where he learned about efforts to use the countryside itself to reduce the impact of extreme weather.
The Prince visited a project run by Stump Up for Trees, a charity involved in planting shelter belts across the hillsides. These strips of trees can provide protection for livestock, help the soil absorb more rainfall and reduce the amount of water rushing downhill into valleys. The trees can also provide other benefits, including acting as firebreaks during dry periods.
The organization has planted hundreds of thousands of trees in the region over recent years, with an ambition to eventually reach one million native trees. William joined the work himself, picking up a spade and planting a Welsh oak.
Farmers Jim and Kate Beaven also showed him their restored cider orchard. Apple trees had been replanted on a north-facing slope, where the later flowering period can help protect them from spring frosts while improving fruit production. Given the area's long association with cider-making, the conversation naturally turned toward the farm's cider, prompting William to joke about whether one pint a day might really keep the doctor away.
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Later, the Prince crossed the border into Herefordshire and travelled to Monal Farm near Ross-on-Wye. The farm forms part of the Duchy of Cornwall, the estate William inherited when his father became king.
There, he met a 25-year-old farmer named Harry Davies. Harry grew up near Ross-on-Wye and joined his family's farming business in 2023. He is preparing to take on responsibility for around 900 acres at Monal Farm under a 25-year lease.
The arrangement gives a young farmer an unusual opportunity to plan decades into the future. The farm is also part of a regenerative farming approach, meaning the aim is to improve soil health, support wildlife and continue producing food.
William's meeting with Harry was particularly memorable because he did not simply stand beside him for photographs. He climbed into the tractor and joined him in the field while Harry drilled winter wheat using satellite-guided machinery.
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So, yes, William spent part of his Thursday with a Harry. But this Harry was a 25-year-old farmer, not his brother.
The day's events offered a glimpse into several areas of William's public role. At Skenfrith, he listened to residents dealing with repeated flooding and openly questioned whether traditional descriptions of flood risk still make sense in their circumstances. At the farms, he explored how trees, soil management and regenerative agriculture could contribute to protecting the countryside.
The work also connects with his wider environmental interests through the Earthshot Prize, which continues to support projects aimed at addressing environmental challenges. The prize's annual awards ceremony is due to take place in Mumbai, with winners receiving funding to develop their solutions.
But perhaps the most important part of William's visit was its simplicity. He stood at people's gates, listened to their concerns and saw the consequences of flooding at close range.
Skenfrith is not simply a beautiful village beside a historic river. For its residents, the river has become a constant source of uncertainty. Four major floods in six years, rising insurance difficulties and families leaving their homes have changed the way people think about the future.
William's visit cannot by itself solve those problems. The real question is what happens next—whether the concerns raised during the visit lead to practical changes before the next major storm arrives.
For now, the residents of Skenfrith have made their concerns clear. They want the repeated flooding to be taken seriously, and they want solutions that look beyond the next storm.
And while William's afternoon with Harry Davies may have provided one of the lighter moments of the day, his earlier conversation with flood-affected families carried a much more serious message: for communities living beside vulnerable rivers, the next flood is never just a distant possibility. It is something they are already preparing for.
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