HRH The Princess Royal visits Lavenham Leisure

HRH The Princess Royal indulged her interest in all things equine with a visit to award-winning English manufacturer of superior quality country clothing and horse rugs, Lavenham Leisure.

Well known for her interest in horses and a noted rider, Princess Anne spent more than an hour at Lavenham’s Suffolk-based offices before presenting the company with their Queen’s Award for international trade.

The Princess Royal was given a guided tour of the company’s purpose-built 2,900 square foot manufacturing facilities where she watched her tailor-made quilted jacket cut, stitched and sewn.

Lavenham Leisure managing director Nicky Santomauro says that the Queen’s Award has given the company a sense of pride and recognition in their work. She told The Princess Royal: “Sadly the sewing industry in the UK has diminished over the last few years and it is a credit to everyone I work with and our agents that due to the skill, hard work and forward thinking we are still here and still growing today.”

It is the second Queen's Award for the riding clothing and horse rug company, thanks to its commitment to traditional British products and its pioneering trade with Japan and other overseas markets.

Royal endorsement

The Princess Royal told staff she would look forward to wearing her tailor-made Lavenham jacket in what she described as a ‘popular and most classic style’.

She told staff: “These are products I recognise and know well! It was a pleasure to see and meet so many of you today and to be able to give you your second Queen’s Award. I am sure it won’t be too long before you receive your third.”

Company MD Nicky said: “We are thrilled to have won another Queen's Award for international trade and to have Princess Anne visit the factory is a great honour. She showed great interest and knowledge in everything we do here and we thoroughly enjoyed her visit. She is an amazing woman and, although a lot of people were nervous before she arrived, she immediately put everyone at ease.”

Lavenham Leisure managing director Nicky Santomauro presented HRH The Princess Royal with a Lavenham jacket at the end of her visit - a Lavenham Milden Ladies Jacket in dark blue Donegal tweed, from Selkirk in Scotland.