When I asked The Prince of Wales whether he would like to guest-edit COUNTRY LIFE, not only did he tell me how much he admires the magazine, but he chose to oversee an issue to coincide with his 65th birthday. Clearly, this is a very special edition, both for the magazine and for our future king. His Royal Highness has made a very clear statement of his interest in, and hopes and fears for, the countryside, on this landmark birthday. When he becomes king, his opinions will not be voiced in this way. What he says and has chosen to feature is, therefore, historic.

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The process of commissioning the features and editing the copy has taken almost nine months, from discussing ideas at Highgrove to going through the proofs with His Royal Highness at Clarence House. He has been closely involved throughout, doing much of the work at Birkhall over the summer.

More than 900 emails have been sent and, apart from the odd moment when deciphering The Prince’s handwriting proved a challenge, it has gone without a hitch. Other magazines and newspapers can only speculate about what he thinks, but, here, we can see what he truly feels. His commitment to the countryside is unmatched, and I thank him for his efforts on behalf of all of us who love it.

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