King Charles has long been an advocate for the protection of the red squirrel - and the eradication of its enemy. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles has long been an advocate for the protection of the red squirrel - and the eradication of its enemy. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles has a known enemy in a small, furry creature: the grey squirrel. A pest in the UK, the King has plotted myriad ways to eradicate the marsupial over the years, including luring them into traps with Nutella.
But according to the Daily Mail, perhaps his most bizarre planfor getting rid of the animals was the one brought to light during his sister Princess Anne’s visit to New Zealand last week.
The Princess Royal, visiting on behalf of the King as President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, spent time in the workshop at sustainable fashion brand Untouched World.
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne visited New Zealand last week on behalf of her brother, King Charles. Photo / Getty Images
During her visit it was revealed by the brand’s CEO, Peri Drysdale, that King Charles had sought out the company - famous for turning possum fur into beautiful garments - to trial making fabric out of squirrel fur.
According to the Daily Mail, back in 2014 the then Prince of Wales was busy backing the British government’s plans to cull grey squirrels, which were introduced in Victorian times and have done irrevocable damage to the country’s native red squirrel population and its flora and fauna.
It was at this time that he reached out to Untouched World, impressed by the company’s ability to turn its own country’s pest into luxury fabric, to see if the same could be done with the grey squirrel.
Following Princess Anne’s tour of the Christchurch-based fashion house, Drysdale told Stuff the company conducted research for the King and “tested the material that he sent to us ...”
She said the findings were that grey squirrel fur is “too short” to produce fabric from. However, she said the team was “impressed by his interest” and thrilled to receive a personal letter of thanks for their efforts.
Peri Drysdale founded Untouched World more than 40 years ago. Photo / Supplied
The wider royal family has previously been impressed by Untouched World’s work.
According to the Daily Mail the late Queen Elizabeth is said to have made a substantial order in the mid-90s after seeing garments the brand made for a 1995 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
