Her Majesty marked a pair of milestone anniversaries during a day of royal duties in Sussex on July 7, attending celebrations for both an agricultural training institution and the beloved character Winnie-the-Pooh.
The monarch visited Plumpton College, where principal and chief executive Jeremy Kerswell and governing body chair Julie Dougill greeted her upon arrival.
She explored the college’s 800-hectare grounds, interacted with faculty members and learners, and toured the Animal Education Centre and Veterinary Studies Centre.
Mr Kerswell expressed that welcoming the monarch to the college during its significant anniversary year was a tremendous privilege. He noted that sharing the centenary festivities, highlighting the £40 million invested in campus facilities over the previous ten years to establish industry-leading technical resources, and providing students with the chance to discuss their studies and aspirations directly with her was particularly meaningful. He emphasised that the institution’s mission remains as vital as it was a century ago: advancing the future of food production, land stewardship, and environmental sustainability while equipping learners with capabilities for an evolving world.
During the tour, the monarch conversed with students pursuing viticulture qualifications and discovered details about the newly established Digital Centenary Vineyard.
The monarch additionally met apprentices involved with the recently established School of Bakery and concluded her time there by revealing a commemorative plaque at the AgriFood Centre.
Mr Kerswell also pointed to the rising interest in land-based programmes, noting that the institution continues to expand as more individuals select their courses to prepare for professions in land and environmental sectors where new talent is increasingly sought. He expressed particular appreciation for the monarch’s endorsement of the Plumpton College Charitable Foundation, which assists in enabling additional students to access instruction and training in these essential industries.
Later that day, the monarch travelled to nearby Ashdown Forest, the setting closely associated with A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh tales.
This engagement represented her first official duty in her capacity as patron of the Royal Literary Fund while commemorating the 100th anniversary of the cherished bear.
At Poohsticks Bridge, the monarch participated in a game of poohsticks alongside The Gruffalo writer Dame Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, echoing how A.A. Milne frequently played the same game with his son Christopher Robin.
They were accompanied by Cerrie Burnell, Jane Riordan, Royal Literary Fund Fellow Sita Brahmachari, broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, and winners of the Ashdown Forest poetry competition.
Sticks for the activity were sourced from Buckingham Palace grounds, and Mr Brandreth recited the game’s instructions to those assembled.
The monarch also visited the Gills Lap Memorial, marking the location where Christopher Robin bade farewell to Pooh.
She spent time with pupils from Ashdown Primary School, volunteers, and personnel from the Ashdown Forest team.
Learners gifted Her Majesty with flowers harvested from Plaw Hatch Farm.
Throughout the visit, the monarch also opened the Queen’s Walk, a newly created all-weather pathway intended to enhance accessibility throughout the forest.
A.A. Milne’s enduring literary contribution was a central focus of the day.
Following his death, the author bequeathed the rights to his works to the charitable organisation, alongside his family and other bodies.
Since 1972, his estate has provided the fund with £91 million.
Edward Kemp, chief executive of the Royal Literary Fund, stated that no occasion could be more appropriate for Her Majesty The Queen’s inaugural official engagement as patron than celebrating A.A. Milne’s lasting literary heritage. He noted that during Winnie-the-Pooh’s centenary, gathering in the very landscape that inspired these timeless narratives and honouring a writer whose exceptional generosity had allowed future generations of authors to persist with their work held particular significance. He expressed the organisation’s pride that Her Majesty was assisting them in celebrating that remarkable gift and literature’s lasting importance to national life.
The day concluded with refreshments and a reading of a passage from Winnie-the-Pooh by Mr Brandreth.