Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales visited Sudbury Silk Mills’ jacquard weaving mill on 11 September. During the visit, she followed the journey of an artwork from archive inspiration through creative and technical design, then across the company’s warping, weaving, and operational processes, before concluding with the final fabric inspection. A keen advocate for UK textiles, Her Royal Highness was particularly interested in how the company is inspiring the next generation while passing on over 300 years of craft skills and continuing to innovate for the future.

UKFT member Sudbury Silk Mills, based in Sudbury, Suffolk, is a family-run weaving mill with a heritage of over 300 years in jacquard silk weaving. The mill produces fabrics for Stephen Walters, David Walters and Humphries Weaving, employing more than 100 people. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, the companies operate over 40 looms to create custom-woven fabrics for luxury fashion houses and interiors.

The Princess of Wales was welcomed to the mill by Managing Director Julius Walters, the 10th generation of the Walters family, alongside Geoffrey Probert, HM Deputy Lord-Lieutenant, Cllr. Andy Welsh, Mayor of Sudbury, and members of the national press. Natalie Mumford, Director of Humphries Weaving, hosted the visit.

Natalie said: “She showed real enthusiasm and knowledge of textiles, using technical terminology, asking insightful questions, and taking a genuine interest in both the process and the people. She made time to speak with many of our team, learning about their experiences and what brought them to work at Sudbury Silk Mills.”

The visit began with the design team, where the Princess was introduced to the creative and technical processes behind fabric development. Designers demonstrated both traditional artistic skills and the use of specialist software for colour placement and weave programming. The Princess also visited the archive, which houses historic pattern books dating back to the 19th century and is used as a resource in developing new designs.

On the weaving floor, the Princess viewed over 40 jacquard looms in operation and spoke with members of the weaving and engineering teams. The visit continued to the Quality Assurance Room, where every fabric is inspected before dispatch. The Princess met staff including inspection team leader Jane Potter, who recently marked 40 years of service, and inspector Brooke French, who joined the company after studying fashion design.

Stacey Teager, Weaver, said: “Meeting the Princess was nerve-wracking at first, but she was so calm and genuinely interested in what we do. She even got to start the loom herself and seemed to really enjoy it. It made the whole experience feel relaxed and fun.”

“It was lovely to see how fascinated she was by the details of what we do, and how much genuine interest she showed in everyone she met,” added Brooke French, fabric inspector. “She asked insightful questions and was clearly eager to understand every part of the process.”

The visit concluded with a company-wide photograph and the presentation of a silk fabric created at the mill, along with The Silk Family book, published to mark the business’s 300th anniversary.

Sudbury Silk Mills is OEKO-TEX STeP accredited and in 2025 received the King’s Award for Sustainable Development in recognition of its focus on reducing environmental impact, responsible sourcing and recycling textile by-products.

FIND OUT ABOUT MORE ROYAL VISITS

Sudbury Silk Mills is a UKFT member. To find out more about UKFT membership, click here.