His Royal Kindness...Santa Charles spends £175k on bags for his staff
AS heir to the throne, he has an extremely long Christmas list. But what gift is fit for a Prince to bestow?
Charles has made a good start at fulfilling his festive obligations by commissioning 350 identical bespoke bags, worth £500 each.
The £175,000 order, from the familyowned firm Owen Barry, will be distributed among his staff and friends, once the bags have been wrapped by officials on his estate at Highgrove.
The company, which normally works with suede and leather, has fashioned the holdalls from Charles’s exclusive Prince of Wales wool check fabric, and trimmed them with soft, brandy-coloured leather.
The Prince’s three feathers insignia has been added as an exclusive embellishment.
Owen Barry Ltd, based in Street, Somerset, was selected by a scout from Highgrove.
Its craftsmen have spent all year working on the gifts. It is understood that the design will not be made available to members of the public.
The firm’s managing director, Cindi Barnstable, said: ‘It was a great honour. I am, however, a little nervous that I have been invited to a Christmas reception at Highgrove. I will hear firsthand whether the Prince is happy with his purchases.’
The company was founded by Owen Barry in 1948 and five generations of his family have helped to run it.
A spokesman for Clarence House yesterday confirmed the bags were purchased by Highgrove House but refused to comment on the recipients.