Prince Philip: Farmer recalls royal inspection after cow sale

A farmer who bought 186 dairy cows from the royal estate has paid tribute to the "down-to-earth" Duke of Edinburgh.

Phil Reed runs a farm in rural west Wales and was one of more than 80 farmers who applied to buy the herd from Windsor in 2007.

He met the duke at Windsor and then again when he came to visit the herd in their new home in Ceredigion.

"You wouldn't think he was a duke. He sat here in the kitchen drinking tea and eating scones," he said.

The Ayrshire herd was put up for sale following a decision by the estate to follow organic farming practices.

Mr Reed said: "The Ayrshires Society rang up and asked me 'did I want to buy some of the royal cows?'

"I said 'yes, I wouldn't mind having half a dozen' and he said 'oh no, Phil, they've got to go in one packet'.

"I said it was too many cows, and then you start to think... I phoned him back and said I'd be interested in having a look at them."

He made the trip to Windsor with a friend and placed a bid.

On a second trip to the estate he met the duke: "He jumped out of the Range Rover and we shook hands. He said 'you've got the royal consent, the cows are yours'."

Then, in May 2008, Prince Philip was flown by helicopter to West Wales Airport at Aberporth, Ceredigion, to see the cows in their new home, about a mile-and-a-half away from the airport.

"He went into the milking parlour and round the fields looking at the cows," said Mr Reed.

"It was a privilege to have him on the yard. He was really down to earth. You wouldn't think he was a duke. He sat here in the kitchen drinking tea and eating scones."

The cows, bought in 2007, have all since died but their descendants remain on the farm.

"They're all pedigrees," said Mr Reed.

"The daughters and granddaughters are here... I can still say I bought the Queen's cows."