Right Royal Mongrels

Sir Christopher and Loz Esq. Both good blokes!

Prince Charles meeting the producers

Oh here we are, ready and waiting...

In the crush of the Paparazzi

Waiting in the rain for HRH at Salamanca Place, Hobart. Tas.

Team Mongrel Socks met with HRH The Prince of Wales yesterday. We were very chuffed to be invited to meet HRH on his whistle stop tour of Hobart, celebrating the The Queens Diamond Jubilee. Interested in promoting all things wool, in his role as the Ambassador for the Campaign for Wool, we we're invited to present our Tasmanian Merino Wool products to him.
Although we've always thought of ourselves as Republicans, without spending much time thinking about our Royal Family, it was an offer too good to refuse.
It was a surreal and far from the usual grind kind of day for the team. Starting with a lovely long lunch with family and friends, sharing some gorgeous local Pooley Pinot Grigio, and off to our date. Ushered past the crowds lined up to see the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, we and number of other local wool and natural fibre producers, The Lord and Lady Mayor, and a swarm of international media, all awaited the their arrival.
The appointed time came and went, HRH's were running late, the weather had turned foul, so we made small talk with those around us.
We chatted at length to lovely bloke, who introduced himself as Christopher, with a fine cultured English accent. Midst our chatting and high spirited and jovial banter, on being asked what his role was he said he was the Private Secretary to HRH Queen Elizabeth, representing her on the Royal Tour. Not until much later did one of the media pull us aside to ask if we knew who we were talking to? "Nup, not really, Chris....the Queens Secretary?". We were informed that Sir Christopher Geidt, is one of the most powerful Public Servants in the UK.
Of course we googled him later, I nearly fell off my chair. His bio is impressive, to say the least.
I wonder what he thought of our Aussie banter? I related to him that in the late 60's my sister was photographed with the Queen when she toured Tasmania, as a young girl giving HRH a small posy of flowers. How funny it was that today 40 years on we would be meeting Prince Charles for a photo opportunity too, and I thought I could mention to Prince Charles "my sister knows your Mum". A typical Tasmanian phrase where everyone knows everyone on our little island.
Then suddenly Prince Charles appeared, followed by the swarm lights, cameras, etc, there he was in front of us! He shook our hands, and I actually curtsied! We talked wool and socks, and then it was over. He was swallowed up by the crowd, and gone......but we have the photo's to prove it.

10 minutes at the end of the day........

View from the Mongrel Socks corporate nerve centre this evening.

10 minutes later

Why I really had the camera out - but got distracted by the amazing view.

 The prototype of the our new Tasmanian grown, certified non-mulesed Tasmanian made

Pure Merino Wool scarf

I've been wearing this cowl all day, 2-12 degree's C. Perfect! Hopefully we'll have them in stock by the end of July.

Non-mulesed Tasmanian Merino so close...........

 

Our new supply of gorgeous certified Tasmanian grown non-mulesed merino will soon hit the Mongrel Sock knitting machines, and we can hardly wait. The artwork for the new swing tags has been done, and will shortly head off to the printer for production. We have worked hard to secure this new trackable sheep to shelf wool source. Not only have we been able to meet the highest animal welfare standards, & on farm ethical/sustainable practises, even our printer uses on soy based dyes with our card made of 65% recycled paper products. We are so excited! Our pure wool Mongrel Socks and Mongrel Tasmanis products have never looked so good.