Princess Royal to become Great Yorkshire Show President in 2027 as event celebrates historic appointment
A major milestone in the history of the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate has been revealed as the event looks ahead to its next chapter.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will become the show’s President in 2027, it was announced during the closing ceremony of this year’s event.
The announcement marked a historic moment for the 167-year-old show, with The Princess Royal becoming the first royal President since HRH The Duchess of Kent held the role in 1972.
Retiring President Nick Lane Fox handed over the honorary President role to Rodrica Straker of Burton Constable Hall, who takes up the position immediately.
It was also confirmed that The Princess Royal has been named President Elect and will formally become President at the end of the 2027 Great Yorkshire Show.
The Princess Royal has long had a connection with the showground, first attending the event in 1992 and returning in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
She follows in the footsteps of her great aunt, Princess Mary, later The Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, who became the Great Yorkshire Show’s first female President and held the role in 1937, 1951 and 1957.
The royal links to the event continue through His Majesty King Charles III, who has been Patron of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society since 1998 and has attended the show five times.
Rachel Coates, Show Director, said the appointment was an ‘immense honour’ and praised The Princess Royal’s understanding of the farming community.
She said: “It is an immense honour that The Princess Royal has agreed to be our Show President in 2027/2028.
“She is always hugely popular with visitors and brings a deep understanding of agriculture and rural life.”
The announcement adds another historic chapter to the Great Yorkshire Show, which continues to bring together farmers, families and rural communities from across the county and beyond.