The Prince of Wales yesterday visited an historic mining site in south east Cornwall. However, missing from the visit to Holmbush Mine was the Duchess of Cornwall. A spokesman for Clarence House told the Cornish Times that the Duchess has only just returned to making the round of public engagements following her recent operation and was doing so gradually. 'She did not feel well enough to make it but both she and we would like to apologise to anyone who was disappointed by her absence,' he said. The spokesman added that the Duchess was hoping to be able to join her husband on the visit planned for yesterday afternoon for a tour of the local villages of Kingsand and Cawsand.

Engine house

Yesterday, the second day of a visit to the South West, Prince Charles toured Holmbush Mine at Kelly Bray, which was worked for copper and lead as long ago as the early 1600s. Charles – who is Duke of Cornwall – viewed progress on the restoration of mine buildings there. He walked through the woods to see the completed restoration of one engine house, and work in progress on another. Charles presented the World Heritage Site certificate at a reception at nearby Cotehele House. The Royal couple were then due to tour the twin fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. Today the Royal couple are set to attend a reception to mark the 150th anniversary of the Cornish Times and our sister papers the Tavistock Times and the Cornish and Devon Post.