Our Patron

The former Prince of Wales, His Majesty King Charles III, has maintained a long interest in waterways and has even rolled up his sleeves to work as a volunteer, helping to revitalise seven miles of the Montgomery Canal nearly 50 years ago.

More recently, His Majesty visited Coventry, taking a boat trip on our canals which played a central role in the City of Culture celebrations in 2021.

In 2022, the former Prince of Wales penned a warm message of support to the Trust as we celebrated our 10th anniversary as a charity.

Previously, His Majesty represented the Canal & River Trust by opening the first phase of the restored Cotswolds Canals in 2018 and in 2014 he met young volunteers taking part in personal development conservation work on Stoke on Trent's canals.

"I should particularly like to pay tribute to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers up and down the country - their passion and commitment to keep our waterways alive have made canals what they are today. It is people like these who are inspiring others in their communities to breathe new life into their local waterway."

Photo by Hugo Burnard.