The Duke of Edinburgh showed off his glass-blowing skills whilst visiting the University of the Creative Arts in Surrey to celebrate its 170th anniversary.
During the visit, Prince Edward tried his hand at glass blowing and met various members of the university.
The duke has a professional background in the creative industries, having worked in the theatre and television production before becoming a full-time working royal in 2002.
The 61-year-old is a patron of various creative organisations that focus on broadening opportunities within the sector.
Prince Edward tried his hand at glass-blowing while attending University of the Creative Arts
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Prince Edward met with various professors who showcased their individual sectors, with Professor Gray commenting: “We are honoured to welcome HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, a recognised champion of the arts, to UCA in Farnham.
“We were delighted to give His Royal Highness a tour of our specialist facilities, where he got hands-on experience of traditional crafts to future-facing technologies, and introduce him to the next generation of creatives, our talented student community.”
During the visit, the duke met with renowned fashion designer Dame Zandra Rhodes. Dame Zandra started her creative career at UCA, studying at one of the art colleges.
Prince Edward also toured UCA’s creative workshops, where he wowed onlookers with his glass-blowing skills. UCA is one of a handful of universities to offer a degree in the subject.
The father-of-two was shown the filmmaking space at the university during his tour.
Students used real-time rendering software as well as motion capture to include the King’s brother in a scene from Moryow, which was shot in space and is set to make its film festival debut throughout the year.
The duke then participated in a roundtable, alongside academics and alumni from the university.
Prince Edward tried his hand at a variety of different skills while at the university
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The leader of the roundtable, Professor Duthie, said: “The UK’s creative and cultural industries contribute £126billion to the economy and support over 2.4million jobs.
“Concurrently, the sector is being fundamentally reshaped by emerging technologies. It was encouraging to hear His Royal Highness articulate a vision that aligns so closely with ours.
“At UCA, we are preparing the next generation not just to adopt new tools, but to shape how they are used — equipping students to think critically, create boldly, and lead an industry evolving faster than ever before.”
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The tour concluded with the unveiling of artwork created by a graphic design student by second year Graphic Design student, Elle Stevenson.
Prince Edward also received a piece of glassware designed by glassware technician, Laura Quinn.
Prince Edward was handed an owl jug from the Clay School at the unviersity
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The pieces were made to mark the duke’s visit as well as celebrate the history of the university.
Prince Edward said after the visit: “Congratulations on 170 years of developing all those essential arts, crafts and keeping the creative flame well and truly alight.”
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