RACEGOERS were treated to a spectacular showing at Ascot Racecourse on Friday in honour of the Prince’s Countryside Fund.

HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, is celebrating his 70th birthday this year and his charity aims to support family farm businesses.

Claire Saunders, director of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, said: "It is a lovely day, to have HRH Prince Charles is really special and it is wonderful raising money for the fund.

"You can see the emotion coming through and racing is a big part of the British countryside.

"The Prince’s Countryside Fund looks after rural farmers and was set up eight years ago.

"We also fund a Prince's farm resilience project, where we plan for the future of farming, provide workshops and give grants."

James Richards and his wife Sarah were two beneficiaries of the charity’s farm resilience programme which helps farmers by providing business skills.

The beef farmer from Cornwall said he and the Prince chatted briefly about Ruby Devon Red cattle.

The Prince is a patron of the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society.

Mr Richards said it was a wonderful experience to meet Charles and Camilla.

He added: "It was a bit surreal for a beef farmer from the darkest depths of Cornwall. It’s not an every day occurrence.

“We talked about the farm resilience fund, the influence it’s had on us directly and what a good thing it has been for the farming community as a whole.

“We also talked about our local breed, the Ruby Devin Red cattle, which he is the patron of.

“He is a very, very knowledgeable man about farming, which a lot of people would not expect. It’s a passion that’s very close to his heart and he has had a fantastic influence on farming.”

Johnny Weatherby, chairman of Ascot Racecourse, wished the Prince a belated birthday and presented him a miniature of the horse sculpture and a hamper.

The Prince broke into a fit of laughter when he and the Duchess had trouble cutting the cake, which was made by Fiona Cairns who supplies treats to Waitrose, Harrods and Selfridges.

Stepping back from the cake, he said “you can do it” to Camilla. But he returned to finish the first cut with his wife.