No stranger to luxury fabrics, Princess Anne paid a visit to a West Yorkshire textile business The SIL Group

Princess Anne has been continuing her royal duties this week, this time supporting the UK’s fashion and textile industry. As president of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), the Princess Royal paid a visit to the The SIL Group at Ladywell Mills in West Yorkshire.

Her Royal Highness was all smiles as she toured the facilities on Tuesday (October 1), learning about the intricate processes involved in refining cashmere and mohair, on a whistle-stop tour of each of the stages of the textile production process, from sourcing raw fibres to delivering finished products.

Founded by Raymond Seal in 1970 from the family dining room, the SIL Group has grown from modest beginnings into a global leader in the textile industry. The group remains family owned, continuing the legacy under the leadership of Raymond’s sons, Andrew and Jeremy.

The group employs almost 300 people at multiple sites in the UK, and its supplier and customer network covers more than 50 countries. Businesses include independent yarn merchant MBA Yarns, luxury woven fabric specialists William Halstead, Kynoch, John Foster and Standeven, interiors fabric producer Abbotsford Textiles and cashmere and accessories weaver Joshua Ellis.

The royal visit highlighted the key role the fibres division plays in the group’s global operations. Specialising in sourcing natural fibres from origin markets worldwide, SIL Group provides premium materials like cashmere and mohair to a broad spectrum of clients including high-end fashion houses to bespoke tailors.

SIL director, Andrew Seal, said: "We are deeply honoured by the royal visit today, which is a testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of our team across all our businesses. While we are proud of our heritage, we are also committed to shaping the future of textiles, and today’s visit reflects the confidence in that vision."

The Royal Visit forms part of UKFT’s mission to support the sustainable growth of the UK fashion and textile industry. Nigel Lugg, Chairman of UKFT, said: “We’re excited to introduce The Princess Royal to Ladywell Mills in the heart of Yorkshire’s textile industry and to showcase the wider group, which has links to much of the UK’s luxury textile sector. Most people don’t get to see what goes into creating luxury fabrics at a fibre level – it is inspiring to see the remarkable skill and expertise required in every step of the process.”

Princess Anne has now returned to a full roster of royal duties following a horsing accident at her estate earlier this year. The 73-year-old was admitted to Southmead Hospital, Bristol on June 24, with minor injuries and a concussion.

On doctor's advice, Anne remained in Southmead Hospital "under precautionary measure for observation" but was discharged five days later. During her recovery, The Princess Royal expressed "deep regret" as she announced her absence from various royal engagements including a trip to Canada to commemorate the First World War and the Japanese State Visit and banquet.

The Princess Royal's fans were relieved to see the 'hardest working royal' make her first public appearance following the accident on July 12. The proud equestrian visited Hartpury University and Hartpury College for the Riding for the Disabled Association National Championships (RDA).