On the busiest Cornish pasty day of the year, Prince William took a large order to help out staff at Gear Farm Pasty Company. The Duke of Cornwall spent St Piran's Day—the feast day of Cornwall's patron saint—in Cornwall to celebrate the national holiday and meet with communities impacted by Storm Goretti, one of the strongest storms to hit the Cornish region in 30 years.
The UK’s Meteorological Office reported that Storm Goretti was "one of the most impactful storms to hit Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the last 30 to 35 years.” In the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the Cornish coast, wind gusts reached 99mph during the devastating storm. Many communities were without power or water for five days following the January 8th weather phenomenon.
While taking calls for the Gear Farm Pasty Shop, a Helston-based Cornish pasty shop, Prince William took an order for ten frozen Cornish pasties and five fresh ones. When he asked what name to place the order under, his face quickly contorted into confusion as he said “Juicy?!” The caller clarified her name was “Josie,” before Prince William quipped “well, the pasties will be juicy.”
According to the Cornish Pastry Association, the Cornish pasty (pronounced with a short “a” sound, like fast) is a geographically-indicated delicacy that can only be made in Cornwall to carry the respected title. A Cornish pasty must be made from beef, potato, turnips, and onions, enclosed in pastry in a certain method and design to be considered an official pasty.
After practicing his questionable phone order skills, Prince William ventured to the kitchen to try his hand at preparing the pastry. As he struggled with the iconic crimp, he joked “this is not my finest hour” and declared that his pasty “looks like a crab.” While he lamented his own pastry-rolling skills, he declared his wife, Princess Kate, would be better suited to the task. “My wife would be all over this,” he told the kitchen team.
