Charles in hog heaven on visit to farm run by BBC Countryfile host Adam Henson

The Prince of Wales found himself surrounded by piglets as he paid a visit to a rare breed centre run by celebrity farmer Adam Henson.

Championing Britain's rural tourism, Charles took a tour of Cotswold Farm Park – an attraction visited by 150,000 people a year which opens its doors to the public on Saturday after months of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The heir to the throne was keen to learn how the attraction and a 1,600-acre holding both run by Henson, who co-presents the BBC’s Countryfile programme, were coping during the pandemic which has seen businesses suffering financially.

In a lighter moment, the prince was taken into a small field and shown an inquisitive Gloucestershire old spot sow and her energetic piglets, after Henson tempted them over by pouring feed into a trough.

Charles is a passionate farmer who runs Home Farm in Gloucestershire by his organic principles, and in the past has reared the rare breed pigs, which were traditionally kept in orchards and known for their high-quality meat before falling out of favour.

He was also introduced to Victoria, a 19-year-old Suffolk Punch horse – another rare breed – and posed for a picture with the imposing animal.

Henson said: “I know he wanted to come to make a statement, to get it out there, the value of rural tourism, rare breeds, conservation and education – that’s very much what we’re about.

“We’re a big commercial farm but the diversification and rural tourism part of our business is essential, but has been suffering seriously during Covid-19, as so many other businesses have.”

Earlier this month, Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall made an unannounced visit to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester to meet frontline NHS staff and key workers.

“It’s been a marvellous opportunity just to have a chance of seeing people I know have been doing so much – literally on the front line," he said at the time.

“And having to endure an awful lot of stress and strain in their wonderful way – how they do it I don’t know. But delivering everything in the most effective way.”

Speaking to Sky News, Charles also paid tribute to key and health workers, and expressed sympathy with those who had lost family or friends to the virus.

He admitted he "got away with it quite lightly" after contracting the virus in March.

"I feel particularly for those who have lost their loved ones and have been unable to be with them at the time," he said. "That, to me, is the most ghastly thing."