'Very happy indeed': Prince Charles says he's 'thrilled' to announce Harry and Meghan's engagement as he visits his model village in Dorchester
- Poundbury is due for completion in 2025 and will have a population of 5,000
- The 'Utopian idyll' is built on Duchy of Cornwall land and championed by Charles
- Founded on principles on 'no social classes' and has a mini Buckingham Palace
- Today Charles will survey its progress and drop in on a school and local business
Proud father Prince Charles said he was 'thrilled' about the prospect of a royal wedding during a visit to his 'model village' in Dorset.
His visit to Poundbury today comes just minutes after he and Camilla announced, via Clarence House, that they were 'delighted' about the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry to his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle.
The couple, who have been dating for a year and a half, are set to tie the knot next spring and will live together in Nottingham Cottage, Charles said.
Prince Charles told reporters today that the news was 'very good' and added: 'Thrilled for them both. They'll be very happy indeed.'
He spoke at the start of a series of engagements in Poundbury in Dorchester, Dorset, which is built on Duchy of Cornwall land.
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![Proud: Charles' visit to Poundbury comes just minutes after he and Camilla revealed that they were 'delighted' to announce the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/10/46BBD03300000578-5120655-image-a-27_1511780192519.jpg)
Proud: Charles' visit to Poundbury comes just minutes after he and Camilla revealed that they were 'delighted' to announce the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle
![The Prince of Wales looked to be in excellent spirits as he told reporters today that the news was 'very good' and added: 'Thrilled for them both. They'll be very happy indeed'](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/12/46BC36E300000578-5120655-image-a-71_1511787161846.jpg)
The Prince of Wales looked to be in excellent spirits as he told reporters today that the news was 'very good' and added: 'Thrilled for them both. They'll be very happy indeed'
The prince visited Damers First School to meet staff, students and parents, and find out about their community and sustainability programmes.
He toured classrooms and went outside to meet children working in the school garden before unveiling a plaque to officially open the school.
While seeing children baking and peeling apples, Charles joked: 'No one's cut their fingers off yet.'
Addressing teachers, he added: 'I see you've done the risk assessment.'
Later, while watching children planting pansies in the raised borders, the prince told one girl: 'You're doing a very good job.'
The school, which moved to a new, purpose-built site in the village in April 2017, already holds the Eco-Schools' Green Flag award and is working towards being admitted into the global environmental schools programme's hall of fame.
![Blossoming romance: The couple, who have been dating for a year and a half, are set to tie the knot next spring and will live together in Nottingham Cottage, Charles said](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46B49EA300000578-5120655-image-a-62_1511781895852.jpg)
Blossoming romance: The couple, who have been dating for a year and a half, are set to tie the knot next spring and will live together in Nottingham Cottage, Charles said
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622im_/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46B49EA300000578-5120655-image-a-62_1511781895852.jpg)
Button up in a white shirt like Meghan in Misha Nonoo
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She chose a white button-down shirt, which she wore with distressed jeans by Mother Denim, Finlay & Co sunglasses, Sarah Flint shoes and an Everlane tote.
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![](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622im_/http://f.mol.im/i/furniture/fff/preload-inline.gif)
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622im_/http://f.mol.im/i/furniture/fff/fff-hub-promo-banner-inline.png)
![Charles and Camilla sent out an announcement this morning via Clarence House saying that they were 'delighted' to announce the engagement and the wedding will take place this spring](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/10/46BB95D300000578-5120655-image-a-26_1511778110462.jpg)
Charles and Camilla sent out an announcement this morning via Clarence House saying that they were 'delighted' to announce the engagement and the wedding will take place this spring
![The Prince of Wales visited Bowes Lyon Court Retirement Living Plus in Poundbury, Dorset](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/14/46BC95B700000578-5120655-image-a-1_1511791317556.jpg)
The Prince of Wales visited Bowes Lyon Court Retirement Living Plus in Poundbury, Dorset
![The Prince of Wales was visiting Bowes Lyon Court Retirement Living Plus, an assisted living retirement community comprised of independently owned properties, to meet residents and staff](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/14/46BC95AC00000578-5120655-image-a-2_1511791320577.jpg)
The Prince of Wales was visiting Bowes Lyon Court Retirement Living Plus, an assisted living retirement community comprised of independently owned properties, to meet residents and staff
![Prince Charles indulged in a game of pool as he visited the home](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/14/46BC95C400000578-5120655-image-a-3_1511791385426.jpg)
Prince Charles indulged in a game of pool as he visited the home
Poundbury, which is built on Duchy of Cornwall land on the outskirts of Dorchester, is home to around 3,000 people.
The 'experimental' town was created on the basis of architectural principles found desirable by Charles and is intended as a Utopian idyll where there is no segregation of social classes, and schools, shops and places of work are within walking distance..
Damers First School, which moved to a new, purpose-built site in the village in April 2017 already holds the Eco-Schools' Green Flag award and is working towards being admitted into the global environmental schools programme's hall of fame.
![Charles looked to be in excellent spirits as he chatted to locals in Poundbury today, but many couldn't resist grilling him about his son's happy news](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF0A500000578-5120655-image-a-63_1511781926253.jpg)
Charles looked to be in excellent spirits as he chatted to locals in Poundbury today, but many couldn't resist grilling him about his son's happy news
![Proud father Prince Charles said he was 'thrilled' and 'very happy indeed' about the prospect of a royal wedding during a visit to his 'model village' in Dorset today](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF06400000578-5120655-image-m-48_1511781554699.jpg)
![The royal looked to be in excellent spirits](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF07800000578-5120655-image-a-49_1511781562130.jpg)
Proud father Prince Charles said he was 'thrilled' and 'very happy indeed' about the prospect of a royal wedding during a visit to his 'model village' in Dorset today
Charles will then visit Loop Technology, a family-run business which was based in Dorchester after it opened in 1998 but moved to premises in Poundbury in August 2016.
The company, which employs 30 people, uses augmented reality and 3D scanning to programme robotics for the international market, particularly in the aerospace, automotive and renewable energy industries.
During the visit, Charles will learn about two different projects in development - FibreEYE, a 3D scanner which can identify faults in material used for aerospace engineering and Hololens, which uses virtual reality to programme robots.
![To kick off his visit, the prince visited Damers First School to meet staff, students and parents, and find out about their community and sustainability programmes](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/12/46BC2B0F00000578-5120655-image-a-69_1511787117250.jpg)
To kick off his visit, the prince visited Damers First School to meet staff, students and parents, and find out about their community and sustainability programmes
![VIP visitor: Charles toured classrooms and went outside to meet children working in the school garden before unveiling a plaque to officially open the school](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/12/46BC2AFF00000578-5120655-image-a-70_1511787146281.jpg)
VIP visitor: Charles toured classrooms and went outside to meet children working in the school garden before unveiling a plaque to officially open the school
![Charles chats to local school children on Monday as he is pictured for the first time since announcing his younger son's girlfriend to Meghan Markle this morning](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF07400000578-5120655-image-a-50_1511781630219.jpg)
Charles chats to local school children on Monday as he is pictured for the first time since announcing his younger son's girlfriend to Meghan Markle this morning
![Mucking in: The first-in-line to the throne takes part in a spot of gardening as he chats to youngsters potting plants at school](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF1CC00000578-5120655-image-a-51_1511781723484.jpg)
Mucking in: The first-in-line to the throne takes part in a spot of gardening as he chats to youngsters potting plants at school
![Charles looked to be in excellent spirits as he stopped in on Linscombe Street to open the new school. The town is set for completion in 2025](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF1B000000578-5120655-image-a-52_1511781758558.jpg)
Charles looked to be in excellent spirits as he stopped in on Linscombe Street to open the new school. The town is set for completion in 2025
![Work in progress: Poundbury, which is built on Duchy of Cornwall land on the outskirts of Dorchester, is home to around 3,000 people](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/10/46BBD2E600000578-5120655-image-a-28_1511780280197.jpg)
Work in progress: Poundbury, which is built on Duchy of Cornwall land on the outskirts of Dorchester, is home to around 3,000 people
![Busy schedule: Today Charles , 69, will first visit Damers First School to meet staff, students and parents](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBF06C00000578-5120655-Busy_schedule_Today_Charles_69_will_first_visit_Damers_First_Sch-m-59_1511781864682.jpg)
![He will also find out about their community and sustainability programmes](http://web.archive.org./web/20171220082622/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/27/11/46BBD88800000578-5120655-He_will_also_find_out_about_their_community_and_sustainability_p-a-60_1511781872793.jpg)
Busy schedule: Today Charles , 69, will first visit Damers First School to meet staff, students and parents and find out about their community and sustainability programmes
He will then meet residents and staff at Bowes Lyon Court, a retirement community that has 62 one and two-bed apartments for the over 70s.
The properties are owned independently but residents are also provided with additional care and support by a qualified team on site 24 hours a day.
Charles' model village is a mix of shops, cottages, town houses and businesses built reflecting his passion for classical architecture.
Work began on the project in 1993 and the idea was to create an urban quarter of Dorchester which gave priority to people, rather than cars, and where commercial buildings were mixed with residential areas, shops and leisure facilities to create a walkable community.
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