A rainswept sent royal fans wild on Thursday after he visited Dartmoor and launched a The Prince of Wales visited an area of restored peatland on Dartmoor, near Princetown and warned that restoring nature and tackling global warming are key to keeping it "special".

The new project was launched , of which William is the owner, and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project (CDLR) in order to "create a resilient environment" and meet the changing needs of Dartmoor's communities. William, who is known as the when he visits the area, met with Duchy tenant farmers and spoke with members of the South West Peatland Partnership and the chair of Natural England.

He also met representatives from the local fire service, Dartmoor National Park Authority rangers and Commoners Council to hear about their experiences of responding to a recent wildfire on North Moor.

The future King was dressed appropriately for the weather, wearing a khaki wax jacket with a light blue shirt underneath, dark trousers, a grey flat cap to shield his face from the rain, and a pair of wellington boots by Le Chameau.

Royal fans could not hide their excitement after seeing the royal out and about and took to social media to express their thoughts.

One user wrote on X: "Prince William will never need Photoshop, bald or not. His close up pictures with his aging lines and left scar tell a beautiful story."

Another one added: "A really dashing Prince who will be a dashing King some day."

A third one agreed: "Absolutely! Our confident and handsome Prince rocks."

A fourth one commented: "This my dear is what we call, 'a fine specimen'."

A fifth one chimed: "No wonder his sons are so handsome." A sixth one said: "Why is it that the salt n pepper beard suits him so well. This man is ageing like a fine wine."

In a foreword to the Landscape Vision project, the Prince of Wales said: "Dartmoor is a magnificent and complex ecosystem - the balance between nature and people has evolved for thousands of years to shape the landscape we recognise today.

"To keep Dartmoor special, we must respond to the twin challenges of global warming and the requirement to restore nature, while ensuring the communities on Dartmoor can thrive.

"The Dartmoor Vision shows us what might be possible and how that might be achieved."

He continued: "It is bold and ambitious and something that I hope, by working together, can be delivered for not just the current generation but for generations to come."

Researchers found the average number of frost days in Dartmoor are expected to half over the next 40 years, while the odds of a dry summer will rise by 30%, the Duchy of Cornwall said.

It added that 2C of global warming could prevent Dartmoor being suitable for blanket peatland, which stores carbon and water and sustains biodiversity.

The project will focus on "coordinated public and private investment" to restore peatlands and upland mosaic habitats in the south Devon area. Around 35,000 people live in Dartmoor and more than two million people visit each year.