The Prince of Ales! William donates £1,000 to campaign battling to save local pub - saying he is looking forward to pulling a pint when they win

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 09:55, 18 June 2026 | Updated: 09:56, 18 June 2026 Prince William has donated a thousand pounds to help rescue a local pub in danger of closing forever - and said he was looking forward to pulling the first pint. The Prince of Wales threw his support behind the campaign to save the Somerset Arms in Semington, Wiltshire - and called British pubs a 'lifeline'. The pub has been closed for the past three years, and has now gone on the market for £395,000. Andy Cobley - vice chair of the Semington Community Benefit Society - said locals were 'stunned' by the royal backing, which has been a huge boost. He said: 'We are over the moon that Prince William has made this donation and also at his recognition of how important pubs are within the community. 'We are incredibly excited and stunned. It is brilliant His Royal Highness can recognise what is going on in these small villages and help us out. It's fantastic.' Campaigners had previously called for William to pull the first pint behind the bar, if and when the pub reopens - an invitation he appears to have accepted. William wrote: 'Our pubs have long held a unique place at the heart of British life.  Prince William has donated £1,000 to the campaign to save The Somerset Arms in Wiltshire The Prince is known to be an enthusiastic supporter of pubs, as he demonstrated with a recent visit to the Prince of Peckham in south-east London 'They are not simply places of hospitality, but vital spaces that bring people together, foster a sense of belonging and support the well-being of local communities. 'In rural areas, they can be a lifeline, helping to combat isolation and sustain local identity.  'I am very keen to support the role that pubs play, not only as businesses, but as community hubs that contribute so much to the social fabric of our nation.' The fund has already raised almost £200,000 through 250 pledges. These are non-binding commitments ahead of potential formal share offers.  William's donation comes after he made a surprise visit to a pub in Peckham earlier this month. He delighted staff and punters at The Prince of Peckham in south-east London. The prince gave a hug to a schoolgirl and tried his hand behind the bar as he showed his appreciation for local pubs. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.