No Royals At Royal Show

4 months ago 08th Jul 14:00

Britain's Queen Elizabeth has been criticised for not attending the last Royal Show.

Farmers were expecting the 83-year-old royal to attend the last opening of the annual show, which comes to an end this year after 170 years.

Ann Tyso, who has visited the show every year for the past decade, said: "It is sad that the royals cannot put themselves out to come to an event like this, especially as this Royal Show is going to be the last one."

It is sad that the royals cannot put themselves out to come to an event like this, especially as this Royal Show is going to be the last one.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the queen did not attend because she had not been invited this year.

The Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) decided to end the show because it doesn't attract enough people to make it financially viable.

In the 1970s and 1980s, over 250,000 attended the livestock and agricultural event, but now less than 100,000 people show up.

RASE blame outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and poor weather for the dwindling crowds.

A spokesman said: "I think it's fair to say that the agricultural gods have not smiled on us recently."

The Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent will attend this year's event in place of the queen.

Next year, the show will be replaced by a series of year-round events.