Royal approval for the BJ Sherriff Apiarist beekeeping suit
It is wonderful to see that our beekeeping suits are fit for royalty. The Princess of Wales, Catherine, was photographed tending her bees at Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate. She wore our BJ Sherriff Apiarist beekeeping suit during the visit.
Kensington Palace released the image on 20 May 2023 to mark World Bee Day, and royal photographer Matt Porteous captured the moment.
We are delighted and honoured that the Princess chose our suit for her hive inspection. We also thank The Telegraph for the mention and for sharing a little background on BJ Sherriff with royal fans around the world.
The Princess of Wales and her love of beekeeping
The Princess of Wales is no stranger to beekeeping. She keeps bees at Anmer Hall, the home she shares with Prince William on the Sandringham Estate, and she has enjoyed the hobby for several years.
In 2021, she visited the Natural History Museum in London and brought a jar of her own Anmer Hall honey for children to try. The visit formed part of the museum’s Urban Nature Project.
Alongside the photograph, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official account posted: “We are buzzing about #WorldBeeDay. Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, and today is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy.”
Beekeeping also runs in the family. Her brother, James Middleton, has spoken publicly about taking up beekeeping at their former family home. He described it as a meditative practice that helped him manage stress and anxiety.
The royal family’s connection with bees extends even further. Queen Camilla is president of Bees for Development, a charity that trains beekeepers and protects bee habitats in more than 50 countries. She also keeps her own bees at Raymill in Wiltshire.
In addition, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House both keep bees, and palace kitchens use the honey they produce.
About the BJ Sherriff Apiarist beekeeping suit
The BJ Sherriff Apiarist is our original best-selling beekeeping suit. We first designed it in 1968, and we still make every suit by hand in Cornwall, England.
For more than 55 years, beekeepers around the world have trusted the Apiarist. It remains a popular choice for hobby beekeepers with a single hive and professional apiarists managing hundreds.
A beekeeping suit fit for royalty — and everyday beekeepers
The Apiarist is built to last. Its roomy design fits comfortably over regular clothing and includes drop sleeves, a robust central vertical zip, and our unique twin-zip throw-back hood.
Beekeepers can unzip the hood and rest it on the shoulders. They can also remove it completely for laundering.
Designed for comfort and visibility
The ClearView veil is exclusive to BJ Sherriff. The fine black nylon mesh includes hundreds of tiny woven holes for excellent all-round visibility.
As a result, the suit offers strong ventilation and a light, airy feel during long hive inspections.
The average lifespan of a Sherriff Apiarist suit is more than 15 years, which makes it a long-term investment in quality and protection. In addition, the suit conforms to CE BS EN ISO 13688:2015, the European standard for protective clothing.
The Apiarist is available in a range of bee-friendly colours. If you would like to shop the suit worn by the Princess of Wales, you can explore the full range on our Apiarist product pages.
