Oh, come on, man.

Prince Charles, standing before his perfectly manicured vegetable garden on the grounds of the Clarence House, appeals to his fellow Brits to join the #PickForBritain campaign. Donning a sport coat, one hand placed casually in the pocket of his overcoat, he calls on furloughed Brits and students to do their patriotic duty by picking fruits and vegetables.

At this time of great uncertainty, many of our normal routines and regular patterns of life are being challenged. The food and farming sector is no exception.

If we are to harvest British fruit and vegetables this year, we need an army of people to help. Food does not happen by magic. It all begins with our remarkable farmers and growers. If the last few weeks have proven anything, it is that food is precious and valued and it cannot be taken for granted.

This is why that great movement of the Second World War, the Land Army, is being rediscovered in the newly-created “Pick for Britain” campaign.

In the coming months, many thousands of people will be needed to bring in the crops. It will be hard graft but is hugely important if we are to avoid the growing crops going to waste…I do not doubt that the work will be unglamorous and, at times, challenging, but it is of the utmost importance and at the height of this global pandemic you will be making a vital contribution to the national effort.

So, I can only urge you to “pick for Britain.”

"If we are to harvest British fruit and vegetables this year, we need an army of people to help."

The Prince of Wales has shared a message in support of the #PickForBritain campaign. 🍓🍏🍅@DefraGovUK pic.twitter.com/a7WIDYo7E0

— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) May 19, 2020

Understandably, the response to the pompous Prince’s Twitter message was largely negative. Perhaps the heir to the British throne was not the most appropriate messenger for this particular request.

The image of a man who has lived a life of luxury, whose family maintenance cost British taxpayers £67 million ($86 million) in 2018-19, calling upon out of work citizens and students to perform manual labor was a bit too much for some.

Others were concerned about putting their own lives in danger.

Here are some of the responses to @Clarence House:

As soon as you get your pointless arse out picking strawberries for eight hours a day, I’ll give it some thought. Until then, shush.

Perhaps your family can get the approximately 700 staff you employ to go and pick in the fields and you can look after yourselves for once.

This would carry more weight if Prince Charles was seen in a field actually working.

The gall of this.

You are correct. Some Quick Questions:
1. Who is going to provide the PPE and top class health provision (aka the PM’s level), should one start displaying symptoms, and death benefits?
2. Who is going to provide the transport and housing?

Tell us which farm you and your family will be picking fruit and vegs?

All those people cheering the end of Freedom of Movement yesterday are available – take them.

Well Prince Andrew isn’t doing anything maybe he could make a start.
Reply: He would pick the under-ripe ones.

This is ironic as almost 100% of the farmers voted for Brexit in my area and are now crying out for foreign pickers. A young lad I know was desperate for a Sumner job and was constantly turned down because the farmers would have to pay him the min wage. Get IDS he’s self picker. [Sir George Iain Duncan Smith, often referred to by his initials IDS, is a British Conservative Party politician.]