The Duke of Cambridge has spoken out in support of the “highly-trusted” local press in an article about the preservation of open spaces and war memorials.

Prince William distributed an article to local papers via the Newspaper Society’s Royal Rota system of pooled copy while attending the launch of a charity project in Coventry.

The Fields In Trust charity, of which he is president, launched its Centenary Fields programme to safeguard war memorials from development at the city’s War Memorial Park on Wednesday.

In the article, the Duke wrote of the “unique and highly trusted relationship” that local newspapers have with the communities they serve.

He wrote:  “I believe it is our duty to preserve these important outdoor spaces, not only given the vital role they play at the heart of local communities, but also to help our children, and their children, understand the importance of remembrance.

“I am aware of the unique and highly trusted relationship that local newspapers have with the community they serve and so I am grateful to this paper for helping support what I believe is a very important local issue.”

The event in Coventry was covered by local and national newspapers under the Royal Rota – a system administered by the NS and NPA which enables member titles to share pooled pictures and copy from Royal visits.

Hundreds of reporter and photographer passes are allocated by the NS and NPA to national and local newspaper titles each year and copy and pictures are then shared with non-passholding titles which request them.