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Duchess of Cornwall hosts reception to mark 70th anniversary of 'The Archers' radio series; ***FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY USED***ENGLAND: London: Clarence House:INTCamilla, Duchess of Cornwall speech SOT- Ladies and gentlemen, it's a huge pleasure to welcome you here today to celebrate The Archers 70th birthday, just a few years after mine / for as long as I can remember I've loved this program, it's been my faithful companion for a large part of my life / like many other Archers addicts I've been known to become quite ratty between 7 and 715 / and like thousands of others had severe withdrawal symptoms when you all but disappeared during lockdown / I'm very glad you're back, let's keep it that way / I was thrilled to be asked to appear in an episode ten years ago, although not being a noted thespian, I was only trusted to play myself / the Archers was born on the 1st January 1951 / it was Stan who uttered the immortal opening line 'and a happy New Year to you all' / the first Archers baby arrived the following month on the 16th February when Peggy gave birth to Tony / we must therefore also wish Tony a belated happy 70th birthday / I know we're all sorry that David is unable to be here today, and we send our warmest good wishes to him and his wife- The Archers has gone on to become the world's longest running drama; it's famous for its gentle wit, accurate description of rural life, and wonderful characterisation / but you've never shied away from more challenging topics / over the decades you've tackled homophobia, racism, discrimination, modern slavery, alcohol addiction, domestic violence, coercive control / thanks to the light you've shone on these and other painful subjects, millions of people have a better understanding of them and have been equipped with the tools to respond effectively when they encounter such issues in their own lives / for 70 years of raising awareness of others hidden struggles, we're deeply grateful / now let's look forward to t...