With the whole country apparently reacting to the announcement yesterday that Kate Middleton and Prince William are to be married, it turns out that the folk of Ambridge are doing the same.

The episode on Wednesday evening (17 November) featured a conversation between Helen Archer and her grandmother Peggy Woolley. With her new-found computer skills, Peggy had been watching the interview with the happy couple online.

The scene was an adaptation of an existing one, which was rewritten and re-recorded on the day of transmission.

This isn't the first time that Prince William has featured in an Archers 'topical insert'. On the day of his birth, the Grundys were lined up with three versions of that evening's episode: 'it's a boy', 'it's a girl', and 'not yet'. Sadly he paid no heed to our transmission times and so it was the third version that went out on air.

Archers editor Vanessa Whitburn said: 'It's such lovely news that we are sure fans will like to hear it on the programme. And when the world is talking about something, Ambridge tries to as well.'

In reaction to sadder, and later, news the scene was further rewritten before recording, to mention the terrible flooding in Cornwall.

Keri Davies is an Archers scriptwriter and web producer.

• The royal engagement in BBC News
• Cornwall floods from BBC News
  
• The picture shows Kate Middleton and Prince William announcing their engagement. Picture gallery.