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The day after the Queen’s death, in his first speech on television, King Charles named Prince William and his wife Catherine the new prince and princess of Wales. The quick appointment was a reflection of the crown’s wish, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, to appear stable and enduring. However, that was slightly weakened by the revelation that Mark Drakeford, the first minister of Wales, asserted he was not informed of William’s nomination beforehand. Although this is not required by protocol, it may not have been the best start considering that William has expressed a desire to “serve the people of Wales.”
Some people, like former Plaid Cymru leader Lord Elis-Thomas, have questioned whether it is even necessary to keep the title. And in just a few days after it was started, a petition calling for its repeal had amassed 25,000 signatures.
These detractors claim that the title disrespects Wales in that it downplays Wales’ status as a nation and a country in its own right. Its continuous use represents past oppression associated with Wales’s principality status and the English invasion of the nation, according to some.
The historical title “Tywysog Cymru,” or prince of Wales, was first held by native Welsh kings and princes who mostly governed from Gwynedd in north-western Wales before the 12th century. Following his son Edward of Caernarfon’s coronation as the first English prince of Wales (1277–1283), Edward I took steps to solidify the English crown’s position in Wales.
Since then, although not always as swiftly as King Charles did with Prince William, the title has been given to the heir apparent to the English and then British thrones. For instance, it was given to Charles in 1958 when he was nine years old, just six years after the Queen’s reign began.
It’s significant to note that devolution, the passage of the Government of Wales Act 1998 (and its later revisions), and the founding of the Senedd all occurred before Charles was named prince of Wales. Because of these changes, Wales currently enjoys a substantial degree of political independence, which wasn’t the case for the majority of Charles’s reign as prince of Wales.
William has stated that it is an “honor” to serve Wales and has promised to do so with “humility and great respect” for its people. He is undoubtedly aware of these complaints. Bilingual comments to that effect have now been released following his post-appointment discussion with Wales’ first minister.
