With the coronation of King Charles, Prince William and his wife Catherine have been given new responsibilities. One of these is at the top of their priority list. As the Prince and Princess of Wales, the heir apparent couple wants to nurture their connection with the country their title is named after and elevate it to a new level. Therefore, they have now decided to take a groundbreaking step.
It is a special honor to hold the title of Prince of Wales. It is bestowed upon the eldest male heir of a British monarch, but it is not automatically granted. When Queen Elizabeth, who passed away at 96, died in September 2022 and Prince Charles, 75, was proclaimed her successor, the title, which he held for 64 years, initially reverted to the crown. However, within a short time, he bestowed it upon his eldest son, Prince William, 42, simultaneously making his wife Catherine, 42, the Princess of Wales. Both have committed to redefining the traditional title. A significant first step is now apparently underway.
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, Seek Strong Spokesperson
“Braint yw cael rhannu eich cariad at y wlad arbennig hon,” translated as: “It is a privilege to share your love for this special country.” With this simple yet emotional and meaningful sentence, King Charles expressed his special connection to Wales during a speech celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Welsh Parliament a few days ago. He cleverly linked it to his son William, who had recently visited the RAF Valley airbase in Anglesey: “I was delighted to see how my son’s relationship with this special country continues, including his return this week to Anglesey – Ynys Mon – a place I know means so much to him.”
Indeed, William and his wife Catherine have a special emotional connection to the country, especially to Anglesey. The couple spent their first two years as newlyweds and new parents to little Prince George, 10, on the island off Wales. The current heir to the throne served as a search and rescue pilot for the Royal Air Force at the military base there from 2010 to 2013.
Now, those old ties are to be sustainably strengthened. According to “GB News,” William and Kate are looking for a new deputy private secretary who will act as a royal liaison between the couple and Scotland, Northern Ireland, but especially Wales.
The Conditions
The requirements are clearly defined: the selected person should be fluent in Welsh, both spoken and written. Their duties will include organizing official appointments throughout the country and also handling correspondence on behalf of the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as writing letters, statements, and speeches. The goal is to build trust and closeness. The royal family is fighting for support across the kingdom, and it is essential to respect the language of each country to win hearts.
Prince William has already managed to regain trust by foregoing a formal investiture when accepting the title of Prince of Wales. Various Welsh political movements view the display of royal authority in the country critically. King Charles was officially invested in 1969 with a pompous ceremony at the walls of Caernarfon Castle. A repetition of this type of investiture would likely have deepened the rifts between the royal family and Wales.
Nevertheless, William does not necessarily receive a warm welcome when it comes to his role in the country. After his first visit to Cardiff as Prince of Wales, the parliamentary group Plaid Cymru reaffirmed that his title “has no formal place or responsibility in Welsh life.” The time of conservatively inclined supporters in Parliament has passed since the recent elections. Buckingham Palace faces opposing forces.
William Seeks Reconciliation
The heir to the throne is aware of his royal responsibility and wants to build bridges. Like his father in his younger years, he has endeavored to learn the Welsh language. However, another trained voice on his team could help maintain a constructive dialogue with the country, perhaps even leading to reconciliation.
The royal family’s love for Wales has grown. When Charles’ language teacher Dr. Edward Millward, a Welsh nationalist politician, academic, and lecturer at Aberystwyth University, passed away in 2020, the then Prince of Wales remembered him fondly in “The Times” for his ability to bring him closer to the country and its people: “I have very good memories of my time in Aberystwyth with Dr. Millward over 51 years ago. I fear I may not have been the best student, but I learned infinitely much from him about the Welsh language and the history of Wales. After all these years, I am forever grateful to him for helping me develop my deep and enduring love for Wales, its people, and its culture.”
William and Kate’s new spokesperson for the country could fulfill a similar function – and create a deeper connection that promises mutual understanding.
