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What's the point of a Prince of Wales?

(315 Posts)
volver Sun 11-Sept-22 09:42:53

I believe the Prince of Wales is basically the top bod in the hierarchy in Wales and has been an Englishman since the 14th Century. I understand it is an expression of the rule of the English over the Welsh.

I have googled the role of the Prince and Princess of Wales and it appears to be to visit as many places in the country as possible and learn to speak Welsh. Personally I find the conferring of titles such as this on Royals a patronising anachronism, having once had to explain to a French person that the Duke of Edinburgh didn't really run Edinburgh.

What do Welsh people think about the whole thing?

NotSpaghetti Sun 11-Sept-22 18:35:53

Chestnut - my father was just the same. He had moved to England before I was born.
He regretted not speaking Welsh to me but he spoke Welsh to everyone who could speak it.
He sang to me in Welsh.

He was very proud when Charles was made Prince of Wales.

Prentice Sun 11-Sept-22 18:33:40

Lexisgranny

I have just asked my husband what he thinks about the appointment and he replied that as long as they both visit all parts of Wales, and are visible in the Principality, he is more than happy about it.

a good view to take, I think.

I do not remember any problems arising when Prince Charles became the Prince of Wales, it is seen as an honour surely.
Wales is a part of the UK, as is Scotland and NI.Moreover Wales has historically been entwined with England for much longer than the other two.
I believe that William and Catherine will be very welcome there, they do seem to be poplar with everyone.

tickingbird Sun 11-Sept-22 18:05:01

I think William is now also Lord of the Isles. Dearie me.

How delightful. Good for William. Love it grin

nadateturbe Sun 11-Sept-22 17:27:56

Grany

We will now begin to pay William more than £20m a year.
Duchy of Cornwall worth 1billion passes to William

There's none so blind.....

AGAA4 Sun 11-Sept-22 17:24:49

I don't really like titles at all but as they mean little these days then William being Prince of Wales isn't going to affect me at all.

Chestnut Sun 11-Sept-22 17:13:25

My mother was 100% Welsh DNA and they all spoke it round the table in North Wales. She was very happy and proud when Charles was made Prince of Wales, she even bought the LP of the soundtrack (no video recorders then).

I think it is an honour for the PoW to have the title and an honour for Wales to have him, it works both ways. Today it means each can promote and compliment the other through charities, language and culture. As with anything royal there will be people who approve and people who disapprove!

Grany Sun 11-Sept-22 17:04:41

We will now begin to pay William more than £20m a year.
Duchy of Cornwall worth 1billion passes to William

volver Sun 11-Sept-22 16:48:57

Just to close this bit of the conversation...

I won't be complaining if Edward gets Duke of Edinburgh any more than I did when he got Earl of Forfar. Giving a Royal a made up title to make them feel important is just one of the little games the Royals like to indulge in.

Giving them a historically-significant title that implies they rule over a particular country in the Union, that's something else. I would however, complain, if somebody decides we need a new Duke of Cumberland.

nadateturbe Sun 11-Sept-22 16:45:55

Germanshepherdsmum

Without reading the whole thread again - describing it as ‘a nonsense’ IIRC, mention of the petition to stop it …?

IIRC?

Lexisgranny Sun 11-Sept-22 16:45:53

Anniebach. Llandovery to Cardiff = 55.3 miles, Llandovery to Holyhead = 154.3 miles%.

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 11-Sept-22 16:38:44

Whatever, volver. Whatever.

volver Sun 11-Sept-22 16:37:07

That's not whingeing. That's answering the question about what people think of it and adding how they are acting on their feelings about it. That's allowed, sorry to disappoint you. Do you think that anybody who expresses a negative view about a situation is whingeing?

Whingeing would be: "Oh I don't want this to happen, poor me, here we go again. I don't like William, he doesn't deserve this job, yada yada...)

Making comments which you do not agree with is just something you are going to have to live with. It is a democracy, remember.

Casdon Sun 11-Sept-22 16:36:50

In any case, Prince William speaks Welsh already, he learned as a child. Apart from republicans, from what I’ve seen, Welsh people are happy to have him as Prince of Wales and support the investiture. He has lived in Wales, visited frequently, and is generally more popular here than his father, I think people see him favourably. The current angst here is more about the UK Government than it is about the Royal Family.

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 11-Sept-22 16:31:44

Without reading the whole thread again - describing it as ‘a nonsense’ IIRC, mention of the petition to stop it …?

volver Sun 11-Sept-22 16:26:09

I re-read the whole thread and there was no whingeing. Just discussion of the title and role. Just because people make points you don't agree with, that doesn't mean they are whingeing.

I'd thank you to actually read the thread with a view to understanding the content, rather than assuming what's in it or putting your own slant on it.

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 11-Sept-22 16:20:28

volver, there has been whingeing here about the PoW. Not by those answering the question but those answering. Is it not reasonable to ask if we will have a repetition
if Edward is given his father’s title?

I would thank you not to tell me to grow up.

Anniebach Sun 11-Sept-22 16:16:02

Lexisgranny Llwynywermod is in Llandovery so Mid Wales which is just right,

Lexisgranny Sun 11-Sept-22 16:01:36

Farzanah. Possibly, I was born in a border town, in fact I could see Wales through my bedroom window. You do hear a bit of Welsh spoken there, but a few miles over the border, very little.

Anniebach. Maybe he will hand it over to the new Prince of Wales, but I do hope, particularly in view of William’s former attachment to RAF Valley that they also have a base in North Wales, which so often seems to be regarded as the south’s poor neighbour.

JaneJudge Sun 11-Sept-22 15:52:41

They definitely speak it in North Wales. It is a beautiful language

Farzanah Sun 11-Sept-22 15:49:19

Lexisgranny I think it depends where you live in Wales. I live in an English border town and Welsh is frequently heard on the streets here, and most schools near us, over the border, use Welsh as their day to day language.

volver Sun 11-Sept-22 15:37:22

Are we going to have the same whingeing if Edward is made Duke of Edinburgh?

Asking what the job entails and wondering if the people of Wales support it is not "whingeing". If people do not approve of being the subjects of a medieval system, its not "whingeing".

Grow up. Try to partake in a grown up conversation.

Anniebach Sun 11-Sept-22 15:33:54

Yes William has made a statement, he referred to living in
Anglesey

Wonder what they will do with Llwynywermod

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 11-Sept-22 15:30:27

That’s excellent Lexisgranny.

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 11-Sept-22 15:29:11

I’m sure that if William hadn’t been given the title and it had been left in abeyance we would have heard people moaning that the Welsh had been snubbed and clearly were considered insignificant and unimportant. Being the Prince and Princess of Wales is an honour, isn’t it?

Are we going to have the same whingeing if Edward is made Duke of Edinburgh?

Lexisgranny Sun 11-Sept-22 15:20:40

The Prince of Wales has spoken on the telephone to the First Minister, Mark Drayford pledging that he and his wife will support the aspirations of the Welsh people and to serve them with humility and respect. At this stage, I think we cannot ask for more.