High court victory as widow promised husband’s death certificate in Welsh

Eleanor Storey, Press Association

The widow of a former BBC editor has successfully campaigned to receive his death certificate in the Welsh language, more than three years after he died.

Aled Glynne Davies, 65, drowned after accidentally falling into a river in Cardiff, an inquest into his death first heard in September 2024.

His wife, Afryl Davies, has since pushed for bilingual recognition of his death, having received his death certificate in English only.

A re-hearing was held at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court on Thursday, in which coroner Kate Robertson confirmed the previous inquest had been quashed by the High Court in order for a new certificate to be produced.

The bilingual coroner, who normally serves North Wales, told the family: “It has been a long and very frustrating process.

“I really hope that you have an opportunity now to remember Aled as the popular and talented gentleman that he was, and certainly, after today, with the knowledge that Aled’s death has been recorded bilingually, as he would have wished.”

Mr Davies, who previously worked on Radio Cymru and “lived his life in Welsh”, went missing on New Year’s Eve 2022 and his body was found in the water near Cardiff Sailing Club on January 4 2023.

It is believed he drowned after accidentally falling into the river, the inquest was told.

While bilingual death certificates are issued in cases where a death has been registered bilingually in Wales, Mr Davies’ death was first registered by the coroner’s office in English, and then bilingually.

The coroner said: “The death was registered in English only with an English-only death certificate, as this was provided first.

“My intention was for Aled’s death to be registered bilingually and a bilingual death certificate was to follow.

“This did not happen.”

Mrs Davies said she repeatedly asked for a bilingual certificate but was refused, forcing her to take the matter to the High Court.

“All I’ve had is walls and barriers,” she said.

“(The General Register Office) came back and said they couldn’t give me a bilingual certificate because they would have to re-register the death.

“Then they came back, and this was the most hurtful one, said they could put the Welsh language in a box at the bottom in tiny letters, which I would hardly be able to read.

“I kept on saying to them ‘but it’s not my mistake’ – my language is not a mistake.

“Anyway, they refused and refused and refused, and that’s why we went to the High Court.”

“That was the last resort,” she added.

“If we hadn’t won last week, I would never, ever be able to have a bilingual certificate for Aled, which is really scary.

“What I’ve learned from all of this is, we have no legal rights to have bilingual certificates in general, for births, deaths and marriages.

“We have no rights – there are guidelines – but there is no legal right for us to have them.”

Mrs Davies said she was “really grateful” to Cardiff West MP Alex Barros-Curtis, who raised the matter in Parliament last year and proposed any birth, death or marriage certificate in Wales should be issued bilingually, in English and Welsh.

He said in October: “There are no rules or laws which say that if you live in Wales, or are Welsh and live in England, that you can or must receive such a certificate in Welsh or bilingually.

“This is what happened to a constituent of mine, Afryl Davies.

“Sadly, Afryl’s husband, Aled, passed away. Aled was a proud Welshman and a proud Welsh speaker, but his family did not receive a copy of his death certificate bilingually – they received only an English-language version.”

He said the family wrote letters to the coroner, the registrar and the General Register Office, requesting that his death certificate be released bilingually, but were “turned down at every opportunity”.

Speaking ahead of the hearing on Thursday, the MP said: “Afryl’s determination has highlighted the injustice faced by Welsh-speaking families who are still denied the choice of receiving death certificates in Welsh or bilingually.

“No family should have to fight for their language to be treated with equal respect.

“I will be bringing my Births, Deaths and Marriages (Welsh Language Provision) Bill back in the new parliamentary term.

“I am already in talks with ministers on the next steps to reintroduce these reforms.

“The case for change is as strong as ever, and I remain committed to ensuring families in Wales have the choice to receive certificates in Welsh, English or bilingually.”

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