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Thousands sign petition calling for an end to the ‘Prince of Wales’ title

09 Sep 2022 4 minute read
Prince William, the heir to the throne. By Frankie Fouganthin (CC 4.0)

Two thousand people have signed a petition calling for an end to the ‘Prince of Wales’ title.

The petition called ‘end Prince of Wales title out of respect for Wales’ says that since the days of the Welsh Princes the title has been “held exclusively by Englishmen as a symbol of dominance over Wales”.

There is currently no Prince of Wales as the former Prince Charles became King Charles III at the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth.

Prince William’s office has previously briefed the press that he will take up the Prince of Wales title but slim it down. It has said that he plans to slash by half the 140 or so staff employed by the current Prince of Wales.

The Royal title was originally given to Edward II of Caernarfon, son of Edward I who conquered Wales, as a means of confirming that the ‘Tywysog Cymru’ title previously held by native princes of Wales was subservient to that of the King of England.

Since then it has been held by 21 different heirs to the throne, although seven of them never became king.

There have previously been long periods of history, such as between 1553 with the death of Arthur Tudor and the passing of the title to Henry Frederick Stuart 57 years later, when the title did not exist at all.

“The title remains an insult to Wales and is a symbol of historical oppression and also implies that Wales is still a principality, undermining Wales’ status as a nation and a country,” the petition’s author, Trystan Gruffydd, said.

‘Collision course’

The title does not automatically pass on to the heir of the throne. It was only bestowed on Charles in 1958, six years after Elizabeth II’s reign started.

The investiture at Caernarfon Castle did not happen until almost a decade later, in 1969, and such was the political turmoil that soldiers had to be drafted in to keep the peace.

Opposition ranged from Dafydd Iwan’s songs, to Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s non-violent protests, to a bombing campaign by the MAC.

In September of last year the campaign group Republic put up billboards around Wales with the message, “Nid does angen tywysog ar Gymru / Wales doesn’t need a prince.”

The group said they want the nation to hear their message that the Royal Family is “wrong in principle” and should be abolished in favour of an elected head of state.

“The royals are on collision course with British values. The 2020s should be the decade when we finally get to decide who we have as our elected head of state,” Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, said.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies criticised the billboards for not being “reflective of Welsh public opinion”.

A poll in June of this year for ITV suggested that 46% wanted another Prince of Wales, 31% said there shouldn’t be another one, and 23% weren’t sure.

‘Discussion’

Yesterday the former Llywydd of the Senedd, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, questioned the need to continue with the title of the Prince of Wales following the death of Elizabeth II.

Speaking of S4C Newyddion, he said that there was “no meaning” to the title which was a position with “no meaning to it in the constitution”.

“And I think, although nothing will happen this time, I I think this title will disappear because it doesn’t make any sense for a devolved, democratic country like Wales to have a prince these days,” he said.

“I think there needs to be a discussion in Wales regarding what should happen to the title Prince of Wales and what is the use of that title, especially since Wales has become a new, democratic, republic.

“What sense does it make to have a Prince of Wales who has no constitutional function? But that is a matter for discussion.”


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THOMAS William Glyn
THOMAS William Glyn
1 year ago

Get rid of the patronising monarchy

Richard 1
Richard 1
1 year ago

The undue haste with which Charles Saxe Coburg Gotha made the announcement is a sign of his insensitivity and insecurity. It just enhances the case for independence.

john appleby
john appleby
1 year ago

I totally agree.

George
George
1 year ago

Ending an Englishman’s right to “Prince of Wales” title is absolutely the right thing to do and the time to do it is now.

We can make the argument in a way which is less confrontational – it can be said that as respect should be paid to Queen Elizabeth II so should respect be paid to (former) Prince Charles as potentially longest serving Prince of Wales and what better way to show respect than making him the last.

Tanwg
Tanwg
1 year ago

How do I sign the petition?

Taran
Taran
1 year ago
Reply to  Tanwg
Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
1 year ago
Reply to  Taran

Having signed up to that it is probably worth reminding fellow posters that Monarchy is a very medieval concept and not one that fosters democracy. Certainly the democratic independent Wales we all hope to see in the future has no need to look backwards to that form of government. For those who are not sure, I would recommend reading “the Myth of the British Monarchy” by professor Edgar Wilson. New copies are available from Republic [https://www.republic.org.uk/shop#!/~/search/keyword=Myth%20of%20the%20British%20Monarchy] or older editions from your local second hand book shop. A very thoroug analysis of the issue.

Maglocunos
Maglocunos
1 year ago

Mwy na 3,000 wedi arwyddo’r ddeiseb rwan.

Wylit, wylit Lywelyn.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

The entire population could sign this petition to scrap the role Prince of Wales but it still would be ignored as announced today when King Kong Charles spat in our faces by appointing William & Kate as the new Prince & Princess.. The Germanic English domination of Wales continues I’m afraid

R W
R W
1 year ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

If people don’t sign the petition, then we’ll have royalist sycophants like ARTD telling everyone who’ll listen that virtually everyone in Cymru wants another “Prince of Wales” thrust upon us.

Joy Murray
Joy Murray
1 year ago
Reply to  R W

A lot of Welsh folk are actually happy to have Prince William as the next Prince of Wales but they are not so loud……but no less Welsh.

Annabel
Annabel
1 year ago
Reply to  Joy Murray

Surely we could settle this with a referendum

Richard
Richard
1 year ago
Reply to  Joy Murray

You are right in saying the monarchy support numbers are still high but also you need to be aware that the republicans are most certainly around 20per cent of the population.

A large third or so of our nation respected QE2 but feel it’s time for some thought, reflection and engaging the public to ascertain what model best suits Cymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 of 2022 not 1969

Martha
Martha
1 year ago
Reply to  Joy Murray

Mor wir, so true. Anything that draws attention to Wales on the world stage is good for our community. Let’s embrace it for the sake of our economy.

Roy Roberts
Roy Roberts
1 year ago
Reply to  R W

If a lot of people on this debate were to get a dna test they would probably find that there blood has got all types English Scottish Irish I’ve had mine done I’ve got 4% French 15%Scottish the rest northwestern EU from centuries ago born in northwales my mum lost her first husband at dunkirk my dad was at dunkirk many men lost there lives for this country 1 world war second world war we are all a mixed blood line no blood is that pure check your blood out that’s why history is so fascinating my dad fought the… Read more »

Geoff Evans
Geoff Evans
1 year ago

I noticed this quotation by the great James Connolly earlier and thought it appropriate to repeat it here at this eventful moment. “We, at least, are not loyal men; we confess to having more respect and honour for the raggedest child of the poorest labourer in Ireland today than for any, even the most virtuous, descendant of the long array of murderers, adulterers and madmen who have sat upon the throne of England . . .” A century later and that undemocratic, unelected English system of monarchy rolls on unimpeded. What price democracy in the 21st Century, eh!

john lewis
john lewis
1 year ago

The question regarding the need now for another Prince of Wales, at least ought to be put to all resident Welsh people.

David Charles pearn
David Charles pearn
1 year ago
Reply to  john lewis

Or anyone with a welsh birth certificate 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.

Nicola Collins
Nicola Collins
1 year ago

I won’t be signing im all for them he is doing it in memory of his mother too and people are willing to take it away from him just leave them alone they care about others

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