William praises Wales in Welsh to mark St David’s Day
The King announced he had created his eldest son and heir, William, as Prince of Wales during his first televised address as monarch.
The Prince of Wales has used his first message delivered in Welsh to wish Wales a “Happy St David’s Day.”
William pre-recorded a social media video to mark March 1, the day Wales’s patron saint is honoured, and “to celebrate Wales – its history, its culture, and its incredible people”.
His words in Welsh follow a visit to Wales with wife Kate on Wednesday, when the couple toured Pontypridd and cooked Welsh cakes for a market stall holder.
While he is not having formal lessons, it is understood William has been learning some conversational Welsh but it is not known who is teaching him the language, or if he is attending classes at an institution.
The future king said in his message: “Hello. Today, on St David’s Day, we come together to celebrate Wales – its history, its culture, and its incredible people.
“From its breathtaking landscapes to its language, Wales continues to inspire.
“Today, we will celebrate everything that is magical about Wales.
“To the people of Wales and everybody around the world, Happy St David’s Day.”
The prince has been known to greet people with a few words of Welsh when in the country but has not spoken full sentences in public before.
The King had formal lessons in the Welsh language, studying from April to June 1969 at Aberystwyth University ahead of his investiture as the Prince of Wales in July that year at Caernarfon Castle.
Charles’s tutor was the Welsh nationalist Tedi Millward but despite their apparent differences the two men became firm friends.
William has not had an investiture since his father announced he had created his eldest son and heir as Prince of Wales during his first televised address as monarch, the day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
