King Charles III makes speech in Welsh on first visit to Cardiff as monarch

King Charles III made a speech in Welsh on his first visit to Wales as monarch, after he and Queen Consort Camilla were met by cheering crowds following a service of prayer and reflection for the late monarch at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff. 

The former Prince of Wales met members of the Senedd and Youth Parliament, pausing to spend time with every individual after receiving a Motion of Condolence inside the chamber on Friday afternoon.

Wales’ First Minster Mark Drakeford said the Queen had a ‘lifelong association with Wales and its people’ and spoke of the sense of transition Wales is now experiencing.

Speaking first in Welsh, the King gave his response to the messages of condolence to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, expressing how ‘deeply grateful’ he was.

It came after he shook the hands of well-wishers outside Llandaff Cathedral following the moving service in honour of his mother. 

There was a touching moment when a five-year-old girl with her mother handed the Queen Consort a posy, despite suffering from nerves.  

After the service, Charles and Camilla made their way to Cardiff Castle for a reception with Mr Drakeford and were greeted once more by cheers and flag-waving, although there were isolated boos from a small group of anti-monarchy protesters. 

After the meeting with Mr Drakeford, he met with charity representatives before he once again greeted adoring Royal fans outside.

The King also greeted a goat called William Windsor II, a mascot belonging to the British Army’s Royal Welsh infantry regiment. 

Charles said in his speech in the Senedd: ‘I am deeply grateful for the words of condolence which so movingly paid tribute to our late sovereign, my beloved mother The Queen.’

The King continued: ‘Through all the years of her reign, the land of Wales could not be closer to my mother’s heart.

‘I know she took immense pride in your many great achievements, even as she also felt you deeply in great times of sorrow.

‘It must surely be counted the greatest achievement to belong to a land that inspired so much devotion.

‘I am resolved to honour that same example in the spirit of the words I always try to live my own life – Ich dien – I Serve.’

The King went on: ‘I take up my new duties with immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales.

‘That ancient title dating from the time of those great Welsh rulers… I now pass to my son William whose love for this corner of the Earth is made all the greater by the years he himself has spent here.’

Amid the cheering that arose as Charles and Camilla arrived by motorcade at Cardiff Castle following their visit to the Senedd, anti-monarchy protesters could be heard booing while holding signs reading ‘We want a democracy, a Welsh republic’. 

Despite intending to be a silent protest by a number of groups under the banner Real Democracy Now, the rally also at times broke into song led by members of the Cor Cochion, a socialist choir based in Cardiff. 

The former Prince of Wales and the Queen Consort landed in Cardiff just before 11.15am before getting into the waiting Royal limousine to take him to Llandaff Cathedral.

Charles, who was Prince of Wales for more than 53 years, flew by helicopter from Highrove, where he has spent the last 24 hours mourning his mother the Queen. 

Cheers from the thronged well-wishers on his route to the cathedral turned to full-throated screams as the King’s gleaming maroon Rolls-Royce swept through the city.  

On arrival at the cathedral, His Majesty was warmly greeted by Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford and faith leaders before being ushered inside.

The congregation, which included Prime Minister Liz Truss and Secretary of State for Wales Robert Buckland, sang Welsh hymns including the much-loved Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer. 

The Archbishop of Wales, the Right Reverend Andrew John, paid tribute to the Queen, saying how she ‘had the ability to relate to the man or woman on the Clapham Omnibus, or here, the Merthyr Tydfil Omnibus’.

The service finished with a rendition of the national anthem, God Save The King, before Charles was escorted to sign the visitors’ book. 

The monarch used his own pen after he was seen getting frustrated earlier this week when he tried to sign the visitors’ book at Hillsborough Castle. 

As she left the cathedral, the Queen Consort was presented with a posy by five-year-old Keira Hillebert, whose parents are from Atlanta, Georgia, in the US.

Keira recently got her British citizenship and received her British passport on the day the Queen died.

Her mother, Krisi, said: ‘I shook Queen Camilla’s hand and then Keira thought she was supposed to do the same so she grabbed Camilla’s hand and said ‘I’m Keira!’

‘She then ran off, saying she was cold. They were so lovely and sweet with her and Camilla asked if she had been practising her curtsy because she did it so well.’

The royal couple were then greeted by more than 40 pupils from five primary schools around Cardiff.

Dexter Garland and Ella Noble, both 10, from St Julian’s Primary School in Newport, handed Charles and Camilla a mug each with their own artwork printed on them.

The school opened in the year Queen Elizabeth’s reign began 70 years ago.

Ella said: ‘The Queen said she appreciated it and would make sure to have a cup of tea in it.

‘It is something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was the best experience of my life.’

Charles and Camilla then went on a walk around the Cathedral Green to meet members of the local community and were greeted by loud cheers, and cries of ‘God Save The King’.

They were handed gifts and flowers, and many people thanked them.

Some people had gathered early in the morning to get a glimpse of the royal visitors, with the first arriving at around 3.30am.

A lone male voice at one point shouted over the crowd: ‘We pay £100 million a year for you, and for what?’

September 16 is also Owain Glyndwr Day, which celebrates the life and legacy of the ‘rebel’ who is seen as the last native-Welsh Prince of Wales.

Llandaff Cathedral was severely damaged in Glyndwr’s rebellion against English monarch Henry IV, which began in 1400.

Laura White, 55, said the atmosphere outside Cardiff Castle was ‘awesome.’

She said: ‘I can remember the 25th jubilee and I was a Browny sat around on a cold pavement for hours but eventually we caught a glimpse of the Queen and it was all worth it.

‘I have only recently moved back to Cardiff and I knew I just had to be here today.

‘The atmosphere is awesome. Everyone is here for a good time and just wants to wish the new King well.’

Bruce McGee, 79, and Fay Price, 70, are visiting the UK from Long Beach, California, and were fully caught up with royal fever.

Mr McGee said: ‘We didn’t know what to expect but it is amazing. The Brits are very proud people.’

Ms Price said: ‘We just had to be here today when we knew this was happening. It’s not often you get the chance to see a real life King.’

Sisters Julie Morris and Wendy Huish joined the throngs of people lining the streets outside the Castle.

Foster carer Ms Morris, 72, said: ‘We were very sad when the Queen died because she’s just always been there. She was an institution.

‘But having a king is very exciting. It’s strange even saying it ‘King Charles’ but he was such a good Prince of Wales.

‘We’re here today for our mum really, her name was Jean Allen and she was very, very patriotic. She would have been one of those people who camped out overnight to be first in line.’

Sister Ms Huish said: ‘It’s a lovely day to be part of.’

Jonny Lynch, 29, of Aberdare, said: ‘I have seen the new king now twice since he’s been crowned as I was in London this week and it was very special to be here today.

‘I put my crown on especially as I wanted to dress up for the occasion and it great to see his car go past.’

Anne Grainger, 58, from Cardiff, travelled to London on Friday to pay her respects to the Queen before making the return journey back to Cardiff to welcome the new King.

She said: ‘I just wanted to be here today. It means a lot. I’m here to show him we’re your people and we’re here for you.’

Mum Clare Windsor brought her twin sons Jack and Andrew, nine, to the castle from Flintshire, North Wales, catching the train at 4.22am.

She told BBC Wales: ‘It’s a part of history, and I wanted to bring the boys to be a part of that because it won’t happen again.

‘It’s a sad occasion. King Charles has waited his whole life for this, but it’s still really sad. I hope he will be a good King, we’ll just have to wait and see.’

Team GB legend Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was one of those invited to welcome the King at the castle.

She said the ceremony was ‘about looking back at the life of her majesty in terms of service and devotion but also looking forward to the future.’

‘We have a new king and perhaps a new way of doing things. It’s a chance for society to think about what we want from our monarchy.’

The Royal connection to Wales is strong, with Charles having been invested as Prince of Wales in 1969, whilst his mother the Queen will be buried with her Welsh gold wedding ring – made so she would ‘always carry a piece of Wales’ with her. 

First Minister Mark Drakeford believed the protests taking place under the banner Real Democracy Now would not disrupt the monarch’s visit, claiming it will be a ‘footnote’ to the main proceedings. 

He said: ‘People have a legitimate right to protest and there are a variety of views’. He also urged South Wales Police to deal with any protests in a ‘proportionate’ way and respect free speech.

The Royal fans outside the cathedral included Sally Davis, Principal at nearby Howells school, who said: ‘I am delighted to be here this morning with my girls from years five and six.

‘This is a historic moment and I wanted the children to be here. The whole school has turned out and they are gathered along the route to the cathedral. 

‘It’s a historic moment in time and a day we will all remember for the rest of our lives.’ 

Nearby, social worker Jane Rhys-Blades, her physiotherapist wife Sue, and their eight-year-old daughter Gabriella, savoured the atmosphere in Llandaff High Street as the new King’s Rolls-Royce cruised by at 11.22am, silently against the noise of the crowds.

Ms Rhys-Blades said: ‘I wouldn’t have missed being here today for anything. We’ve been waiting for a few hours because, well, it’s a historic moment, isn’t it?’ Sue said: ‘this is a memory we will have for the rest of time. 

‘We wanted to be here so that Gabriella can one day tell her children about this. I’ve still got a book at home that my father gave me from when he attended King George Vl’s coronation. These things matter.’

Archbishop John said in his address: ‘Her ability to influence, to utilise soft power – no less significant, no less authoritative – illustrates the wise and careful thought she brought to her role.

‘Prime ministers found that she was a trusted confidante. Her attention to matters of government, her knowledge of world events and the longevity of her reign gave her an unmatched perspective and ability to see the distant scene.’

He added: ‘We also saw a monarch who could surprise and delight us. We will never look at a jar of marmalade again in the same way, nor watch Mr Bond without remembering 2012 and that extraordinary leap into the void.

‘Her late majesty was also a towering figure on the world stage, embodying a continuity and stability, but, perhaps more than that, values – values which are shared across nations and cultures.’

The Archbishop said of her ability to connect with people: ‘And in Wales, that skill was never more evident than when she visited Aberfan in 1966 – that community finding her presence deeply consoling – and Her Majesty would return four more times to that community.’

He also quoted from the Queen’s final Christmas broadcast last year, in which she spoke of the depth of her personal faith and recounted how the story of Jesus’s birth is ‘universally appealing’.  

It came after Mr Drakeford spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about the expected protests, saying that this was not the week that such objections and debate needs ‘to surface’.

‘But people have that right and I think it will be exercised with restraint and it will be a footnote to the dominant feelings of the day,’ he said. 

Mr Drakeford also stressed that he had confidence in the police to deal with protests in a ‘proportionate’ way, amid questions about the handling of demonstrators in other parts of the UK.

‘It should be proportionate. It should recognise the rights that people have.

‘I have every confidence in the South Wales Police who have dealt with this sort of event many times very successfully.’

The Welsh First Minister indicated that he did not expect the new Prince of Wales to follow in the footsteps of his father and learn Welsh.

Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that ‘nobody will be expecting miracles’ from Prince William on the language, admitting that it could be a ‘challenge’ to learn as an adult.

‘The language is a very important part of Wales, spoken by thousands of people every day as part of their everyday lives. It’s not necessarily the easiest language to acquire later on.

‘The incoming Prince of Wales will want to recognise the importance of the Welsh language and the part it plays in shaping the identity of a contemporary Wales.’

He said the Welsh people would understand and ‘appreciate’ any interest in the language show by the prince.

‘I don’t think anybody will expect somebody to have a suddenly acquired fluency in the Welsh language.’

‘Nobody will be expecting miracles.’

Mark Drakeford said he has spoken to the new Prince of Wales but not discussed the investiture proceedings directly.

However, he appeared to strongly suggest that the investiture need not follow the pattern set by the ceremony that saw Charles made prince of Wales in 1969.

‘The Wales of 2022 is very different to the Wales of 1969.

‘I don’t think looking back at that event and thinking of it as some sort of pattern that you would wish to pick up and copy, I don’t think that would be the right way to go about things.

‘I think the new Prince of Wales will want to take time to establish himself in that role, to work out where he can make the most contribution to creating a successful Wales of the future.’

Of his conversation with Prince William, Mr Drakeford said: ‘He did say to me that he wanted to take on his new responsibilities slowly, that he wanted to give time for his own knowledge of Wales the things that matter in the Wales of today, to be fully established, for him to think about where his own contribution could most powerfully be made. And I thought that was very sensible as an approach.’

The Welsh First Minister said that he did not think Friday’s proceedings would offer an opportunity for a meeting with the new Prime Minister.

Mark Drakeford told Sky News: ‘I think it’s unlikely that there’ll be that opportunity.

‘As you can imagine, these occasions are very carefully worked out in advance and every moment is accounted for.

‘The new Prime Minister will be Llandaff today. I doubt it will be an opportunity for a first meeting with her.’

Cardiff Castle is one of three locations Charles will visit during his day-long tour of the capital, and where he will meet charitable organisations and faith leaders after having a private audience with First Minister Mark Drakeford.

Those attending the rally are expected to stand and hold signs with slogans such as ‘Why a Monarchy?’ and ‘Real democracy now’.

Campaigners say they want the Welsh public to consider whether a future without the monarchy is possible.

They have called on the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council to ask South Wales Police to respect their democratic right to protest, following the arrests and threats of action against people holding signs saying ‘Not my King’ in other cities.

Activist and former Senedd Member for Plaid Cymru Bethan Sayed said: ‘As soon as King Charles III decided to announce that Prince William should become Prince of Wales, so soon after the death of the Queen, many of us felt compelled to respond.

‘We must discuss the future of Wales, and what we want that to look like.

‘People tell us that now is not the time to discuss this issue, however, when the monarchy passes from the incumbent to a new King, now is exactly the time to discuss this matter.

‘It is about fairness, equality, and the Wales we want to shape for future generations.’

Speaking to PA, Ms Sayed added: ‘It is still a difficult time and we totally appreciate that. We all have family who’ve passed away.

‘So we have no intention of causing issues but we want our rights to hold and express a different view to be respected.

‘Because that is entirely legitimate if we actually call ourselves a democracy.’

A number of groups are joining to lead the protest under the banner Real Democracy Now, including trade unions, Welsh independence organisations and republicans.

However, Ms Sayed said anyone was invited to join including those wanting to protest against imperialism.

Adam Johannes, a left-wing campaigner and recent organiser of recent cost of living protests in Cardiff, said: ‘Personally my own mother passed away not so long ago so I have every empathy with a family in its personal grief.

‘But when we have these parades, these huge public events, they are in a sense political acts.

‘And yet one side of the debate is told ‘now is not the time’, meanwhile all kinds of things are being rushed through like the announcement that Prince William will be the new Prince of Wales.

‘So when there are these events, which it feels to us are almost like PR events to sure up support for the monarchy, we think it’s legitimate to also make our voices heard.’

A representative of Labour for an Independent Wales Representative, said: ‘Soon 67% of Welsh people will live in fuel poverty while the royals inherit millions, tax free.

‘Our democracy is weakened by their presence and so, ultimately, we push for an independent, socialist, Republic of Wales.’

Trade Unionist Cerith Griffiths said: ‘A lot has changed since Queen Elizabeth was crowned over 70 years ago.

‘Significantly, Wales now has its own Parliament and can pass legislation that makes a difference to those who live in Wales.

‘In 2016 several aspects of the Trade Union Act were dis-applied in Wales but now the Westminster government is overruling those decisions taken by an elected Welsh government.

‘If we truly value democracy, then we need to have a debate about the role of the monarchy and whether them enabling the government of another country overruling the democratic decisions taken here in Wales really is fit for the 21st century.’

A petition calling for an end to the Prince of Wales title has gathered more than 25,000 signatures in less than a week.

Leader of pro-independence party Plaid Cymru, Adam Price, has said a debate on the subject should be held ‘in due course’.

The party believe that in an independent Wales, people should have the right to vote on whether or not to keep a member of the royal family as head of state.

A petition against continuing with the Prince of Wales title has now hit 25,000 signatures, just under a week since it was started.

Pro-independence party Plaid Cymru There will be time, in due course, for a public debate surrounding the title of the Prince of Wales.