The controversial crown ceremony that made him Prince of Wales
Charles of England carried the title of Prince of Wales from the age of 20. He was invested in a solemn ceremony, in which he spoke Welsh, but which today seems out of date. Guillermo does not seem to be inaugurated anytime soon.
The Coronation of Carlos III as king of the British on May 6 is not the first that the son and heir of Queen Elizabeth II experienced. It seems that, at the moment, there are no plans for William of England's investiture as Prince of Wales. His father will be crowned on May 6 as King Carlos III and some details of the ceremony, which will take place in Westminster Abbey, are already known.
But, how was the investiture of Carlos himself as Prince of Wales? What lessons can be drawn from that ceremony, held in 1969, in Caernarfon, Wales, to apply to the monarchy of the 21st century? William of England visited the Welsh Parliament for the first time last November. It was his second visit as Prince of Wales.
In September William and Kate Middleton visited Anglesey and Swansea. The title of Prince of Wales has drawn criticism. Nationalist parties consider it a title with no real place or responsibility in Welsh life. The conservative parties, however, received the prince positively.
Carlos granted him the new title the day after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Various voices have been raised to express the opinion that Carlos's investiture ceremony cannot be taken as an example of Guillermo's. And neither is the public spending that he assumed. Some say that this type of ceremony should be reduced to the history books.
This was the investiture of Carlos as Prince of Wales
Public opinion celebrated Charles's investiture as Prince of Wales, but there was also criticism. He was then 20 years old and was invested at Caernarfon Castle. Carlos received the symbols that made him Prince of Wales: the sword, the crown, the ring, the scepter, and the cape. That July 1, Prince Charles solemnly walked up to his mother, knelt on a red cushion, and then the Queen presented him with the symbols of the Principality of Wales.
Charles kissed her mother on her cheek and sat next to her and her father, the Duke of Edinburgh, each on a throne. Carlos delivered a speech in English and Welsh. It was the first chance he had to seduce the British. 4,000 guests attended and 500 million people watched the ceremony on television. Neighborhood parties were held across the country, but in Wales, there were conflicting opinions and street protests.
Since Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, a Welsh nationalist movement had grown, and two years later a formal petition for independence was established from the British government, backed by 250,000 signatures. It was then decided that Charles would leave Cambridge and study at Aberystwyth University and have a Welsh tutor, who tutored him in the history and culture of Wales.
The Prince of Wales is a title reserved for the heirs to the British throne. Carlos inherited it in 1958, using a royal edict, when his mother acceded to the throne, although she, being a woman, had not taken it. The tradition dates back to Edward, the son of King Edward I, who became a prince in 1301.
During the ceremony, the Secretary of State for Wales read out the Queen's Edict in Welsh. Then Charles swore an oath: "I, Charles, Prince of Wales, become your lord and devoutly declare that I will defend this honor with faith and truth." A loud applause followed. "I receive these symbols with pride and emotion, in this magnificent fortress, so important in the history of Wales, determined to preserve his unique heritage," he said in his speech.
Charles himself confessed that it had been an "impressive" ceremony and a "symbol" of his lifelong dedication to Wales. Curiously, Prince Edward and Andrew were not present at the ceremony, probably because they were still children. Yes, Princess Ana was present, in addition to the Queen Mother and Princess Margarita. The entire ceremony is faithfully reflected in the third season of "The Crown." However, today Carlos himself knows that things with Guillermo must be done differently.
