Why the new Prince and Princess of Wales won't have a grand investiture ceremony
ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reports on the new Prince and Princess of Wales' visit to Wales
The new Prince and Princess of Wales do not intend have a lavish investiture ceremony for their new titles like William’s father had.
They may not even have one at all.
The then Prince Charles, who was created the Prince of Wales in 1958, was given an big televised investiture by the Queen in 1969.
It was held at Caenarfon Castle against the backdrop of protests by Welsh nationalists over the imposition of a new Prince of Wales.
William and Kate however have no plans to stage anything similar and will instead focus on strengthening their own relationship with communities across Wales.
The couple are making their first visit to the nation since the King made them the Prince and Princess of Wales in his speech on the day after the Queen’s death.
They’ve returned to Anglesey in the north west of the country, where they both lived for three years when Prince William was a search and rescue helicopter pilot in the RAF.
They will also visit a community church in Swansea in South Wales.
The title Prince of Wales is traditionally given to the male heir to the throne and has been since the 1300s - when the young son of the English King, Edward I, was given the title.
It followed Edward’s conquest of Wales in the 1280s.
The last Welsh-born Prince of Wales was Owain Glyndŵr who had his proclamation in 1400 – the date of which, September 16, is marked every year by Owain Glyndŵr day.
Some protestors held up his name when King Charles visited Cardiff when he toured the country in the week after his mother’s death.
Even the re-naming of the second bridge over the River Severn earlier this year as the Prince of Wales Bridge/Pont Tywysog Cymru was met with some protests.
A survey for ITV Wales found 66% of Welsh people support William having the Prince of Wales title but only 19% think he should have a big investiture ceremony like his father in 1969 .
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William and Kate want to draw attention to their long association with Wales which has a “special place” in both their hearts.
A young Prince William was brought to Wales for his first official royal engagement at age 8.
North Wales was the couple’s first home as newlyweds and where Prince George first lived after he was born.
George was also joined by his sister Charlotte on an official visit to Cardiff on the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Whilst they intended to celebrate the modern nation of Wales they don’t have any plans for an investiture ceremony which would open them to accusations of extravagance at a time when people are facing financial hardship this winter.