Should there be a Prince of Wales investiture in 21st century Wales?

The King's own investiture at Caernarfon Castle, in 1969, was both adoringly watched by millions and marred by controversy. Credit: PA Archive

The new Prince of Wales - confirmed in the King's first address to the nation - has already pledged to "support the aspirations of the Welsh people".

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have said they look forward to celebrating Wales’s proud history and traditions "as well as a future that is full of promise".

With swift action from King Charles III in making his son and heir to the throne Prince of Wales, discussion has since turned to whether or not an investiture will take place.

That's because the King's own investiture at Caernarfon Castle, in 1969, was both adoringly watched by millions and marred by controversy.

Then-Prince Charles was formally invested with the title by his mother amid great pomp and ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. Credit: PA Archive

The King is said to have stated he wouldn't want his son to go through what he went through himself, in the run up to his investiture.

So, what happened at Prince Charles' 1969 investiture - and will Prince William take part in a similar ceremony? Here's what key Welsh figures have said.

Prince Charles' investiture

Charles was made the Prince of Wales by the Queen when he was just nine, on July 26 1958.

He was formally invested with the title by his mother amid great pomp and ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd at the age of 20.

The ceremony was televised and watched by an audience of 19 million people in the UK, with a global audience of 500 million. It remains one of the most watched events in Welsh history.

A fresh-faced Charles knelt before the Queen to receive the insignia of office and pledge allegiance.

Investiture at 50: What is Prince Charles' relationship with Wales?

But the investiture coincided with a revival in Welsh national consciousness and a vocal section of society viewed it as an English Prince being imposed on Wales.

In the run up to the ceremony, there was a bomb plot. The night before the investiture, two men set out to plant a bomb near a railway line in Abergele - the track Prince Charles would use to get to the castle. They were killed when it exploded prematurely.

Should Prince William have a similar investiture?To coincide with the 50th anniversary of Prince Charles' investiture, ITV Wales and YouGov commissioned a poll about the future of his title and a possible future investiture.

31% of those who answered wanted an investiture to match Prince Charles' and 27% wanted no ceremony at all.

And 18% hoped an investiture took place for Prince William, but in a different way to 1969.

With a new Prince and Princess of Wales announced, discussions turned towards whether or not there will be an investiture. Credit: PA

Alun Michael was the first man to lead a Welsh Government - the first First Secretary. He suggested a ceremony should take place at the Senedd.

He told ITV's Sharp End: "We're in a different era. We now have our own Parliament, a First Minister and the place where major things should happen.

"The Senedd is not there for Cardiff, it's there for the whole of Wales. My personal opinion is that the Senedd is the place for any formal acknowledgement of the new role that he's been given."

Wales was represented at an Accession Council for the first time as Charles III was confirmed King. Credit: PA

Wales was not formally represented in the the Queen's Accession Council of 1952 - but the Accession Council for King Charles saw formal representation for Wales and was attended by the Llywydd of the Senedd, or Presiding Officer.

Llywydd Elin Jones MS said: "There’s no constitutional requirement for an investiture - it’s not a constitutional role and therefore there’s no need to have one.

"We’ll see and hopefully there’ll be a bit of a discussion now over the weeks and months to come whether it is appropriate in the 21st Century to hold an investiture of the sort that was held in 1969, which created much political debate in Wales and was welcomed by many and thoroughly unliked by many others."

First Minister Mark Drakeford has said there's "no rush" for an investiture and that there is an "alive" debate surrounding the role - although he personally won't be taking part in it until the period of national mourning is over.

He told Sharp End: "The Wales of 2022 is not the Wales of 1969. I don't think it would be sensible to look back and say you could simply replicate that.

"My only advice, if it was ever sought, would be to give these things time. There is no rush.

"I think that there are plenty of things someone wanting to come to Wales more often, spending more time here, learning more about the things that matter in contemporary Wales - plenty for that role to be able to develop and no need to feel that ceremonial occasions need to be early on the agenda."

Catch up on the latest episode of Sharp End, which aired on Monday September 12, here.