Prince of Wales records Dylan Thomas poem

The Prince of Wales will mark National Poetry Day with a recording of one of his favourite Dylan Thomas poems, 'Fern Hill'.

Prince Charles is Royal Patron of The Dylan Thomas 100 Festival and attended his boathouse in Laugharne in July to celebrate the 2014 centenary of the poet's birth.

Thomas lived at the Boathouse with his wife Caitlin and their children, Aeronwy, Llewelyn and Colm from 1949 to 1953 - the last four years of his life.

The Prince of Wales said:

"For National Poetry Day, I was very glad, if somewhat hesitant! - to be able to record a reading of one of my person favourites, 'Fern Hill', with its poignant and moving evocation of a rural west Wales childhood.

I cannot help feeling this is one of the great legacies of Thomas' poetry - that it inspires people to appreciate the incomparable landscape of Wales".

William Sieghart, the Founder of National Poetry Day, welcomed The Prince's recording:

"There's no mistaking The Prince of Wales' love of this moving poem. I hope many will follow his wonderful example on National Poetry Day. This is a day to find a poem you love and share it."

Dylan Thomas' grand-daughter, Hannah Ellis, is also a Patron of the Dylan Thomas 100 Festival. She said:

"I was so pleased to meet The Prince at my grandfather's birthplace in Swansea in his capacity as Royal Patron, and then again with The Duchess of Cornwall at the boathouse.

It's fantastic that he is closely involving himself in our centenary celebrations with a reading that my grandfather would have loved, of a poem that meant so much to him and our family."

Listen to the Prince of Wales' recording here