As he sets foot on Welsh territory for the first time as king today, he will be greeted by cannon fire as Cardiff welcomes the longest-serving Prince of Wales in its history.
The monarch and the Queen Consort will arrive by helicopter in the Welsh capital from Highgrove, where Her Majesty’s son has spent the past 24 hours in sorrow.
Thousands are expected to assemble at Llandaff Cathedral and Cardiff Castle to greet the King, who was Prince of Wales for over 53 years, and whose mother, the Queen, will be buried with her wedding ring, which was crafted of Welsh gold so that she would “always carry a piece of Wales” with her.
However, there will be protests as the royal couple arrives on Owain Glyndwr Day, which honors the famed and only native Welshman to carry the title Prince of Wales, who died in hiding from Henry V of England in 1415 after waging an independence fight.
Organizers have announced that a quiet demonstration will begin at Cardiff Castle at 1pm, but First Minister Mark Drakeford believes it will not interfere with the visit, claiming it will be a “footnote” to the main festivities.
People have a legal right to demonstrate, and there are various viewpoints, he stated.
As he arrives in Cardiff today for the first time as monarch, King Charles III will be greeted with cannon fire. Premier Mark Drakeford asserts that the demonstrations will not derail the event.
Just now, a large number of police officers have arrived in Llandaff. The Royal couple’s first stop on their tour of Cardiff today is the cathedral.
People wait outside Llandaff Cathedral before Queen Elizabeth’s National Service of Prayer and Reflection in Wales.
However, he told the Today show on BBC Radio 4 that this is not the time for such issues and debate to’surface’.
People definitely have that right, but I believe it will be exercised with caution and will be secondary to the dominating emotions of the day.
Mr. Drakeford also stated that he had faith in the police to handle protests in a ‘proportionate’ manner, despite concerns regarding the treatment of protesters in other regions of the United Kingdom.
It should be reasonable. It should recognize the rights of individuals.
I have complete faith in the South Wales Police, who have dealt with incidents of this like numerous times with great success.
The First Minister of Wales stated that he did not anticipate the new Prince of Wales to follow in his father’s footsteps and learn Welsh.
Mr. Drakeford admitted on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that learning the language as an adult could be a ‘difficult’ and that ‘nobody would expect miracles’ from Prince William.
“The language is an important component of Wales, spoken by thousands of individuals as part of their daily lives. Not necessarily the easiest language to learn in the future.
The future Prince of Wales will wish to acknowledge the significance of the Welsh language and its role in shaping the identity of modern Wales.
He claimed the Welsh people will understand and ‘appreciate’ any interest in the language demonstrated by the prince.
I don’t believe anyone will anticipate someone to have suddenly acquired fluency in Welsh.
Nobody will anticipate miracles.
Mark Drakeford stated that he had spoken with the new Prince of Wales, but that they have not directly discussed the investiture proceedings.
However, he seemed to strongly imply that the investiture need not follow the pattern established by the 1969 ceremony in which Charles was crowned prince of Wales.
Wales in 2022 is vastly different from Wales in 1969.
‘I do not believe that looking back on that occurrence and viewing it as some type of pattern that you would desire to imitate would be the best way to approach things.
I believe the new Prince of Wales will need time to establish himself in his new position and to determine how he can best contribute to the future development of Wales.
Mr. Drakeford said of his conversation with Prince William, ‘He did say that he wanted to take on his new responsibilities gradually, that he wanted to give time for his own knowledge of Wales and the things that matter in the Wales of today to be fully established, and for him to consider where his own contribution could have the greatest impact. And I thought that was a pretty sound strategy.’
The First Minister of Wales stated that he did not believe Friday’s events would provide an opportunity to meet with the new Prime Minister.
Mark Drakeford stated to Sky News, “I believe that opportunity is improbable.”
As you might guess, these events are meticulously planned in preparation, and every second is considered.
Today’s new Prime Minister will be from Llandaff. I doubt it will be an occasion to meet her for the first time.’
Cardiff Castle is one of three venues that Charles will visit on his day-long tour of the city, where he will meet with humanitarian organizations and religious leaders following a special encounter with First Minister Mark Drakeford.
Participants are encouraged to stand and carry posters with slogans such as “Why a Monarchy?” and “Real democracy now!”
Campaigners assert that they want the Welsh public to examine the possibility of a future without the monarchy.
In response to the arrests and threats of action against protesters carrying “Not my King” posters in other cities, they have demanded that the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council ask South Wales Police to respect their democratic right to protest.
Bethan Sayed, an activist and former member of Plaid Cymru’s Senedd, stated, ‘As soon as King Charles III announced that Prince William would succeed the Queen as Prince of Wales, many of us felt obligated to reply.
“We must examine the future of Wales and its desired appearance.
People tell us that now is not the time to debate this subject, yet when the monarchy transitions from the incumbent to a new king, now is just the time to discuss this issue.
It is about justice, equality, and shaping Wales for future generations.
Speaking to PA, Ms. Sayed continued, ‘We understand that it is still a difficult time. Everyone has relatives who have died away.
Therefore, we have no intention of inciting conflict, but we demand that our freedom to possess and express a contrary opinion be honored.
Because it is perfectly acceptable if we are, in fact, a democracy.
Under the name Real Democracy Now, a number of groups, including trade unions, Welsh independence organizations, and republicans, will lead the demonstration.
However, Ms. Sayed stated that anyone could join, including those who wish to resist imperialism.
Adam Johannes, a left-wing activist and recent organizer of cost-of-living rallies in Cardiff, stated: ‘My own mother died away not too long ago, so I can empathize with a family in its time of personal loss.
“However, when we have these parades and massive public gatherings, they are in a way political acts.
“Yet, one side of the discussion is informed “now is not the time,” while all sorts of things are rushed through, such as the announcement that Prince William will become the new Prince of Wales.”
Therefore, we believe it is appropriate to make our thoughts heard at these gatherings, which feel to us like public relations activities designed to bolster support for the monarchy.
A spokesperson of Labour for an Independent Wales Representative stated, “Soon, 67 percent of the Welsh population would live in fuel poverty, while the royals inherit millions tax-free.”
“Their existence weakens our democracy, and hence we ultimately advocate for an independent, socialist Republic of Wales.”
Unionist Cerith Griffiths stated, “Since the coronation of Queen Elizabeth more than seventy years ago, a great deal has happened.
Significantly, Wales now has its own Parliament and the ability to pass legislation that affects Welsh residents.
“Non 2016, a number of provisions of the Trade Union Act were deemed inapplicable in Wales, however the Westminster government is now overriding these judgments made by the elected Welsh government.”
If we truly cherish democracy, we must have a discussion about the role of the monarchy and if allowing the government of another nation to override democratic decisions made in Wales is appropriate for the twenty-first century.
In less than a week, over 25.000 individuals have signed a petition demanding the abolition of the Prince of Wales title.
Adam Price, leader of the pro-independence party Plaid Cymru, stated that a debate on the topic should be held “in due time.”
In an independent Wales, the party believes that citizens should have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to retain a member of the royal family as head of state.
A petition opposing the continuation of the Prince of Wales title has received 25,000 signatures in less than a week after its inception.
Pro-independence party Plaid Cymru There will eventually be a time for a public debate regarding the Prince of Wales’s title.