On Tuesday 5th March, the royal family gathered to celebrate 50 years since the investiture of the Prince of Wales. The celebrations took place at Buckingham Palace and were hosted by the Queen. The Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the Princess Royal were among guests, with the Prime Minister Theresa May, and the first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, in attendance. The Duke of Edinburgh, 97, who has retired from official duties, did not attend. The Prince of Wales’ two brothers were also absent, as they had other commitments. Representatives of the Prince’s welsh charities and friends also attended. Everyone dressed up for the occasion, with the Duchess of Cambridge in a delicate mint green dress with white high heels. I think she looked elegant, regal, and classy. The Duchess of Sussex wore an embossed gold dress and white coat, which looked equally stunning and was quite a statement, but that is always to be expected from the Duchess! I am glad so many people were able to come together for this event, especially the First Minister, Prime Minister, and other royal family members, as it gives the due weight and recognition to the Prince of Wales and his hard work and forging a role. It acknowledges the importance of the investiture ceremony as a national and historical event, that has led to real flourishing in the Prince’s role as Prince of Wales.
The Prince met the lineup of guests, then showed the regalia he wore in 1969 to the Queen. These included the coronet, sword, ring and rod from the investiture, as well as the Letters Patent for the creation of Charles as Prince of Wales in 1958, which were then on display for all the guests to see. The event ended with a musical performance in the palace ballroom by students from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, of which Prince Charles is patron. Welsh composer Paul Mealor, composed a special piece, inspired by the legend of the Lady of Llyn y Fan Fach, a mountain lake near the prince's Welsh home, Llwynywermod in Carmarthenshire.
The Archbishop of Canterbury led tributes to the Prince, saying, “Never in the history of the role can there have been such dedicated service, such honourable fulfilling of the promise at the Investiture, ‘I, Charles, Prince of Wales, do become your liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship, and faith and truth I bear unto you, to live and die against all manner of folks.’ Service was in the oath, and service has marked the 50 years, service often publicly unnoticed, unseen. A role has been imagined and developed, different to that of the Sovereign, probing, asking, suggesting and prompting, yet always in the service of Crown and country, under God. The Investiture was unique. Seldom can a coming-of-age have had such a setting; seldom can the weight of expectation have been so great. In years since then, we have seen how the honour of being granted that title has been richly repaid – in The Prince of Wales’s love for the country whose name he bears, and in the deep respect he has always shown for the land, for the language, and most of all, of course, for the people. As we look to the future, on behalf of all here and so many across these Islands, the Commonwealth and around the world, I express gratitude for your tireless work, and heartfelt appreciation for all that you, with the wonderful support of The Duchess of Cornwall, have done, are doing, and will do.”
Two guests present were also present at the investiture 50 years ago; Lady Susan Hussey, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, and Sir Nicholas Soames, the Conservative MP and an old friend of Charles. Sir Nicholas said, recalling the investiture, “It was an incredibly moving and beautiful day, especially the moment when the Queen presented her son to all four corners (of the land). The service was absolutely wonderful.”
The Prince was officially title Prince of Wales at the age of 9, on 26th July 1958, but was not invested until the age of 21, on 1st July 1969, at Caernarfon Castle in Wales. This is the place of birth of the first Prince of Wales to be given the title as the eldest son of a monarch. Originally, the title went to the ruler of the welsh people, the eldest son of the previous ruler. The last of these was Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, who died in battle in 1282, defeated by the English army of King Edward I, when Edward I took over Wales. Later on he built many castles in and around Wales to keep control of the people, including Caernarfon Castle. It was here that his son Edward of Caernarfon, (later King Edward II), was born, and later Edward of Caernarfon was given the title Prince of Wales.
The Prince has worked extensively in Wales with charities based there. His charity, The Prince’s Trust, granted money to the band, The Stereophonics, when they were starting up, so they could buy speakers. Members from the band attended the reception, and recalled Prince Charles coming to give them the money in person. Another charity representative was Simon Weston, President of charity DEBRA, which supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa, and himself a Falklands veteran. Patrick Holden, campaigner for organic food and long-time associate of the prince, spoke to the Sussex’s, and recalled the conversation, “We talked about the Prince of Wales’s leadership in the field of sustainable agriculture, and how the farm at Highgrove is one of the most important exemplars of sustainable farming practice. It is an example of the prince’s vision made flesh.”
Recently BBC Wales conducted a pole. The findings show 50% of participants wanted another prince of Wales when Prince Charles becomes king, although 22% of those surveyed do not think he should be replaced. 62% of participants in Wales did not want the monarchy abolished and the research indicated only 18% disagreed and wanted to see and end to the monarchy. I think this is excellent news and is testimony to the Prince’s hard work and dedication to Wales and the Welsh people. Monarchy is more than the sovereign, it is the whole family that come together to support the country. The pole also showed 41% of participants wanted to see an investiture similar to the one held in Caernarfon. But 20% hoped to see a ceremony different to that in 1969, while 30% wanted no investiture at all. This is encouraging too, that people see the value in ceremony and tradition in upholding our country and keeping it rooted, whilst also pressing forward into the future. Some have said that the 1969 investiture ceremony was ancient and unnecessary but these figures would suggest otherwise.
As the longest serving Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness has forged a role for himself and made good use of his position and time whilst essentially waiting to be king. He has made a positive impact and built relationships that will stand him in good stead in the future. He has educated himself ready for his time as monarch. I think he has done well, being himself, playing a part, but not upstaging his mother, or trying to play the main role. He has shown dedication over 50 years, and been a part of many charities and organisations for the long haul, having time to really invest and make a difference. Congratulations to him!