On the third day day of their tour to Wales, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla visited south Wales on Wednesday, including Swansea. The town was bestowed with city status in 1969, the same week Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales.
Upon their arrival, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were met by well wishers waving the Union Jack and Welsh flags, as the royal couple stopped along the walk to shake their hands. During the walk about, Camilla was presented with a bunch of yellow and white flowers and affectionately petted a dog.
Charles and Camilla’s five-day tour of the country marks the 50th anniversary of Prince Charles’s investiture as the Prince of Wales, with him being the longest serving heir apparent and holder of the title in history, being formally invested with the title on July 1, 1969 at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales.
The Duchess said: “It’s lovely, especially in this weather” to be back in Wales. Asked about how the Prince would be marking the anniversary she replied: “Another anniversary I know – celebrating quietly.”
The royal visit formed part of ‘Swansea 50’, a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary which will include a host of community events ranging from street parties and exhibitions to live concerts from artist such as The Stereophonics, Pete Tong and Jess Glynne.
A variety of Charles and Camilla\s charities and patronages working in Swansea were also present for the visit, including Age Cymru, Maggie’s, Barnardo’s, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie and others.
Laura Williams, who brought her eight-month-old son Lenny to meet Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla said: “Charles said ‘I’m trying to get a smile out of him, that’s all I want’. I said he did smile – for your wife.”
Later on, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Patti Pavilion, a local landmark, where they went on a brief walkabout and met local schoolchildren, youngsters from uniformed groups and members of the public.
Prince Charles also visited Morriston Tabernacle Chapel, a place he visited for the last time during his tour of Wales in 1969 following his investiture.
Remembering that the congregation had staged a national hymn-singing festival to celebrate his investiture, the future King commented: “I don’t know about some of you but I find it very hard to know where those 50 years have gone and whether any of you were here at the time. One or two of you may have been.”
The Prince of Wales reflects on his visit to Morriston Tabernacle in 1969 as he stands in the chapel again 50 years later. pic.twitter.com/XSlrfQykiC
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) July 3, 2019
Adding: “One of the things that I will never forget from 50 years ago was the sheer volume of sound from the size of the choir when I came then.”
The Morriston Tabernacle Chapel was completed in 1872 and stands in the heart of Morriston, the UK’s earlier example of a planned industrial town. It is thought that the chapel is Wales’s largest and tallest chapel, with its spire standing at 160ft.
Prince Charles has the chance to see more of the extensive restoration work done on the chapel since 1993, and hear more about plans to revitalise the 147-year old building.
While Prince Charles was visiting the chapel, The Duchess of Cornwall visited Carmarthen Market where she met market traders and stall holders, including Richardson’s Bakery, who made cakes for her wedding reception in 2005.
richardson’s bakery made the wedding cake for charles and camilla – the duchess met them again in swansea (clarence house)
The Duchess also visited Lyric theatre, where she received flowers whilst meeting members of the Youth Opera cast after watching a performance of songs from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Her Royal Highness has been Patron of The Carmarthen and District Youth Opera for nine years. Carmarthen and District Youth Opera Carmarthen and District Youth Opera (CDYO) prides itself on the opportunity given to any young person who may want to develop their artistic and musical aspirations and talents, and to perform on a live stage; this year it celebrates 40 years in existence.
the duchess of cornwall at Carmarthen and District Youth Opera (clarence house)
1 comment
on the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of Prince Charles’s investiture as the Prince of Wales, May prosperity of wales and the whole country of Great Britain continue to reign.