The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will have extra reason to celebrate as they head off for their annual week long tour of the principality. For this year, Wales Week co-incides with the fiftieth anniversary of Charles’ investiture with the traditional title given to the heir to the throne.
The Queen invested her eldest son as Prince of Wales on July 1st 1969 in a special ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. As part of the celebrations, half a century ago, Swansea was given city status and Charles and Camilla will spend a day there during Wales Week 2019 to mark its special anniversary, too.
In fact, it’s fifty not out for much of the annual visit as the Prince of Wales is also set to mark five decades since the establishment of the South Wales Police Force which is now based in Bridgend. As part of his visit there, Charles will open their new headquarters.
Camilla has a fortieth anniversary to celebrate during the five day stay. The Royal Voluntary Service in Llandovery reaches that milestone this year and the duchess, who is president of the RVS, will visit them and meet some of the many volunteers involved.
The royal couple will undertake over twenty engagements during Wales Week this year, starting with a visit to the Prince’s Trust call centre at Nantgarw near Cardiff to meet some of those who help the thousands of young people who get in touch with the charity. Camilla will also visit the Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Cardiff (she is the organisation’s patron) and pop into Carmarthen market during her stay while Charles will make a poignant visit to Yr Ysgwrn, the home of war poet Hedd Wyn who was killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele.
During their time in Wales, Charles and Camilla will stay at their home there, Llwynywermod, and on the second evening they will throw open its doors for a special evening of music and drama.
It will be a high point in a week in which Clarence House says the royal couple hope to celebrate the many charities and organisations in Wales that Prince Charles has been involved with in the five decades since his investiture. And it all gets under way on the anniversary itself as Charles steps foot in his principality on a very special anniversary.
