The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have begun their annual sojourn to Wales to carry out engagements for ‘Wales Week’, visiting Cardiff, Treorchy, and Llandovery on Tuesday.
Beginning at the BBC Cymru Wales headquarters in Cardiff, the royals separated to speak with journalists and producers involved in various programmes on the channel.
Prince Charles spoke with the weather team about climate change, noting that “It’s about time some mention was made why it’s so critical,” when sharing his frustration over the lack of mention of climate issues. He also met with the sports team to discuss Wales’s upcoming appearance at the World Cup and recorded a segment for the radio programme ‘Under Milk Wood.’
Meanwhile, Camilla met the team behind Crimewatch, revealing that she’s an avid fan of the show and inquiring about how they choose the stories and when the next series will air (October, if you’re interested). She also spoke with women working at the BBC for a panel discussion on women in media and later met with representatives of BBC’s Tiny Happy People initiative.
Following their visit to the BBC, the royals viewed the statue of Betty Campbell in Cardiff’s Central Square. Campbell was the first Black head teacher in Wales, and Prince Charles met her in 1994.
The statue was unveiled in September 2021, with Prince Charles sending a message of support that read: “I have fond memories of my visit to the St. David’s Day eisteddfod at Mount Stuart Primary School in 1994, when I saw, at first-hand, the immense respect and affection in which Betty Campbell was held by all who knew her.
“That hard-earned respect was the result of her determination to overcome any and every obstacle she encountered. In succeeding, against the odds, she became an inspiration to generations of people, of all ages, and all backgrounds, not just in her own beloved city, but in the rest of Wales and beyond.”
The royals then separated to carry out their own engagements. Camilla visited RISE Cardiff, a domestic violence charity that supports women and children in need of support from domestic and sexual violence.
Prince Charles paid a visit to the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, as its Colonel-in-Chief, at City Hall. He watched The Queen’s Dragoon Guards on parade, joined in with a reception and then sat for a regimental photograph.
After their engagements in Cardiff, the royal couple travelled to Treorchy and visited the High Street, stopping at shops and businesses along the way to show their support for small businesses. They popped into The Lion pub where the Prince pulled a pint and enjoyed his first sip so much, he held on to it for a few more glugs as he spoke to those working there as well as regular customers.
Finally, the royal couple hosted an evening reception in Llandovery to celebrate Welsh culture featuring performances by opera singer, Rebecca Evans, and performers from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
The evening reception turned into a diplomatic reception, with 10 Ambassadors and chargés d’affaires from countries which have close ties to Wales invited.
