The beginning of a new reign meant a set of big new jobs for Prince William and Kate Middleton, who were announced as the Prince and Princess of Wales when King Charles III gave his first television address to the UK after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Though the title Prince of Wales is traditionally given to the oldest son of the monarch, it also usually means that its holder develops a close relationship with the nation and its legislature. To help further that aim, William made his first solo trip to Wales to visit the Senedd in Cardiff on Wednesday.
In a statement on the couple’s social media accounts, he explained the purpose of the visit to the country’s parliament—in English and in Welsh. “Great to be @SeneddWales today, hearing from members of the Senedd and Welsh Youth Parliament about the issues that matter most to communities across Wales,” it read.
According to People, William told lawmakers that he has no plans for a formal investiture ceremony, like the one Charles had in 1969. A source close to William told the magazine that he and Kate want to represent Wales in a way that is “authentic to them” and planning to take their time and learn how to best support the Welsh language and culture.
The nations that make up the United Kingdom usually compete separately in soccer and rugby, and the teams from England and Wales both qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar beginning next week. During his visit to the Senedd, William spoke to lawmakers about how he will be supporting both teams.
“I’m telling everyone I’m supporting both…I’ve supported England since I’ve been quite small. But I support Welsh rugby,” he said, per the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English. “I happily support Wales over England in the rugby so I’ve got to be able to play carefully with my affiliations. I worry otherwise if I suddenly drop England to support Wales then that doesn’t look right for the sport either. So I can’t do that.”
Though the official role is new, William and Kate are very familiar with Wales. They lived in the small island community of Anglesey from 2010 to 2013 while William completed his service with the Royal Air Force. In June, William and Kate brought their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louie, to Cardiff to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, where they attended a concert by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler.
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