Roles and responsibilities
The Prince of Wales currently has no formal public role or responsibility that has been legislated by Parliament or otherwise delegated by the Monarchy. Charles, as the Prince of Wales, is the present Duke of Cornwall, responsible for the duchy of Cornwall.
History
For most of the post-Roman period, Wales was divided into several smaller states. Before the Norman conquest of England, the most powerful Welsh ruler at any given time was generally known as King of the Britons. In the 12th century and the 13th century, this title evolved into Prince of Wales.[citation needed] In Latin, the new title was "Princeps Wallie", and in Welsh it was "Tywysog Cymru". The literal translation of "Tywysog" is "Leader". (The verb tywys means to lead, which shares a common root with the modern Irish for prime minister, the Taoiseach.)
Only a handful of native princes had their claim to be Prince of Wales recognised by the English Crown. The first known to have used the title was Owain Gwynedd, finally adopting it around 1165 after earlier using 'rex Walie' (King of Wales). His grandson Llywelyn the Great is not known to have used the title 'Prince of Wales' as such, although his use, from around 1230, of the style 'Prince of Aberffraw, Lord of Snowdon' was tantamount to a proclamation of authority over most of Wales. In 1240, the title was theoretically inherited by his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn, though he is not known to have used it, reverting instead to 'Prince of Wales' around 1244. In 1246, his nephew Llywelyn the Last (or Llywelyn ap Gruffydd) succeeded to the Welsh throne, and used the style as early as 1258. In 1282, Llywelyn was killed during Edward I of England's invasion of Wales, and although his brother Dafydd ap Gruffudd succeeded to the Welsh princeship, issuing documents as prince, his principate was not recognised by the English Crown.
Three Welshmen, however, claimed the title of Prince of Wales during the medieval era.
The first was Madog ap Llywelyn, a member of the house of Gwynedd, who led a nationwide revolt in 1294-5, defeating English forces in battle near Denbigh and seizing Caernarfon castle. His revolt was suppressed, however, after the Battle of Maes Moydog in March 1295, and the prince imprisoned in London.
In the 1370s, Owain Lawgoch, an English-born descendant of one of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's brothers, claimed the title of Prince of Wales, but was assassinated in France in 1378 before he could return to Wales to claim his inheritance.
It is Owain Glyndr, however, whom many Welsh people regard as being the last native Prince. On September 16, 1400, he was proclaimed Prince of Wales by his supporters, and held parliaments at Harlech Castle and elsewhere during his revolt, which encompassed all of Wales. It was not until 1409 that his revolt in quest of Welsh independence was suppressed by Henry IV.
The tradition of investing the heir of the monarch of Britain with the title of "Prince of Wales" is usually considered to have begun in 1301, when King Edward I of England, having completed the conquest of Wales, gave the title to his heir, Prince Edward (later King Edward II of England). According to myth, the king had promised the Welsh that he would name "a prince born in Wales, who did not speak a word of English" and then produced his infant son to their surprise (and presumable chagrin). However, the story may well be apocryphal, as it can only be traced to the 16th century, and, in the time of Edward I, the English aristocracy spoke Norman French, not English (some versions of the legend include lack of knowledge in both languages as a requirement, and one reported version has the very specific phrase "born on Welsh soil and speaking no other language"). However, Edward II certainly was born at Caernarfon while his father was campaigning in Wales, and like all infants, could not at the time speak English or any other language.
Interestingly, William Camden writing in 1607 states in his book Britannia that originally the title "Prince of Wales" was not conferred automatically upon the eldest living son of the King of England because Edward II (who had been the first English prince of Wales) neglected to invest his eldest son, the future Edward III, with that title. It was Edward III who revived the practice of naming the eldest son Prince of Wales which was then maintained by his successors:
But King Edward the Second conferred not upon his sonne Edward the title of Prince of Wales, but onely the name of Earle of Chester and of Flint, so farre as ever I could learne out of the Records, and by that title summoned him to Parliament, being then nine yeres old. King Edward the Third first created his eldest sonne Edward surnamed the Blacke Prince, the Mirour of Chivalrie (being then Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester), Prince of Wales by solemne investure, with a cap of estate and Coronet set on his head, a gold ring put upon his finger, and a silver vierge delivered into his hand, with the assent of Parliament.
Nevertheless, according to conventional wisdom since 1301 the Prince of Wales has usually been the eldest living son of the King or Queen Regnant of England (subsequently of Great Britain, 1707, and of the United Kingdom, 1801). The word "living" is important. Following the death of Prince Arthur, the Prince of Wales, Henry VII invested his second son, the future Henry VIII, with the title--although only after it was clear that Arthur's wife, Catherine of Aragon, was not pregnant. The title is not automatic; it merges into the Crown when a prince accedes to the throne, or lapses on his death leaving the sovereign free to re-grant it should another candidate qualify, such as an heir-apparent other than the eldest living son, such as that deceased eldest son's eldest son (for example, George III).
The Principality of Wales, nowadays, is always conferred along with the Earldom of Chester. The convention began in 1399; all previous Princes of Wales also received the earldom, but separately from the Principality. Indeed, before 1272 a hereditary and not necessarily royal Earldom of Chester had already been created several times, eventually merging in the crown each time. The earldom was recreated, merging in the Crown in 1307 and again in 1327. Its creations since have been associated with the creations of the Principality of Wales.
Heraldic insignia
The "Prince of Wales's Feathers". This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. The German motto "Ich dien" means "I serve."
As heir apparent to the reigning sovereign, the Prince of Wales bears the Royal Arms differenced by a white label of three points. To represent Wales he bears the Coat of Arms of the Principality of Wales, crowned with the heir-apparent's crown, on an inescutcheon-en-surtout. This was first used by the future King Edward VIII in 1910, and followed by the current Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.
He has a badge of three ostrich feathers (which can be seen on the reverse of the previous design for decimal British two pence coins dated up to 2008); it dates back to the Black Prince and is his as the English heir even before he is made Prince of Wales.
In addition to these symbols used most frequently, he has a special standard for use in Wales itself. Moreover, as Duke of Rothesay he has a special coat of arms for use in Scotland (and a corresponding standard); as Duke of Cornwall the like for use in the Duchy of Cornwall. Representations of all three may be found at List of British flags.
For theories about the origin of the ostrich feather badge and of the motto "Ich dien" (German: "I serve"), see Prince of Wales's feathers.
Other titles and investiture
The Principality of Wales and Earldom of Chester must be created, and are not automatically acquired like the Duchy of Cornwall, which is the Heir Apparent's title in England, and the Dukedom of Rothesay, Earldom of Carrick, and High Stewardship of Scotland, which are the Heir Apparent's titles in Scotland. The dignities are not hereditary, but may be re-created if the Prince of Wales predeceases the King. For example, when Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales predeceased King George II, his eldest son, Prince George (the future George III) was created Prince of Wales. The heir apparent is only Duke of Cornwall if he is the sovereign's eldest living son; hence the future George III, grandson of George II, did not receive this title. See Duke of Cornwall for more details.
If holder of the Dukedom of York, the traditional title for the monarch's second son, becomes Heir Apparent on the death of an older brother, he is entitled to retain that title. Prince Henry (later Henry VIII), Prince Charles (later Charles I) and Prince George (later George V) were all second sons, and were therefore already Duke of York when they received the Principality of Wales.
Following the reversion of the Earldom of Chester to the crown, in 1254 Henry III passed the Lordship of Chester (but not the title of Earl) to his son Edward, who as Edward I bestowed the Earldom of Chester on his son Edward when he created him the first Prince of Wales in 1301. The Duchy of Cornwall was first created by Edward III for his son Edward, the Black Prince in 1337.
The Earldom of Carrick merged into the crown of Scotland with the accession in 1306 of the Earl of Carrick, Robert the Bruce, who transferred the title to his son David in 1328 (the title became automatically subsidiary to the Dukedom of Rothesay in 1469); the High Stewardship merged into the crown with the accession of Robert, 7th High Steward of Scotland as Robert III in 1371; the Dukedom of Rothesay was created by Robert III of Scotland for his son David in 1398. All three of these titles merged with the Principality in the same person after the personal union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603 with the accession of James VI of Scotland as James I of England, with the first Prince of Wales to receive them being his son Henry Frederick (subsequently an incorporating union created a single British crown in 1707).
Princes of Wales may be invested, but investiture is not necessary to be created Prince of Wales. Peers were also invested, but investitures for peers ceased in 1621, during a time when peerages were being created so frequently that the investiture ceremony became cumbersome. Most investitures for Princes of Wales were held in front of Parliament, but in 1911, the future Edward VIII was invested in Caernarvon Castle in Wales. The present Prince of Wales was also invested there, in 1969. During the reading of the letters patent creating the Prince, the Honours of the Principality of Wales are delivered to the Prince. The coronet of the heir-apparent bears four-crosses patte alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, surmounted by a single arch (the Sovereign's crowns are of the same design, but use two arches). A gold rod is also used in the insignia; gold rods were formally used in the investitures of dukes, but survive now in the investitures of Princes of Wales only. Also part of the insignia are a ring, a sword and a robe.
"Heir Apparent" vs. "Heir Presumptive"
The title Prince of Wales is given only to the heir apparent that is, a male who cannot be displaced in the succession to the throne by any future birth. This would be the eldest son of the monarch, or, if he is deceased, his eldest son, and so on, or if the monarch's eldest son has died without issue, the monarch's second eldest son, etc.
In countries that practice male primogeniture, a daughter or sibling of the sovereign who is currently next in line to the throne is not the "heir apparent" because they would be displaced in the succession by any future legitimate son of the sovereign: they are instead the "heir or heiress presumptive" and cannot therefore take the title of Prince (or Princess) of Wales in their own right. Hence there was no heir apparent during the reign of George VI, who had no sons: Princess Elizabeth was heiress presumptive, and was hence not eligible to be titled Princess of Wales (the option of bestowing that title on her was considered and rejected). It is possible in certain rare circumstances for an heir apparent to be female and there seems no reason why such an heir apparent could not not be made Princess of Wales in her own right. However, this situation has never occurred in practice.
List of Princes of Wales
Prince of Wales as independent title
Picture
Name
Heir of
Birth
Became Prince of Wales
Ceased to be Prince of Wales
Death
Other titles while Prince of Wales
Princess of Wales
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
N/A
son of Iorwerth ab Owain Gwynedd
c.1173
1218
April 11, 1240
King of Gwynedd,
Prince of Southern Powys
Joan
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
N/A
son of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
c. 1208
April 11, 1240
February 25, 1246
King of Gwynedd,
Prince of Southern Powys
Isabella de Braose
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
N/A
son of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
c.1223
February 25, 1246
December 11, 1282
killed in battle.
King of Gwynedd
Eleanor de Montfort
Prince of Wales as title of English Heir-apparent
Picture
Name
Heir of
Birth
Became Heir to the Throne
Created Prince of Wales
Ceased to be Prince of Wales
Death
Other titles while Prince of Wales
Princess of Wales
Edward of Caernarfon
later Edward II
Edward I
April 25, 1284
August 19, 1284
February 7, 1301
7 July 1307
became King
September 21, 1327
Count of Ponthieu, Earl of Chester
Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince
Edward III
June 15, 1330
May 12, 1343
June 8, 1376
Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall
Joan of Kent
Richard of Bordeaux
later Richard II
January 6, 1367
June 8, 1376
November 20, 1376
June 22, 1377
became King
February 14, 1400
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Henry of Monmouth
later Henry V
Henry IV
September 16, 1387
September 30, 1399
October 15, 1399
March 21, 1413
became King
August 31, 1422
Duke of Lancaster, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Owain Glyndr
Picture
Name
Heir of
Birth
Became Prince of Wales
Ceased to be Prince of Wales
Death
Other titles while Prince of Wales
Princess of Wales
Owain Glyndr
N/A
1359
September 16, 1400
c.1415
conquest
Unknown
Tywysog of Powys Fadog, Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain
Margaret Hanmer
Modern princes of Wales
Picture
Name
Heir of
Birth
Became Heir to the Throne
Created Prince of Wales
Ceased to be Prince of Wales
Death
Other titles while Prince of Wales
Princess of Wales
Edward of Westminster
Henry VI
October 13, 1453
March 15, 1454
April 11, 1471 Father deposed
May 4, 1471
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Anne Neville
Edward of the Sanctuary
later Edward V
Edward IV
November 4, 1470
April 11, 1471
June 26, 1471
April 9, 1483
became King
1483?
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Edward of Middleham
Richard III
1473
1483
August 24, 1483
April 9, 1484
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Earl of Salisbury
Arthur Tudor
Henry VII
September 20, 1486
November 29, 1489
April 2, 1502
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Catherine of Aragon
Henry Tudor
later Henry VIII
June 28, 1491
April 2, 1502
February 18, 1504
April 22, 1509
became King
January 28, 1547
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Duke of York
Edward Tudor
later Edward VI
Henry VIII
October 12, 1537
October 1537
January 28, 1547
became King
July 6, 1553
Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester
Henry Frederick Stuart
James I
February 19, 1594
March 24, 1603
June 4, 1610
November 6, 1612
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Charles Stuart
later Charles I
November 19, 1600
November 6, 1612
November 4, 1616
March 27, 1625
became King
January 30, 1649
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Duke of York, Duke of Albany, Marquess of Ormonde, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Ross, Lord Ardmannoch, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Charles Stuart
later Charles II
Charles I
May 29, 1630
declared c. 1638-1641
January 30, 1649
title abolished
(became King 1660)
February 6, 1685
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
James Francis Edward Stuart
James II
June 10, 1688
c. July 4, 1688
December 11, 1688
Father deposed
January 1, 1766
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
George Augustus
later George II
George I
November 10, 1683
August 1, 1714
September 27, 1714
June 11, 1727
became King
October 25, 1760
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Milford Haven, Viscount Northallerton, Baron Renfrew, Baron Tewkesbury, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Caroline of Ansbach
Frederick Louis
George II
February 1, 1707
June 11, 1727
January 8, 1729
March 31, 1751
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Duke of Edinburgh, Marquess of the Isle of Ely, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Eltham, Viscount Launceston, Baron Renfrew, Baron Snowdon, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
George William Frederick
later George III
June 4, 1738
March 31, 1751
April 20, 1751
October 25, 1760
became King
January 29, 1820
Duke of Edinburgh, Marquess of the Isle of Ely, Earl of Chester, Earl of Eltham, Viscount Launceston, Baron Snowdon
George Augustus Frederick
later George IV
George III
August 12, 1762
August 19, 1762
January 29, 1820
became King
June 26, 1830
Prince Regent, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Caroline of Brunswick
Albert Edward
later Edward VII
Victoria
November 9, 1841
December 8, 1841
January 22, 1901
became King
May 6, 1910
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Dublin, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Alexandra of Denmark
George
later George V
Edward VII
June 3, 1865
January 22, 1901
November 9, 1901
May 6, 1910
became King
January 20, 1936
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Duke of York, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Inverness, Baron Renfrew, Baron Killarney, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Mary of Teck
Edward
later Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor
George V
June 23, 1894
May 6, 1910
June 23, 1910
January 20, 1936
became King
May 28, 1972
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Charles
Elizabeth II
November 14, 1948
February 6, 1952
July 26, 1958
Incumbent
Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Lady Diana Spencer;
Camilla Shand (latter does not use title "Princess of Wales")
References
^ britishflags.net- Prince of Wales
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Prince of Wales - Previous Princes
See also
List of rulers of Wales
Kings of the Britons
Princess of Wales
Duke of Cornwall
Duke of Rothesay
List of heirs to the English throne
List of heirs to the British throne
Princes of Wales' Consent
Prince of Wales tea blend
Ships of the Royal Navy named HMS Prince of Wales.
Prince of Wales, convict transport ship on First Fleet to Australia.
Prince of Wales Bridge, Ontario, Canada
Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada
Prince of Wales Secondary
House of Aberffraw
External links
The Prince of Wales (official website) which includes a list of and history of previous Princes of Wales since Llewelyn ap Gruffydd (aka Llewelyn the Last).
Monarchy Wales - leading campaign organisation
The Prince's Official Canadian Visit (2001)
"Saskatchewan Honours Future King" (2001)
The Straight Dope: How can I become Prince of Wales?
The Royal Family Tree of Europe
Portrait of The Prince of Wales by David Griffiths
Painting & Patronage
v d e
Princes of Wales
HRH The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (1958resent)
Edward II (13011307) Edward, the Black Prince (13431376) Richard II (13761377) Henry V (13991413) Edward of Westminster (14541471) Edward V (14711483) Edward of Middleham (14831484) Arthur Tudor (14891502) Henry VIII (15041509) Edward VI (15371547) Henry Frederick Stuart (16101612) Charles I (16161625) Charles II (16411649) James Francis Edward Stuart (1688) George II (17141727) Prince Frederick (17291751) George III (17511760) George IV (17621820) Edward VII (18411901) George V (19011910) Edward VIII (19101936)
v d e
British royal titles
Duke of Lancaster Duke of Edinburgh Prince & Princess of Wales, Duke & Duchess of Cornwall, Duke & Duchess of Rothesay Duke & Duchess of York Duke of Albany Duke of Gloucester Duke of Kent Duke of Windsor Duke of Clarence Duke of Cambridge Duke of Cumberland Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Duke of Sussex Earl of Wessex Princess Royal
Categories: Princes of Wales Welsh monarchs Princes of England Princes of Great Britain Princes of the United Kingdom Heirs to the throne Succession to the British crownHidden categories: Articles containing Welsh language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2008 Articles containing German language text I am China Manufacturers writer, reports some information about matboard , 11x14 picture frame.
Related Articles -
matboard, 11x14 picture frame,
|
