Wales has an ancient history that few know about. Although it is currently a country within the United Kingdom, Wales was once independent, with a rich past steeped in old legends and a rich royal family tree.
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Ancient Welsh Dynasties
The kingdoms and dynasties of ancient Wales date back to the 5th century. They emerged after the Romans left Britain following almost 400 years of presence in the region. The withdrawal was, in large part, due to the imminent fall of the Western Roman Empire. Although the fall wouldn’t be until 476 CE, the Roman Empire began consolidating its resources early on.
Hence, the independent kingdoms of Wales came out of the remnants of the Roman occupation. The changing social strata of post-Roman Britain led to opportunistic few forging their paths in Middle Age Wales.
The Welsh kingdoms of the Middle Ages included those of…
- Brycheiniog
- Ceredigion
- Dyfed
- Gwynedd
- Morgannwg
- Powys
Other minor “kingdoms” existed, as well. Of the above listed, Gwynedd is remembered as being the most prominent of the kingdoms. At its peak, the Kingdom of Gwynedd consisted of most of northern and central Wales.
The most influential families of the time included the House of Gwynedd, its branches of Cunedda and Aberffraw, the House of Dinefwr, and Dinefwr’s Mathrafal branch. The all-too-familiar Tudors of English history were also descendants of the Gwynedds through the Tudurs of Penmynydd. According to the bards of old, the nobility of Wales could directly trace their lineage to the “fifteen tribes of Gwynedd.”
Key Figures
These include those who ruled Wales before English occupation and incorporation.
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great was the King of Gwynedd from 1195 to 1240. He belonged to the Welsh Aberffraw Dynasty. By 1210, Llywelyn had successfully consolidated power within the Welsh monarchy. Though his early rule saw him forging alliances with the likes of John of England (even marrying his daughter, Joan), their diplomatic relationships rapidly declined as the Norman invasion of Wales progressed.
Through savvy political dealings and tactful warfare when necessary, Llywelyn the Great is remembered as one of the greatest Welsh kings. One such alliance was drawn up in 1218 with John of England’s son and successor, King Henry III. The Treaty of Worcester allowed Llyweyn to maintain his favorable status within Wales with little interference from England and their Marcher Lords.
Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndŵr reigned as the Prince of Wales for 15 years, between 1400 and 1415. Before then, Owain was a soldier and the heir to the Kingdoms of Powys and Gwynedd and the realm of Deheubarth as a member of the House of Mathrafal. Despite his apparent inheritance, Owain served in the army of the English king, Richard II.
After a series of wrongs imposed on Owain and his kin by Richard’s successor, King Henry IV, he proclaimed himself the Prince of Wales and stated that he would be the one to free Wales from English rule. Thus, a series of rebellions led by Owain Glyndŵr would be staged against the English Crown in a culmination of events known as the Last Welsh War of Independence. The fighting lasted 15 years before Owain suddenly vanished, leaving many to speculate just what happened to the Prince of Wales. Regardless, the famous rebel prince is celebrated every September 16th on Owain Glyndŵr Day.
The Integration of Wales into the English Crown
Wales became integrated into the English Crown during the rule of Edward Longshanks (King Edward I) in 1284, though the struggle for Welsh independence would be revisited over centuries.
For background, the Norman invasion of Wales had been underway for 200 years, with Welsh princes and chieftains regularly challenging and resisting English rule. One such figure was Dafydd, the younger brother of the Prince of Wales, Llywelyn the Last. He stirred up a rebellion in 1282, which got many Welsh leaders involved in what was viewed as a national stand against the English occupation. Welsh resistance ended with the annexation of Wales as a principality under the Rhuddlan Statute in 1284 and the deaths of the last native-born Princes of Wales, Dafydd, and Llywelyn.
To efficiently integrate the ever-volatile nation into the Kingdom of England, Edward I invested his son, then-Prince Edward of Caernarfon, as the Prince of Wales in 1301. Edward I also instructed the English settlement efforts in Wales despite lingering tensions. Besides Glyndŵr’s Rebellion in the 15th century, Wales has since been a realm within England’s monarchy. The 16th century saw the Acts of Union executed by King Henry VIII’s Parliament, officially making Wales a part of the Kingdom of England.
Edward I and the Prince of Wales Title
Edward I’s conquest of Wales was brutal, as most conquests are. The massive 13th-century event saw the collapse of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and different influential Welsh royal houses. In 1301, he granted his eldest Welsh-born son, Edward of Caernarfon, Welsh lands along with the title, the “Prince of Wales.”
Styling Edward as the Prince of Wales was an effort on the English king’s part to appease the Welsh who had lost their independence along with Princes Dafydd and Llywelyn. He was also hoping that having lands to pay tribute to Edward would make the princeling more financially independent since a majority of his funds came from the Crown’s treasury.
Welsh Identity Under English Rule
If we can say anything for certain regarding the Welsh, it is that they are a resilient people. After English settlement and the Acts of Union of 1535 and 1542, the people of Wales were expected to follow foreign English laws. These laws forbade Welshmen from holding political and religious offices, practically stripping them of any say they had in their public and personal lives. The rebellion of Glyndŵr only made restrictions worse.
The Welsh language, miraculously, survived despite English efforts, with Welsh national parties in the 20th century making a huge push to have the language recognized and taught. Struggles with Welsh identity under English rule continued into the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Although traditional celebrations like the eisteddfod have been kept over the years, not all of Wales’ cultural practices have been so lucky.
The Title “Prince of Wales” in the British Monarchy
As one can probably guess, the title of “Prince of Wales” is a bit controversial within the British monarchy, and it all goes back to the subjugation of the Welsh by the English in the 13th century. The first English Prince of Wales, Edward of Caernarfon, was named so by his father King Edward I only after the death of Llywelyn the Last. Coincidentally, all Princes of Wales since 1301 have been English and, traditionally, the future monarchs of England.
The title has continued to be in use for the sake of, well, tradition. Why else does anybody do anything? The “Prince of Wales” title was to reflect the unity between the two nations and their shared history. It has also been historically used to somewhat ensure Welsh loyalty and cooperation with the English Crown.
Modern Princes of Wales
The Prince of Wales, as with most other royal titles, has been somewhat modernized since the 20th century. The then-Prince Charles was the first royal and English Prince of Wales to study the Welsh language and culture in preparation for his investiture. That is to say, King Charles is rather familiar with quite a bit of Welsh, enough to at least hold a conversation. His predecessors would have likely been shocked at the idea!
The son of King Charles, Prince William, has turned down the idea of an investiture ceremony out of respect for Welsh citizens. He also speaks Welsh and has taken an active role within Wales, but again, his and his father’s presence in Wales has mixed reviews. It would seem that the position of the Prince of Wales has gradually become one of understanding the Welsh plight, which means not flexing the Crown’s authority and celebrating Welsh history.
Prince Charles (now King Charles III)
King Charles III was the Prince of Wales from 1958 until 2022 – 64 whole years! He became the Prince of Wales in 1958 when he was 10 years old, with an investiture ceremony held in 1969 at Caernarfon Castle.
The ceremony itself was publicly televised and filled with unmistakable royal grandeur. It was, however, against the backdrop of a growing nationalist movement in Wales. While British tabloids excitedly penned how Wales adored their Prince, nationalist groups like the Coifa 1282 (Remember 1282) and others held protests against the investiture. The wholly unpleasant experience led to Charles confiding in others that he never wished for his son to have to go through what he did at Caernarfon. Thus, many people were shocked when Prince William was named Prince of Wales just a day after Charles was made King after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
As the Prince of Wales, Charles was not expected to have any specific job. It was, and is, a title of the heir to the throne with no real strings attached. However, Charles rapidly became a working royal, taking to duties like a duck to water. He customarily became a member of the House of Lords in 1970 and formed several charities during his time as Prince of Wales.
Prince William (Current Prince of Wales)
Prince William is the oldest son of Charles and his first wife, Lady Diana Spencer. He was formerly known as the Duke of Cambridge. Upon the death of his grandmother in 2022, William’s status was elevated to that of the Prince of Wales. Since being made the Prince of Wales, William has refused to hold an investiture ceremony.
Since becoming the Prince of Wales, William has made a conscious effort to enlighten himself on Welsh politics and government. He, frequently accompanied by his wife, makes regular trips to the country for official duties and more casual endeavors. In his visits to Wales, William has joined others in celebrating Welsh culture, acted as a royal representative at sporting events, and toured Royal Air Force bases and compounds in Anglesey.
The Current Royal Family of Wales
The current royal family of Wales includes important members of the wider British royal family. As such, the heir apparent, Prince William, his wife, Princess Catherine, and their three young children act as representatives of Wales within the British monarchy and on the international stage. Although the royal family of Wales does not have to perform any specific duty, the Prince and Princess are involved in several charities. As the future monarchs, they also assist King Charles III in fulfilling royal engagements.
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton were married in the royal wedding of the century in 2011. Thereafter, they became known to the public as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It wasn’t until 11 years later, in 2022, that they were fashioned as the Prince and Princess of Wales. With their titles, the royal couple are identified as the next presumptive monarchs of the United Kingdom.
As the Prince and Princess of Wales, Will and Kate (as the media has taken to calling them) take on many charitable works and fulfill engagements in the place of King Charles III. They, more than anything else, are expected to act as intermediaries between the Welsh public and the British Crown.
Renewed debate over the title has erupted following William becoming Prince of Wales in 2022, with the nationalist left-wing Plaid Cymru party suggesting that the royals have no place in Wales. A petition had even begun to end the title out of respect for the people of the country and its complicated history with England.
Succession
Since the Prince of Wales is an inherited title saved for the heir to the English throne, the eldest child of Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales, Prince George, will inherit the title upon his father’s ascension. Before Will and Kate adopted the titles in 2022, they belonged to King Charles and each of his respective spouses, Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker-Bowles. Such a tradition is comparable to the titled heir of The Netherlands, known as the Prince – or Princess – of Orange.
Welsh Symbolism in the Royal Family
Welsh symbolism has been present in the British royal family since at least the 15th century, during the reign of the House of Tudor. It was during the bloody War of the Roses that the Tudors doubled down on their Welsh ancestry to play on the public’s hope that the messianic “Mab Darogan” (the “Promised One”) would come from their line. While the Tudors did give us the Golden Age of England through Queen Elizabeth I, they didn’t care much to set Wales free of the English yoke.
The most famous use of Welsh symbolism within the British royal family is the Red Dragon or Y Ddraig Goch. Also called the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr, it appears on the Welsh flag and the coat of arms for the Prince of Wales.
The Red Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch)
The Red Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) has been associated with Wales since the rule of Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon, a Gwynedd king, in the 7th century. Cadwaladr himself became the subject of ancient prophecies made by – get this – Merlin that suggested his administration would herald an age of restoration in Britain. During this supposed age, descendants of a mythical King Brutus (of Troy) would reign. Undoubtedly, the Red Dragon is heavily associated with Cadwaladr and the foretellings of great power related to him.
By the 15th century, the symbol of the Welsh Red Dragon was used by claimants to the British throne in the War of the Roses as a means to validate their suits. More specifically, the Tudors asserted themselves as descendants of Cadwaladr and implied their right to rule all of Britain came from that bloodline as the Mab Darogan. King Henry VII went as far as to add the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr to his official coat of arms. From then on, it became a standard feature on the coat of arms for the Princes of Wales.
Welsh Titles and Ceremonies
The investiture ceremony is a formal event exclusive to the Prince of Wales. It is meant to formally acknowledge his rank and recognize him as the next in line to the British throne. All British heirs have gone through an investiture ceremony since Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII) in 1911. Despite the public outcry in Wales over the title, the investiture ceremony was a means to try and reunite Wales with the UK while celebrating Welsh traditions.
Prince William, the current Prince of Wales, does not plan to have an investiture ceremony. With an increased awareness of Welsh national identity over the years, there is a likelihood – an admittedly very small likelihood, that is – that the “Prince of Wales” could be phased out of use. Until then, Prince George of Wales remains the next presumptive Prince of Wales after his father.
Other Welsh peerage titles live on within the English elite, such as the Earl of Snowdon, the Marquess of Carnarvon, and the Viscount Severn. Although just as crucial to Welsh identity because of their historical significance, peerage titles are handled by the monarch and not always bestowed upon someone native to Wales.
Wrapping Up the Wales Royal Family Tree
To tie everything up, let us say that the Welsh royal family tree is historically linked to that of British royalty. Royal intermarriage aside, Wales was a principality of England before becoming a part of the kingdom. It had its own laws and government before the Norman invasion (which was a slow process) and technically up until the Acts of Union. Before then, the country had its own kingdoms and princes, including a “Prince of Wales.”
While the title of “Prince of Wales” continues to have historical and cultural importance to the Welsh, it is a far cry from the role it once was. And, if anything, it acts as a frequent reminder of English occupation.
Now, we don’t know what exactly the future holds. The most current Prince of Wales was titled in 2022 when his father became king. Whether or not the use of the title continues onto the next generation of British royalty is unknown. After all, with history taking place around us every day, anything is possible.