Prince William, who has big plans to change the monarchy, surprised the Firm by rejecting the idea of holding a major ceremony, a stark contrast to what his father, King Charles, did.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles ascended the throne and passed the title of Prince of Wales to his eldest son and heir to the throne. The king’s courtiers had planned to hold a ceremony at St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, but this was cancelled.
In Charles’s time, a grand ceremony was held at Caernarfon Castle to announce his promotion. This ceremony was broadcast live to 19 million people in the UK and 500 million worldwide.
As a result, William’s plans caused a real frenzy behind the palace gates, according to royal author Robert Hardman.
“On becoming Prince of Wales, he [William] had not only excluded an inauguration, like that of his father in 1969, but even a religious service,” he revealed in his book. In Elizabeth II: In Private. In public. The inside story.
He shared that the notion was so new that the government went so far as to consult Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, about plans for the ceremony to ensure there were no objections. However, “the idea never made it beyond Prince William’s desk.”
A member of Prince William’s team said “it was never something he wanted to do.”
Prince William and Princess Kate instead celebrated their new titles by visiting Anglesey, where they lived three years after their marriage, and Swansea.
