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British royal family title (formerly native Welsh title)

Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru, ; Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the English and, later, British thrones. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Gwynedd who, from the late 12th century, used it (albeit inconsistently) to assert their supremacy over the other Welsh rulers. However, to mark the finalisation of his conquest of Wales, in 1301, Edward I of England invested his son Edward of Caernarfon with the title, thereby beginning the tradition of giving the title to the heir apparent when he was the monarch's son or grandson. The title was later claimed by the leader of a Welsh rebellion, Owain Glyndŵr, from 1400 until 1415. The current holder of the title is William, who was designated Prince of Wales by his father, King Charles III, on 9 September 2022, with formal letters patent issued on 13 February 2023. The title has, in recent years, become a point of controversy in Wales.

The first known use of the title 'prince of Wales' was in the 1160s by Owain Gwynedd, ruler of Gwynedd, in a letter to Louis VII of France. In the 12th century, Wales was a patchwork of Anglo Norman lordships and native Welsh principalities notably Deheubarth, Powys and Gwynedd competing among themselves for hegemony. Owain's aim in using the title in his letter to Louis was probably to claim pre eminence over the other native Welsh rulers. The context of the title (princeps Walliarum) was in reference to the titles of early Roman Emperors, in contrast to how it was later used under the English and British crowns for crown princes. Rhys used several titles, sometimes concurrently, and in two charters from the 1180s he is referred to as 'prince of Wales' or 'prince of the Welsh'. The title was revived in 1245 when Dafydd ap Llywelyn, ruler of Gwynedd, began using it in the final months of his reign. In the intervening years, Owen Gwynedd's successors in Gwynedd, including Dafydd, had, instead, adopted the titles 'prince of North Wales' or 'prince of Aberffraw and lord of Snowdon'. However, it is in the reign of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Dafydd's nephew and successor in Gwynedd, that the title is consistently used over an extended period. From 1262 Owain Lawgoch's abortive attempt at invading Wales in 1372 was followed by Glyndŵr's much more serious revolt beginning in 1400. Glyndŵr's rebellion commenced with his supporters proclaiming him prince of Wales. However, it is unclear how important this was in his initial objectives, given that his immediate motivation appears to have been a personal grievance with a neighbouring English lord. By 1401, he had effectively dropped his claim to the title. But, with the rebellion's military successes of 14021403 and the growth in his support in Wales, he became more ambitious. In 1404, he had himself crowned as prince of Wales and he launched plans to create the state institutions of a new principality. This phase of the revolt was short lived, however. By 1406, the rebellion began to fail militarily, and, from 1409, Glyndŵr had to exchange the trappings of a ruling prince for those of a hunted outlaw. He died in obscurity, probably around 1415.

The Prince of Wales's feathers are the badge of the Prince of Wales by virtue of being the heir apparent. The ostrich feathers are generally traced back to Edward of Woodstock ('The Black Prince'). He bore (as an alternative to his differenced royal arms) a shield of Sable, three ostrich feathers argent, described as his "shield for peace", probably meaning the shield he used for jousting. These arms appear several times on his chest tomb in Canterbury Cathedral, alternating with his paternal royal arms (the royal arms of King Edward III differenced by a label of three points argent). The Black Prince also used heraldic badges of one or more ostrich feathers in various other contexts.

In 1502, Henry Tudor (the future Henry VIII) took the title after the death of his older brother Arthur, who predeceased his father, King Henry VII. The same occurred in 1616, when Henry Frederick Stuart predeceased his father James I; Henry's brother Charles Stuart, later Charles I, took the title. The investiture was also attended, by invitation, by 3,500 people who lived and worked in Wales. In the UK, the press focused on the pomp and regalia, with newspaper headlines such as "Welsh go wild for Their Royal Prince" and "Proud Wales takes Prince to her heart." Thomas later said to Prime Minister Harold Wilson that Charles's speech had "boosted Welsh nationalism." The 1960s movement surrounding the investiture has historically been described as the "anti investiture movement" and "anti investiture sentiment". The investiture occurred during a period of revival of the Welsh national consciousness, with an outspoken section considering him as an English Prince being imposed upon Wales. The investiture also led to significant protests in Wales. The group "Cofia 1282" ("Remember 1282") also held protests against the investiture.

On 9 September 2022 (the day after his accession to the throne), during his first address as king, Charles III said of his son William, "Today I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru. The country whose title I've been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life of duty." Buckingham Palace stated that "The Prince and Princess [of Wales] look forward to celebrating Wales's proud history and traditions as well as a future that is full of promise". The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, noted that "William will be absolutely aware of the sensitivities that surround the title "

Charles III proclaimed William as Prince of Wales on 9 September 2022, the day after the death of Elizabeth II, surprising Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales, who said he had not been given notice of the announcement. The creation of a new Prince of Wales was the catalyst for a renewed debate on the title, and already, on 8 September, a petition had been started calling for the title to be ended. The petition had garnered 25,000 signatures in its first few days. Former Welsh Assembly presiding officer, Lord Elis Thomas, had also questioned the need for the title to continue, and recalled previous discussion with the then Prince Charles, who expressed his desire never again to have an investiture in Caernarfon Castle. According to Elis Thomas, Charles laughed and said, "Do you think I want to put William through what I went through?". The decision to grant William the title of Prince of Wales was criticised by the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru: Senedd member Cefin Campbell called the decision "divisive" and party leader Adam Price called for a public debate on the issue. The question raised by critics was one of respect for Wales as a country in its own right, and the continued symbol of the historical invasion and oppression of Wales. William pledged that he would serve Wales with humility and great respect for its people, and spoke of the honour he felt to do so. He signalled a desire to reform the role. The contemporary debate does not focus wholly on abolition, but explores how, if the title is to continue, it may be adapted to reflect the realities of the changing constitutional relationship with Wales. This includes the question of whether the Welsh Government should play a greater role in the appointments process, or whether there should be a Senedd ceremonial process to reflect the nation's governance over its own affairs.

A BBC Wales poll in 1999 showed that 73% of Welsh speakers believed the title should continue after Charles. A BBC poll in 2009, 40 years following the investiture, revealed 58% of Welsh people support the title "Prince of Wales"; 26% opposed the title. However, only 16% responded that Wales had benefited from having a prince. In July 2018, an ITV poll found that 57% of Welsh people supported the title passing to William, with 22% for abolition or vacating the title. Support for another investiture was lower, with 31% supporting a ceremony similar to the 1969 one, 18% supporting a ceremony different to 1969, and 27% opposing an investiture. In 2019, a BBC Wales poll showed that 50% supported the continuation of the title and 22% opposed. On the investiture, 41% supported a similar ceremony to 1969, 20% a different style investiture ceremony, and 30% opposed any future investiture. A 2021 poll by Beaufort Research for Western Mail showed 61% of respondents in Wales supported another investiture, including 60% of Welsh speakers polled. In June 2022, an ITV/YouGov poll showed that 46% of adults in Wales wanted the Prince of Wales title to continue, and 31% said it should be abolished. In September 2022, a YouGov poll showed 66% support for Prince William to be given the title compared to 22% opposed, with 19% supporting a 1969 style investiture, 30% a different style of investiture and 34% opposing any investiture of Prince William as Prince of Wales.