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Prince Charles at 60

The Prince of Wales

Prince Charles is the latest in a long line of heirs to the British throne who have enjoyed the title of Prince of Wales.

With the range of principalities that existed in Wales until the middle ages, it was rare that any one leader could argue to have united the nation under one banner and become a Prince of Wales in its entirety.

The title isn't automatic, however. It has to be created each time by the reigning monarch - and as such is not an hereditary title.

While the likes of Hywel Dda and Llywelyn ab Iorwerth came to rule vast swathes of Wales, it was only during Edward I's reign that Wales became a unified area under one monarch. But, it was an English monarch.

Edward, the scourge of Wales and the builder of many of castles used to subdue the population, imposed his infant son, Prince Edward, on the Welsh as their new prince in 1301.

Since then, only one domestic warlord, Owain Glyndwr has had a claim to the title, and was proclaimed as such in 1400.

His defeat in 1409 marked the end of domestic princes for good and, since then, the eldest son of the reigning monarch has been made Prince of Wales. (Daughters of the reigning monarch do not become Princess of Wales, as it is only given to a male heir.)

The title isn't automatic, however. It has to be created each time by the reigning monarch - and as such is not an hereditary title.

The first official Prince of Wales, the infant future King Edward II, was born in Caernarfon Castle, and in 1911 the future Edward VIII was invested in the castle when he became Prince of Wales.

Prince Charles was also invested in the castle when he given the title on July 1st, 1969. There were more than 4,000 people in the grounds of Caernarfon Castle when the Queen handed the 20-year-old prince the insignia of the Prince of Wales. In the dry moat and outside the ancient walls of the castle were thousands more, along with yet more millions who watched it on television around the world.


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