WILLIAM IS THE PRINCE FOR WALES
ALARGE majority of people in Wales would like to see Prince William made the Prince of Wales in a public ceremony after his father has become King, an exclusive poll for the Western Mail has shown.
The result comes 52 years after a highly controversial investiture ceremony took place in Caernarfon Castle at which the title was conferred on Prince Charles.
Two Welsh nationalists blew themselves up as they planted a bomb on the railway line used by the Royal Family on the eve of the investiture in 1969 and there were many demonstrations against what was seen by opponents of the ceremony as a political event designed to quell demands for home rule in Wales.
Our new survey, undertaken by Welsh polling organisation Beaufort Research, showed that 61% responded Yes to the question, “When Prince Charles becomes King, would you like to see Prince William made the Prince of Wales at a public ceremony known as an investiture?”
Some 26% responded No and the remaining 13% said they didn’t know. Excluding “don’t knows”, there was a majority of 70% to 30% in favour of an investiture.
There were variations according to the region of Wales in which those sampled live, age and other socio-economic factors.
In north Wales, 66% were in favour of an investiture, with 25% against and 9% saying they didn’t know.
In mid and west Wales, there were also 66% in favour, with 19% against and 15% don’tknows.
In west south Wales, 60% were in favour, with 28% against and 12% don’t knows.
People in the Valleys split 56% in favour, 30% against and 14% saying they didn’t know.
In Cardiff and south east Wales, 57% were in favour, 29% against and 14% didn’t know.
Women were more enthusiastic about the idea of a public investiture than men, with 66% in favour, 21% against and 13% saying they didn’t know, found the poll. Some 56% of men were in favour, 32% against and 12% didn’t know.
The least enthusiastic of any group was those aged between 16 and 24, with 39% in favour, 38% against and 23% saying they didn’t know.
In the next age group up – people aged between 25 and 34 – there was a clear majority for the investiture, with 60% saying yes to an investiture, 23% no and 17% saying they didn’t know.
Among those aged 35 and 44, 64% were in favour, 27% against and 9% didn’t know.
Some 63% of those aged 45 to 54 backed a public investiture, 27% were against and 9% were don’t-knows.
Among 55- to 64-year-olds, 68% were in favour, 23% against and 9% didn’t know.
With those aged 65 and over, 66% wanted an investiture, 22% didn’t and 12% had no opinion.
In terms of social class, there was little difference in the results.
Those in the more prosperous ABC1 category and those in the less prosperous C2DE category both had 61% in favour.
Some 28% of ABC1s were against a public ceremony, with 10% saying they didn’t know.
Meanwhile, the proportion of C2DEs against was 23%, with 15% saying they didn’t know.
Fluent Welsh-speakers were marginally less likely to back an investiture than those who can’t speak the language, although 60% were in favour, with 31% against and 9% saying they didn’t know.
Among non-Welsh-speakers, 63% were in favour of an investiture, with 23% against and 14% without an opinion.
Responding to the poll’s findings, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said: “This poll only goes to show that the Welsh people are also proudly British, believe in the Royal Family, and are happy that our future King takes on the mantle of our nation’s Prince. Such a ceremony would demonstrate the importance of Wales and its role in the Union, and provides an excellent opportunity to market Wales on the world stage, which will be a massive boost to our tourism sector.”
A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: “Regardless of whether the people of Wales are for or against Prince William inheriting the title and a public investiture being held, they currently have no say in the matter.
“A wider democratic consultation should be held to give the people of Wales a real voice in the process.”
Neither the Welsh nor UK government wanted to comment.
A UK Government source said: “This is more for the Royals than it is for us at this stage. The UK Government wouldn’t dictate what happens around any investiture any more than a royal wedding or funeral.”
A spokeswoman for the Royal Family said: “We wouldn’t comment on issues of succession.”
■ Beaufort Research undertook fieldwork for the poll between June 14 and June 27. Some 1,000 interviews took place involving residents of Wales aged 16 and over. The results represent the views of a representative cross-section of the 16+ population.