cardiff visit by king charles

King Charles III to carry out first official visit to Wales since The Queen's death

• Sunday 11 September 2022 at 9:48am

The King and Queen consort are to visit Wales next week, marking their first official visit to the nation since the death of Elizabeth II .

Charles and Camilla will travel to Cardiff on Friday (September 16), having already attended ceremonies in Belfast and Edinburgh.

Their trip around the UK is part of what is called Operation Spring Tide .

While in the Welsh capital for the accession visit, the royal couple will take part in a service at Llandaff Cathedral alongside senior faith leaders from communities across the city.

They will then head to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, to receive a Motion of Condolence.

This will be followed by a reception at Cardiff Castle where First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, and the Speaker of the Senedd, Elin Jones, will get a private audience with the King.

The King and Queen will then meet members of the public who have gathered inside the castle grounds.

Elizabeth II’s state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey the following Monday (September 19) at 11am, it has been confirmed.

The day of the funeral will be a bank holiday after approval by the King .

On their last trip to Wales in July, the then-Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall spent a week visiting areas and organisations across South Wales including Cardiff, Treorchy, Narberth and Hay-on-Wye.

The Proclamation of the new sovereign will be formally announced in Wales at noon on Sunday at Cardiff Castle.

Prior to the Proclamation, 26 men of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Welsh supported by the Band of the Royal Welsh and accompanied by the regimental mascot, a Welsh billy goat called Shenkin, will march from City Hall at 11.25am along Boulevard de Nantes, North Road and Duke Street to Cardiff Castle.

At the castle, the Wales Herald of Arms Extraordinary, Tom Lloyd, will make the announcement in English and the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, will proclaim King Charles in Welsh.

After the readings, members of 104th Regiment of the Royal Artillery will fire a 21-gun salute before the singing of God Save the King and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, Wales’ national anthem.

It will be the third time in three days that canon fire has resounded across the city to both mark the Queen’s death and her son Charles’s accession to the throne.

The castle gates will be open from 10am to members of the public wishing to attend the event.

Around 2,000 people will be allowed into the castle grounds on a first come, first served basis.

Charles was formally declared the nation’s new monarch at a ceremony at St James’s Palace, in London, on Saturday.

King Charles to join crowds in Cardiff after being longest serving Prince of Wales

Preparations have been taking place all week, with potholes being filled in and stages for the media set up across three sites.

West of England and Wales correspondent @danwnews

Friday 16 September 2022 14:28, UK

King Charles and the Queen Consort will make their first visit to Wales on Friday, with thousands expected to join the crowds at Cardiff Castle.

The royal couple will attend a remembrance service for Queen Elizabeth at Llandaff Cathedral, where they will be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan. They will also meet schoolchildren and members of the local community.

Following a motion of condolence at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, the King will then hold a private audience with the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, at Cardiff Castle, where the first 2,000 people in the queue will be allowed entry.

Queue to see Queen nearly five miles long - royal news latest updates

Preparations have been taking place all week, with potholes being filled in and stages for the media set up across the three sites.

Charles had his investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in North Wales in 1969.

"It was the big, formal introduction of Charles as this symbol - if you like - of Wales," says Dr Mari Wiliam, lecturer in modern history at Bangor University.

More on The King

King Charles could attend more engagements in April and May in what could be positive cancer treatment signal

King attends Easter Sunday service but Prince and Princess of Wales absent

The 'unconventional' love story of Charles and Camilla as they celebrate wedding anniversary

Related Topics:

"Opinion polls from the late 1960s show about 70% to 80% approval of Charles being invested as Prince of Wales - but there were also very vocal protests."

"I think in Welsh history we tend to focus a lot on the protest against Charles and not so much on how he tried to integrate himself with Wales and Welsh culture," she added.

As part of his preparations, King Charles spent 10 weeks studying Welsh language and history at Aberystwyth University.

Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, director of Welsh language and culture at the university, told Sky News that King Charles's time there was quite intensive.

He said: "You can see from his timetable - they were quite senior academic members of staff who were putting him through his paces in terms of Welsh literature, the Welsh language, Welsh history and they certainly made great progress with the young Charles."

Campaigns against the role of Prince of Wales

The royal title of the Prince of Wales dates back to England conquering the nation in the 13th century - and there have long been campaigns against the role, and for Welsh independence.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

In Caernarfon, there is a mix of opinion about Charles ascending to the throne. "I'm ambivalent," Richard Roberts told Sky News.

"I was 13 in 1969 when the investiture took place here and it was in the age when we started to question politics and the situation of Wales within the British Isles, so I'm quite ambivalent."

I ask whether he'll support Charles as King?

"No, not really, because I feel that the establishment does not respect my Wales," he replied.

But others in the town are in full support. Janine Brown said: "I was very upset about the passing of the Queen, she had been in our lives for such a long time and I'm a big fan of the Queen and the Royal Family."

"I'm glad that he's got his opportunity to become King, it's as it should be, obviously in sad circumstances but I think he'll make a good King," she added.

'I welcome the King'

James Cook, who works in a cafe on the high street, thinks the people of Wales will support Charles. He said: "It's a role he's been looking to take over for many years.

"I sympathise with the loss of Her Majesty but I welcome the King. He's always had the role of the Prince of Wales - I think he has got the support [of the people of Wales]."

Read more: The Gloucestershire estate beloved by King Charles Will Charles bring a different kind of reign? King Charles in pictures - the life of the royal Charles meets crowds in Northern Ireland

A survey by Cardiff University found 55% of people support having a monarchy, but 28% would rather have an elected head of state.

Dr Marion Loeffler, reader in Welsh history at Cardiff University, says the visit to Cardiff will be an important milestone.

"Not only for those who support the monarchy in Wales, but also for those who stand on the sidelines who are undecided and want to see how King Charles is going to engage with us here in Wales.

"Whether the reign of King Charles will strengthen or weaken the Welsh independence movement will depend very much on how he relates to the Welsh people and I would say negotiation, caution and listening to the people is very much the order of the day."

Related Topics

How King Charles Is Breaking With Royal Tradition in a Major Way

K ing Charles III has piqued the interest of royal fans by offering tours of private rooms at Balmoral Castle for the first time since its completion.

The lucrative tours , taking place between July 1 and Aug. 4, set buyers back £100 ($126.34) or £150 ($189.51) for a package including afternoon tea. Highlighting the demand, tickets sold out in a single day . Sets of 40 tickets per day were first advertised on Wednesday, and by Thursday they had all gone. 

Balmoral Castle , located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is an intimate site for members of the royal family; it’s the monarch’s summer home, it’s where Prince William and Prince Harry learned of their mother’s fatal car crash in 1997, and it’s the beloved residence where Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, after 70 years on the throne.  

Before now, tours had only offered a glimpse of the ballroom, as well as the castle grounds and gardens. But with King Charles’ permission, history buffs can expect an interior tour that spans the Victorian era to the present day. Groups of 10 people per tour will “learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family,” according to Balmoral’s ticketing page. 

The tour will still include a visit to the ballroom, where the King’s watercolor collection is on display, which depicts scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove, and Sandringham. Visitors can also explore outfits worn by the King and Queen Camilla, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mother.

Balmoral is the private property of the monarch, and it is not attached to the Crown estate. The tours are scheduled to end just before the King and Queen arrive for their 2024 summer break at the residence.

The Highlands home has been a royal haven since 1852, when it was officially purchased by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, for £32,000, which equates to £3.7 million today ($4.7 million), according to the Bank of England calculator . The royal couple decided to expand the castle, believing it to be too small for their family. The works were completed sometime between 1855 and 1856, and the old building was then demolished.

As it currently stands, the estate covers 50,000 acres and consists of 150 buildings, including the King’s house at Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge. The granite castle itself reportedly has 167 rooms, with 52 bedrooms, according to the Guardian , which estimated in 2023 that the estate could be worth £80 million ($101 million).

The tour comes as Buckingham Palace also prepares to welcome visitors to its East Wing for the first time . Special guided tours will take place throughout July and August, following five years of improvement renovations.  

Like Balmoral, the East Wing carried significance for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as it was first occupied by their family after its creation between 1847 and 1849. It is now used for official meetings and events, and includes the palace’s facade and balcony, where monarchs have appeared alongside their family for historic appearances since 1851.

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
• Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
• The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
• The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
• Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
• The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Armani Syed at [email protected]

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set for olive branch as King Charles 'wants to see Archie and Lilibet'

Watch: Prince Harry faces 'opportunity' to heal royal rift after King's cancer diagnosis

By Hannah Ross

Published: 12/04/2024

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet did not visit the UK in 2023

A source has claimed that the King could invite the Sussex family to Balmoral Castle

• King Charles has only met his granddaughter Princess Lilibet one time
• Have your say: Would you like to see Archie and Lilibet visit the UK? Just click the comment button above now

Don't Miss

'churchill would spin' furious clash over echr 'suppressing' democracy in uk after brexit, 'netflix wants their pound of flesh' harry and meghan announce two new non-fiction series, harry's close mate dubbed 'david beckham of polo' could star in royal's netflix series, full list of marks and spencer store closures for 2024, william feels 'beatrice is pivotal to royal family' but princess fears 'she has ruined it', william breaks silence with first message since kate's cancer announcement, meghan and harry mocked as netflix projects revealed: 'trying to bleed talent from a stone', horner gives halliwell relationship update to ecclestone as red bull saga continues, urgent health warning as killer victorian disease surges in england, trending on gb news, prince william's 'older brother' figure in royal family is 'supporting' him amid kate's cancer.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set for an olive branch as King Charles ‘wants to see Archie and Lilibet.’

A source has claimed that the King could invite Prince Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to “reunite with his grandchildren.”

The monarch has only seen his grandson, Prince Archie on a few occasions and met Princess Lilibet in person once.

The source said: “I can see Charles desperately wanting to see the children, and extending this olive branch to Meghan and Harry. He may decide that life is just too short.”

Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet did not visit the UK in 2023

The source told Page Six: “Balmoral is truly the perfect, restful place for a reunion. If he does issue an invite, then Harry and Meghan should surely agree to the visit.”

Balmoral is widely referred to as the late Queen’s favourite residence and Harry spoke fondly of his love for Balmoral in his memoir, Spare.

He said: “To me, Balmoral was always simply Paradise…What I’m trying to say is, I was happy there.”

Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK in May for an Invictus Games event, but it is not confirmed if Meghan and their children will accompany him.

King Charles met his granddaughter, Lilibet, for the first time during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the late Queen Elizabeth in June 2022.

The source said about the encounter: “It was a fantastic visit and, of course, the king was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time.”

Prince Harry returned to the UK in February this year to meet with his father, the King, shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer.

The duke and Charles had a 45-minute meeting at Clarence House, but Harry did not see the Prince or Princess of Wales during his short visit.

The Duchess of Sussex and their children remained in the US at their home in California for the duration of Harry’s trip.

Meghan has not visited the UK since the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022.

She has remained in the US for several trips that Harry has taken to the UK including the prince’s visit for the WellChild awards ceremony in London last September.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet also did not visit the UK in 2023.

LATEST ROYAL NEWS:

• Meghan's ex-best friend reacts as royal's new pal jokes about meeting Harry
• Eugenie breaks cover after tough week to meet with princess
• Prince William to take 'new approach to work' amid Kate's cancer

Following Harry’s recent visit to the UK, an insider claimed that the Duke of Sussex wants to bring Archie and Lilibet to the UK.

They said: “Harry wants to spend more time in the UK and bring the children over to be with [Charles] and their cousins, but he will have to prove himself first.

“That's been made very clear to him.”

The insider told OK!: “Meghan doesn't want anything to do with it and is keen to stay away from England, but Harry is of the opinion that he must repair the damage that has been caused.”

You may like

Listen live

Royal rift deepens: Prince Harry's UK visit sparks concerns for Prince William amid family crisis

The Duke of Sussex plans to visit the United Kingdom this May..

Prince Harry has always been a source of concern for the British Royal Family . Since his youth, the youngest son of King Charles III has been noted for his rebellious and defiant attitude. Now, with all the problems he has on his hands, Prince William is more than worried about his brother's upcoming visit to the United Kingdom.

The Royal House started 2024 on the wrong foot. The news that both King Charles and Princess Kate suffer from cancer, of unspecified types, shook both the family and the United Kingdom . William , in particular, has limited his public appearances to be at his wife's side during this time of difficulty.

Amid his most immediate concerns, King Charles' heir is also 'sad and bewildered' by the way his relationship with his brother has deteriorated, according to an expert on the British monarchy .

Harry will always be a problem

Author and royal affairs expert Tom Quinn told British newspaper The Mirror , ' William is sad and bewildered at how bad things have become with his brother, but he is pragmatic about this and believes Harry will always be trouble.'

The relationship between the brothers has deteriorated over the years, but the breaking point seems to have been when Harry decided to renounce his royal rights and duties in 2020. Things only got worse after the death of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II , in 2022.

Harry is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom this coming May for the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games . The visit will include a service at St. Paul's Cathedral on May 8 and an official meeting with his brother on an unspecified date. Harry's wife, Meghan Markle , has not confirmed whether she will accompany him on the trip.

Harry has had the worst of it

Despite the headache that Harry has represented for the royal house, Quinn believes that the Duke of Sussex is bearing the brunt. 'Things are more difficult for Harry because, unlike his brother, he doesn't have a job,' the author explained.

He recalled that outside of his marriage to Meghan and caring for his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibeth , Prince Harry has had very little to do since he moved to the United States.

According to Quinn , Harry's biggest concern is what he's going to do if the documentary he's releasing in collaboration with Netflix doesn't have the desired success. Quinn also explained that the autobiography Harry published in 2023 caused him more harm than good.

' William will always be okay because he's going to be king. Writing Spare has made Harry something of even less use to the royal family than being the spare,' said the expert.

Don't miss out on all sports information at www.marca.com/en .

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Rumors of King Charles Touring Australia amid Cancer Re-Emerge as Source Says Nothing Has Been Ruled Out

The King's nephew recently shared that the monarch is "hugely frustrated" that he "do everything that he wants to be able to do" amid cancer treatment

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty

King Charles ' first trip Down Under as monarch is still up in the air amid his cancer treatment .

After Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last month that the country is "preparing for a possible visit from His Majesty The King to Australia later this year," new reports say the King, 75, is prepping for the visit to occur this fall.

A royal source guides that nothing has been ruled out or in as they look ahead to the fall and planning continues for future engagements, but it is all subject to medical advice and there may be adaptations where necessary at the time. Overseas visits would not and could not be confirmed until nearer the time.

Before news of his cancer diagnosis, King Charles was widely expected to travel to Australia around the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is being held in Samoa and scheduled to kick off on Oct. 24. Since Australia is a Commonwealth realm, they recognize the British monarch as their head of state.

"The King has shown his compassion for Australians affected by recent natural disasters, just as Australians have shown compassion and support for the King following his cancer diagnosis," Albanese said last month. "The King, Queen and members of the royal family are always welcome in Australia. My government is engaging with states and territories on options for a possible royal visit."

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

A royal source recently told PEOPLE that the monarch and his team are thinking about a summer schedule amid "amplified confidence" in light of the sophisticated cancer treatment he is receiving, adding that the King is "positive" and his doctors "are optimistic."

While he's continued to work behind the scenes, King Charles' royal engagements have been restricted to small numbers of people since the palace  revealed his cancer diagnosis  on Feb. 5, However, towards the summer when the risk of airborne illnesses eases, larger events could take place outside – such as  Trooping the Colour , the annual public celebration of the monarch's birthday set for June 15 this year.

"One thing that has been wholly undiminished is his appetite for work," the royal source added.

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?  Sign up for our free Royals newsletter  to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Peter Phillips , the King's nephew, recently said the monarch is "very keen to get back to a form of normality."

“I think, ultimately, he's hugely frustrated . He's frustrated that he can't get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do," Princess Anne's son said on Sky News Australia 's  The   Royal Report. “But he is very pragmatic, [and] he understands that there's a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself."

HOLLIE ADAMS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

In a promising sign of his progress, King Charles made his first major public appearance since his cancer news on Easter to attend church with members of the royal family. After the mass at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, the monarch and  Queen Camilla  briefly  greeted members of the public on a surprise walkabout.

"Get well soon, Your Majesty," a woman said in a video shared to  X  by Rebecca English of the  Daily Mail , prompting the King to reply, " I'm doing my best! "

Related Articles

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Charles ‘raring to go’ for Australia visit after positive start to cancer treatment

Share this with

King Charles has instructed his aides to ramp up plans for a two-week state visit to Australia after a positive start to his cancer treatment.

The Monarch is planning to head down under for a royal visit with Queen Camilla in October.

A source told the Sun: ‘The King is raring to go and keen to get on with the job.’

Charles is said to be ‘supercharging’ plans for the trip, which will also see him visit New Zealand and Samoa, after reportedly feeling ‘over the moon’ after a successful start to his cancer treatment.

However, it is believed the tour would include ‘significant down-time’ to ensure he has enough energy to perform his royal duties, according to insiders.

Buckingham Palace said ‘nothing is ruled in or out’ after the King was spotted on an Easter walkabout on Sunday.

But despite Charles’ desire to ‘get on with the job,’ they remain ‘cautious’ about his physical health following his diagnosis.

Charles is known to take around six or seven engagements each day on a foreign tour. An insider told the publication : ‘The King is raring to go after a significant amount of time off due to his cancer diagnosis.

‘He knows he can’t hang around and is feeling extremely positive after tests meant he could attend the Easter Sunday service and spend time meeting the public, which he has missed.

‘Although his doctors are keeping an eye on his health, he’s itching to take the reins and get back to his public role as Head of State.

‘He’s over the moon with the way treatment has gone and supercharging plans for Australia, New Zealand and Samoa.

‘He wants to follow his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra, that he needs to be seen to be believed.’

Trips to Australia are considered to be amongst the most prestigious and gruelling engagements on the royal calendar, which involve traversing 20,000 miles over the course of a 21-hour flight.

Queen Elizabeth was the only serving monarch to set foot in the country, having visited 16 times over the course of her reign, the first in 1954 and last in 2011.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

MORE : Buckingham Palace to open secret room that only Royals have ever been allowed in

MORE : Photo agency explains why an editor’s note was put on Kate’s cancer video

MORE : What Balmoral meant to the Queen as it opens to public for very first time

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

King Charles to visit Wales within days as major preparations begin

The date for Wales' service of remembrance which the new King is expected to attend has yet to be confirmed

• 12:56, 9 SEP 2022
• Updated 12:59, 9 SEP 2022

Llandaff Cathedral has announced that it is closed until further notice as it prepares for a national service of remembrance and thanksgiving following the death of the Queen. In an announcement by Buckingham Palace, it was revealed that the Queen had died at Balmoral on Thursday afternoon.

It is believed that the now King Charles III' first visit to Wales will be for the service at Llandaff Cathedral. However, while Llandaff Cathedral has announced preparations for the national service, the date that it will be held has yet to be confirmed.

A notice outside the cathedral in Cardiff, as well as on its social media, read: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and continue to pray for her and the Royal Family. We regret that the cathedral will be closed until further notice in order for preparations to be made for a national service of remembrance and thanksgiving."

READ MORE: What happens next after Queen's death: a day-by-day guide to the next 10 days

A period of royal mourning will be observed from now until seven days after the Queen’s funeral. On the third and fourth day following his mother's death, King Charles set off on his first UK tour to attend services of remembrance, similar to the one expected in Llandaff.

He will visit the Scottish Parliament and St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, then Northern Ireland's Hillsborough Castle and a service at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. Between days six and nine, King Charles will visit the Welsh Parliament and service at Cardiff's Llandaff Cathedral.

He will then reportedly visit the Senedd and receive a motion of condolence. He will have an audience with the Welsh first minister. These plans, as well as official plans for the expected Llandaff ceremony have yet to be confirmed.

Leave your tributes to the Queen here:

Following the Queen's death, detailed plans, codenamed Operation London Bridge, are being put into place. The arrangements have been in place for many years and were updated and reviewed regularly by palace aides in consultation with the Queen herself and also the government. Follow live updates on the latest breaking news following the Queen's death here .

The day the Queen died is reportedly be referred to as D-Day as part of the plans and the following days would be referred to numerically – today, Friday, September 9 is considered D+0. The funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey on D+10 – a total of 11 days after her death on Monday, September 18. Announcements are also expected for whether schools in Wales will shu t for the Queen's funeral.

Churches across the country will be open for prayer and reflection and people will be invited to sign books of condolences and light a candle. A gun salute to commemorate the Queen's life took place in Cardiff today. The 96-gun salute, to mark every year of the Queen's life, was held at Cardiff Castle at 1pm.

'Image of Queen' appears in clouds above Wales

The King has left Balmoral as he returns to London

People gather at Cardiff Castle to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the 96-gun salute

The date the Queen's funeral is expected to take place

Announcement expected on whether schools in Wales will shut for the Queen's funeral

• Royal Family
• The Bishop Of Llandaff
• Most Recent