A Reception to mark the 50th Anniversary of The Prince of Wales's Investiture
Published
Today, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Investiture of The Prince of Wales.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and The Princess Royal, along with Prime Minister Theresa May, were among the guests to honour The Prince of Wales’ fifty years of service to Wales, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Welsh band Stereophonics, who were supported by The Prince's Trust in their early days, were also at the event, as was Games of Thrones actor, Owen Teale.
The special reception also provided opportunity to celebrate a range of Welsh charities, organisations and businesses supported by The Prince, with representatives present from Prince’s Trust Cymru, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales.
His Royal Highness was created The Prince of Wales aged 9 on July 26th 1958 and was formally invested with the title by Her Majesty The Queen on July 1st 1969 at Caernarfon Castle. The Investiture Regalia worn by His Royal Highness in 1969 was on display, including the Investiture Coronet, Sword, Ring and Rod, as well as the Letter Patent for the creation of Charles, Duke of Cornwall as The Prince of Wales in 1958.
The reception began with a musical performance in the Ballroom by students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, of which The Prince is Patron. The performance included a new piece written for the anniversary by Welsh composer Paul Mealor, inspired by the legend of Lady of Llyn y Fan, a mountain lake near The Prince’s Welsh home, Llwynywermod in Carmerthenshire.
Speaking about His Royal Highness, The Most Rev Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury said:
We have seen how the honour of being granted that title has been richly repaid – in The Prince of Wales's love for the country whose name he bears, and in the deep respect he has always shown for the land, for the language, and most of all, of course, for the people
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