The Prince and Princess of Wales visit Pontypridd

The Prince and Princess of Wales have visited Pontypridd in south Wales, ahead of St. David’s Day on Saturday 1st March. During their time in Pontypridd, Their Royal Highnesses spent time with members of the local community, hearing about life in the town. 

In December 2024, Pontypridd was one of a number of towns across Wales which was hit by severe flooding as a result of Storm Bert and Storm Darragh. The Prince and Princess heard about the experiences of members of the community who were affected by the floods.

The Prince and Princess first visited Pontypridd Market to meet local business owners and members of the public.

The market has been at the heart of the community in Pontypridd since 1805 and is home to a wide range of businesses, spanning from butchers and green grocers to cafés, toy stores, book shops and textile companies.

Their Royal Highnesses were given a tour of the food hall, during which they will visit The Welsh Cake Shop which has been serving Welsh cakes to the people of Pontypridd and beyond for over 25 years. The Prince and Princess met the current owner of The Welsh Cake Shop before having the opportunity to prepare and cook their own Welsh cakes. 

Their Royal Highnesses then joined a group of business owners for a conversation about life in Pontypridd Market, its role within the local community and the impact of the recent flooding.

The Prince and Princess then visited Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland, which aims to create a safe and welcoming place where the local community can come together and enjoy the benefits of nature.

The project to create a community garden was established in January 2021, when work began to clear a site that was overgrown and full of debris from flooding. Together with Pontypridd Town Council, volunteers rejuvenated the site which is now a vibrant garden and creative space for the local community. 

As well as promoting the benefits of nature to wellbeing, the community garden works to build resilience within individuals and forge connections between people.

After the December floods, large parts of the site were disrupted, but by working together the volunteers have been able to promptly restore it and welcome the community back within weeks. Their Royal Highnesses met volunteers and heard about how the garden came into being and why it is so important to the local community.