London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 01, 2026

Prince William to fashion role for modern Wales - Mark Drakeford

Prince William to fashion role for modern Wales - Mark Drakeford

Prince William will try to carry out his new role in a way fitting for modern Wales, Mark Drakeford has said.

The first minister said he had a "very warm" conversation with the prince after he and his wife Catherine were named Prince and Princess of Wales.

Mr Drakeford said there was now time for Prince William "to get to know Wales better".

He added that he was not given advance notice of Friday's appointment, but this is not required by protocol.

BBC Wales understands there was a courtesy call to the Welsh government about the new Prince of Wales shortly before the King's speech.

The first minister told BBC Radio Wales the prince was in a "reflective mood" during their telephone conversation on Sunday.

"He wanted to look forward, talk about the time he needs to take on the responsibilities, and fashion the job in the way that will be right for him and Wales in the 21st Century," said Mr Drakeford.

Prince William and Catherine, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited Platinum Jubilee rehearsals in Cardiff in June, along with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

The prince also previously lived on Anglesey while stationed at RAF Valley.

"It was a very warm conversation, Prince William was very keen to reflect on the time he and his family have spent in Ynys Mon. A period that clearly means a great deal to him and he looks back on with enormous fondness," said Mr Drakeford.

"Given that the announcement was made so early in the reign of the new monarch, I think we can be sure it was given a great deal of thought."

The first minister said he had heard of the appointment by King Charles III at the same time as the public but would not have expected to be told in advance.

"There is absolutely no reason why the Welsh government would have been informed or consulted. This is not a job with any constitutional responsibilities," he said.

Mr Drakeford also said any investiture ceremony should not be a repeat of that of the prince's father at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

"The Wales of 2022 is not the Wales of 1969," he said.

"I don't think looking back and thinking that's a model for what needs to happen in the future would be a sensible way of approaching it."

The first minister added: "He should be allowed time to get to grips with what the job might mean, to get acquainted with the nature of modern Wales, the things that matter to people in Wales."

First Minister Mark Drakeford has held a "very warm conversation" with Prince William


There has been debate over the future of the role of the Prince of Wales, with an opinion poll of 1,020 people in June 2022, conducted by ITV and YouGov, suggesting 46% of people thought there should be another Prince of Wales, while 31% did not.

However the first minister said now was not the time for that conversation.

He said: "I think there is a debate there to be had, and it is absolutely proper. I don't think the debate needs to come to a climax in this week of all weeks.

"If I were asked for advice, [it would be] that the new Prince of Wales takes the time he needs.

"To think through what he would wish to achieve, to give himself the opportunity to become better acquainted with the Wales of today."


Shoppers deliver their verdict on Prince William being made Prince of Wales


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
When the State Replaces the Parent: How Gender Policy Is Redefining Custody and Coercion
Bill Clinton Denies Knowing Woman in Hot Tub Photo During Closed-Door Epstein Deposition
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Testifies on Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Before Congressional Oversight Committee
Dyson Reaches Settlement in Landmark UK Forced Labour Case
Barclays and Jefferies Shares Fall After UK Mortgage Lender Collapse Rekindles Credit Market Concerns
Play Exploring Donald Trump’s Rise to Power by ‘Lehman Trilogy’ Author to Premiere in the UK
Man Arrested After Churchill Statue Defaced in Central London
Keir Starmer Faces Political Setback as Labour Finishes Third in High-Profile By-Election
UK Assisted Dying Bill Set to Fall Short in Parliament as Regional Initiatives Gain Ground
UK Defence Ministry Clarifies Position After Reports of Imminent Helicopter Contract
Independent Left-Wing Plumber Secures Shock Victory as Greens Surge in UK By-Election
Reform UK Refers Alleged ‘Family Voting’ Incidents in By-Election to Police
United Kingdom Temporarily Withdraws Embassy Staff from Iran Amid Heightened Regional Tensions
UK Government Reaches Framework Agreement on Release of Mandelson Vetting Files
UK Police Contracts With Israeli Surveillance Firms Spark Debate Over Ethics and Oversight
United Airlines Passenger Hears Cockpit Conversations After Accessing In-Flight Audio Channel
Spain to Conduct Border Checks on Gibraltar Arrivals Under New Post-Brexit Framework
Engie Shares Jump After $14 Billion Agreement to Acquire UK Power Grid Assets
BNP Paribas Overtakes Goldman Sachs in UK Investment Banking League Tables
Geothermal Project to Power Ten Thousand Homes Marks UK Renewable Energy Milestone
UK Visa Grants Drop Nineteen Percent in 2025 as Migration Controls Tighten
Barclays and Jefferies Among Banks Exposed to Collapse of UK Mortgage Lender MFS
UK Asylum Applications Edge Down in 2025 Despite Rise in Small Boat Crossings
Jefferies Reports Significant Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender MFS
FTSE 100 Reaches Fresh Record Highs as Major Share Buybacks and Earnings Lift London Stocks
So, what's happened is, I think, government policy, not just under Labour, but under the Conservatives as well, has driven a lot of small landlords out of business.
Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, is resigning from Harvard University as fallout continues over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday, with the Dow gaining about six-tenths of a percent, the S&P 500 adding eight-tenths of a percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbing roughly one-and-a-quarter percent.
From fears of AI-fuelled unemployment to Big Tech's record investment, this is AI Weekly.
Apple just dropped iOS 26.4.
US Lawmakers Seek Briefing from UK Over Reported Encryption Order Directed at Apple
UK Business Secretary Calls on EU to Remove Trade Barriers Hindering Growth
Legal Pathways for Removing Prince Andrew from Britain’s Line of Succession Examined
PM Netanyahu welcome India PM Narendra Modi to Israel
Shadow Diplomacy: How Harry and Meghan’s Jordan Trip Undermines the Monarchy
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, comments on immigration in the UK.
Bill Gates, the UN and the WEF are attempting to construct "a giant digital gulag for all of humanity" via digital ID, CBDCs and vaccine passport infrastructure.
Britain’s Channel Crisis: Paying Billions While the Boats Keep Coming
Downing Street’s Veteran Deception Scandal
UK HealthCare Expands ‘Food as Health’ Initiative Statewide to Tackle Chronic Illness in Kentucky
Leonardo Chief Says UK Set to Decide on New Medium Helicopter Programme
UK Slows Chagos Islands Agreement After Concerns Raised in Washington
European and UK Stock Markets Reach Fresh Highs as Banks and Miners Lead Rally
UK Government Insists Chagos Islands Negotiations Continue After Minister’s ‘Pause’ Remark
No Confirmed Deal for Engie to Acquire UK Power Networks Amid Market Speculation
UK Reaffirms Updated Entry Requirements for Travellers as of February 25, 2026
General Atlantic to sell equity stake in ByteDance, valuing the company at $550 billion
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Secures Pledge from China for Greater Imports of Quality Goods
Lord Mandelson Condemns Arrest as Driven by ‘Baseless Suggestion’ He Would Flee Abroad
Former UK Ambassador Released on Bail Following Arrest in Epstein-Linked Investigation
×