Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales (Welsh: Tywysog Cymru, pronounced [təu̯ˈəsoɡ ˈkəmrɨ]; Latin: Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest of Wales by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers of independent Wales.
| Prince of Wales | |
|---|---|
| Tywysog Cymru | |
 | |
| Style | His Royal Highness |
| Member of | British royal family |
| Appointer | Monarch of the United Kingdom (previously of England) |
| Term length | Life tenure or until accession as sovereign |
| Formation |
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| First holder |
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The first Welsh prince of Wales was Owain ap Gruffydd (also known as Owain Gwynedd or Owain the Great), King of Gwynedd, who first titled himself as such in a letter to Louis VII of France in 1165.[1]
Llywelyn the Great is typically regarded as the strongest leader, holding power over the vast majority of Wales for 45 years. One of the last independent princes was Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Llywelyn the Last), who was killed at the Battle of Orewin Bridge in 1282. His brother, Dafydd ap Gruffydd, was executed the following year. After these two deaths, and the establishment of English rule over all of Wales, Edward I of England invested his son Edward of Caernarfon as the first English prince of Wales in 1301. The title was later claimed by the heir of Gwynedd, Owain Glyndŵr (Owain ap Gruffydd), from 1400 until 1415 (date of his assumed death) who led Welsh forces against the English. Since then, it has only been held by the heir apparent of the English and subsequently British monarch. The title is a subject of controversy in Wales.
The incumbent, William, received the title on 9 September 2022, the day after his father's accession to the throne as Charles III.