In his first message delivered in Welsh, the Prince of Wales has wished the country a “Happy St David’s Day”.
William said he wanted “to celebrate Wales – its history, its culture, and its incredible people” in a pre-recorded video posted on social media on 1 March, the patron saint’s day.
It comes three days after he and his wife Kate toured Pontypridd and cooked Welsh cakes for a market stall holder.
William isn’t having formal lessons, but is known to be using the Duolingo app and has been learning some conversational Welsh.
The English translation of what the heir to the throne said in his message was: “Hello. Today, on St David’s Day, we come together to celebrate Wales – its history, its culture, and its incredible people.
“From its breathtaking landscapes to its language, Wales continues to inspire.
“Today, we will celebrate everything that is magical about Wales.
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“To the people of Wales and everybody around the world, Happy St David’s Day.”
In the video, he was seen sporting in his lapel a daffodil, one of Wales’s national emblems.
While he has not spoken full sentences in public before, the prince has been known to greet people with a few words in the language.
The King had formal lessons in the Welsh language at Aberystwyth University from April to June 1969 – before he became Prince of Wales in July that year at Caernarfon Castle.
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Charles’s tutor was the Welsh nationalist Tedi Millward but despite their apparent differences the two men became firm friends.
William has not had an investiture since his father announced he had created his eldest son and heir as Prince of Wales during his first televised address as monarch, the day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
The Welsh government estimates that there were more than 590,000 Welsh speakers in the country last year, up more than 30,000 in the previous 13 years.
