King Charles and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort completed their tour of the United Kingdom this week following the death of Queen Elizabeth with a visit to a place that holds special importance to the new monarch.
The royal couple arrived in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, on Friday, landing by helicopter to a royal gun salute from the 104 Regiment Royal Artillery at Cardiff Castle. Once there, the royals attended a service of prayer and reflection for the life of the late queen at Llandaff Cathedral. Following the church service, Charles and Camilla were driven to the bayside Senedd, the name for the Welsh parliament, where they were given a Motion of Condolence. As they entered the building, the royals waved to the gathered crowds and Camilla showed no signs of the broken toe she’s been struggling with all week. Once inside, former royal harpist Claire Jones played a specially-composed piece for the pair as they crossed the Senedd to receive the Motion. Following this event, the king is also scheduled to conduct various audiences at Cardiff Castle and later today will attend a reception for the city’s local charities with Camilla.
During the motion of condolence, the Senedd’s presiding officer Elin Jones delivered a moving speech, speaking fondly of the queen’s many beloved Welsh corgis. “The stories and tributes paid by members to the Queen when we convened on Sunday were warm and witty,” she said. “As you may imagine, there were many mentions of corgis—her constant, lifelong Welsh companions. Corgi, a Welsh word. Literally small dog. And of course, the members here representing Pembrokeshire were particularly keen to champion her preference for the Pembrokeshire corgi. And the member for Ceredigion, me, was silent, and ever so slightly jealous, of the Queen’s choice of the Pembrokeshire corgi over the Cardiganshire corgi.”
This was a significant final stop for King Charles as before his mother’s death he held the title of Prince of Wales for over 60 years. A title that now belongs to his son, Prince William. This was also the final stop on the monarch’s tour of the UK as the country’s new ruler. Earlier this week, he and Camilla traveled to Belfast in Northern Ireland, arriving at Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday. King Charles said in a speech during that visit, “In the years since she began her long life of public service, my mother saw Northern Ireland pass through momentous and historic changes. Through all those years, she never ceased to pray for the best of times for this place and for its people, whose stories she knew, whose sorrows our Family had felt, and for whom she had a great affection and regard.”
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