Prince William and Kate stunned royal fans on Sunday as they released a joint message – with a very noticeable difference from usual.
The Prince and Princess of Wales spoke fluently in Welsh to capture the message for their official social media channels, captured at Frogmore House on the Windsor Home Park estate.
Once translated into English, Prince William said: “To everyone in Wales, a very Happy St David’s Day! It is a beautiful country, with a rich history and wonderful people.”
Meanwhile, Kate, 44, added: “Wales is very close to our hearts, and we look forward to every visit. Wishing you a day full of celebration with family and friends.” The message was released to mark St David’s Day, a feast day celebrating the patron saint of Wales every year on 1 March.
It is the first time Kate has been heard speaking in Welsh – and royal watchers were quickly impressed, with one person noting: “Beautiful that you shared this. Welsh is a tough but beautiful language.” “Think Catherine should take up learning Welsh – she did fab,” a second commented.
William and Kate speaking Welsh – the official verdict
Former head of royal protection Dai Davies says he is “full of admiration” that the Prince and Princess of Wales undertook such a tricky task, adding that he’s sure it will have been appreciated.
Dai worked as an operational commander for royal protection from 1994 to 1998, during which he was tasked with safeguarding senior members of the royal family.
However, the former police officer admitted that though the couple’s attempt was “reasonable in parts”, the “main pronunciation was not quite there”.
He told HELLO!: “I’m full of admiration. I think the majority of the Welsh nation would be happy that they are attempting to speak Welsh.
“For English people who are learning and trying to speak Welsh, I think it was great. Like the curate’s egg, it was reasonable in parts, but the main pronunciation was not quite there. But they tried and that’s super.” “Practice makes perfect,” he added.
© Getty ImagesLast year, William made his St David’s Day message completely in Welsh for the first time, marking a royal first. At the time, it was understood he was not taking full-time Welsh lessons, but had been learning conversational Welsh.
The couple’s growing confidence with the Welsh language marks an exciting transition, and fans can expect to see the Prince and Princess of Wales continue to practice their language skills over the coming months.
A royal away day to Wales
The message followed the couple’s shared trip to Wales last week. They were seen in Llanidloes and Newtown, the pair all smiles as they braved the rain to greet well-wishers, having visited Hafan Yr Afon, a hub for culture, community, and heritage, and the Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes.
The Princess was also seen speaking with Creative Producer Kate Morgan-Clare, while visiting a project funded by the Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award, focused on supporting the well-being of the children and young people in the local area at Oriel Davies, a public contemporary art gallery in Newton.
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