Why Is the Prince of Wales the Heir to the British Throne?
A history of the royal title
The British royals evoke a sense of fascination, admiration, and wonder among many people worldwide. The heir to the British throne is given the title the Prince of Wales which possesses both historical and current meanings. Despite the general warm feelings for the British monarchy, there are some who view it as an imposition or an anachronism and the Prince of Wales title is one of the reasons.
Today, the UK is known as the United Kingdom, which reflects a union of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but that was not always the case. England became a nation-state in 927 and continually encroached on Welsh lands from the post-Roman period onwards. Wales was a group of disjointed kingdoms that first organized under Llywelyn Fawr in 1216 when he won the loyalty of the nobles and became in effect the first Prince of Wales or Tywysog Cymru in Welsh. Llywelyn Fawr was able to exploit the tensions between his barons and the invasions of the English King Henry III and was the only Welshman recognized as the Prince of Wales by the English. The title of prince in Wales at the time was more highly respected than that of king.
Unfortunately for Fawr, that serendipitous opportunity was short-lived. A year later his reign had ended and so had his life. King Edward I of England took the title of Prince of Wales after Fawr’s execution and gave it to his son, the future King Edward II.
Henceforth, the title Prince of Wales has often been given to the oldest son and heir to the British throne. The title is not hereditary as it must always pass to the current heir, not the previous heir’s children. The current monarch may decline to assign the title to the heir, but it is done more often than not. Edward III was the first ruler to name his heir the Prince of Wales while Edward II declined. The sovereign can decide whether to provide the title at any time and even if the title is willed to the heir they may still face a long wait until their investiture.
While the title Prince of Wales is impressive enough on its own the heir is typically additionally provided with the Earlship of Chester. The title has been provided in conjunction with the Prince of Wales title since 1343 and provides a financial benefit for the heir.
It is quite possible that the traditional terms of the Prince of Wales may be changing. As of 2013, the Succession to the Crown Act allows for the oldest child to become monarch, regardless of gender, and who would also presumably become Prince or Princess of Wales. Additionally, the Welsh have often chafed under the yoke of the title of Prince of Wales. Due to the bloody method through which the title was stolen, many Welsh see it as a reminder of continued English subjugation rather than a title of honor for their nation. They wish for the title to end and for a new era of relations to begin between the two nations.
Conclusion
The Prince of Wales is a title that confers a tremendous amount of importance and status upon the holder as they are the future monarch of England. Prince Charles, the current Prince of Wales, is the longest-serving office holder in history and he has become synonymous with the title as his ex-wife, Princess Diana, is synonymous with the title Princess of Wales. It is quite likely that despite its longstanding historical use the current challenges facing the title will overwhelm and alter it when Prince Charles assumes the throne.
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