Charles III Heir Apparent William, Prince of Wales First Minister (list) Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS (L) Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS (L) Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary Sixth Senedd Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS (PC) Leader of the Opposition Darren Millar MS (C) Shadow Cabinet Prime Minister Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP (L) Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L) Principal councils (leader list) Corporate Joint Committees Local twinning see also: Regional terms and Regional economy United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections (1979–2020) Local elections Police and crime commissioner elections Referendums Welsh republicanism (Welsh: Gweriniaetholdeb Gymreig) or republicanism in Wales (Welsh: Gweriniaetholdeb yng Nghymru) is the political ideology that advocates for Wales to be governed by a republican system, as opposed to the monarchy of the United Kingdom.
Typically, this ideology is suggested as an element of forming an independent Wales, but can also be considered as part of reforming the political system of the United Kingdom, which could include introducing an elected official as head of state.
During the Middle Ages and since the Roman Empire left the island of Britain, Wales had many monarchical states most notably the kingdoms of Gwynedd, Powys, and Deuheubarth.
[1] The legendary King Arthur is embedded in Welsh tradition and national stories through his battles for Celtic independence from the encroachment of Anglo-Saxon forces.
[citation needed] Some native Welsh nobles would continue to hold a few positions of power or status in Wales after English conquest.
The Welsh Tudors of Penmynydd were a prominent royal house which supported Glyndŵr, and would then become English monarchs after Henry VII won the War of the Roses.
Llywelyn's brother, Dafydd ap Gruffydd briefly led a force in Wales, but was captured and later hanged, drawn and quartered by Edward, thus ending Welsh independence.
Following the eventual defeat of the Glyndŵr rebellion and a brief period of independence, it wasn't until 1999 that a Welsh legislative body was re-established as the National Assembly of Wales which was renamed Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament in 2020.
[23] A minority of crowd of protesters opposed to the British monarch attended events in Cardiff that proclaimed the accession of Charles III.
[24] Upon Charles' visit to Cardiff Castle, a silent protest against the monarchy will be held by trade unions, Labour for an Independent Wales and equality campaigners, led by Bethan Sayed.
[26] Senedd member for Mid and West Wales region,[27] Cefin Campbell asked in the current "more inclusive" and "egalitarian" society, whether "we need a monarchy at all".
[28] Laura McAllister, Welsh academic, former international footballer and senior sports administrator has said of the monarchy, "I'm a republican but, if I'm honest, it's pretty low on my own list of priorities.
[39] Following Charles III's accession to the throne on 8 September 2022, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas suggested to the media that the Prince of Wales title had "no meaning to it in the constitution" and could be discontinued.