King Charles III attends ceremonial opening of the Senedd in Wales

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the ceremonial opening of the seventh Senedd in Cardiff, marking the first time the King has performed this duty as monarch. During the event, the royal couple faced anti-monarchy protesters outside the Welsh Parliament. Demonstrators displayed placards calling for a socialist republic of Wales and used slogans such as ‘Down with the Crown’ and ‘Not My King.’

In his address within the Senedd debating chamber, King Charles spoke about his connection to Wales, emphasizing unifying elements like language, culture, and landscape. The ceremony also included a tribute to the victims of the 1966 Aberfan coal-tip disaster, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the tragedy. The King met with survivors and descendants of those involved in the rescue efforts.

The occasion was also noted for the exclusion of Hanan Issa, the National Poet of Wales, from the ceremony. Issa stated her poem was deemed too political due to its themes regarding Gaza and trans healthcare.