Survey Revealed Welsh People Support Prince Charles

A new survey commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales to mark the investiture anniversary suggests that more than half of Welsh people support the role of Prince of Wales.

Three in five (58%) people believe that there should be a replacement when Prince Charles becomes King, while a quarter (26%) do not think he should be replaced, according to the survey.

A majority (58%) believe that there should be a public ceremony held to mark the investiture of a new Prince of Wales, however, just under a third (30%) would not want to see a public ceremony.

The survey of almost a thousand people – conducted by Beaufort Research – comes as Prince Charles celebrates 40 years since his investiture, where he received the insignia of the title.

Prince Charles is the 21st Prince of Wales, and this latest survey by BBC Wales suggests that there is public support for there to be a 22nd.

The survey is published to coincide with a televised debate presented by Huw Edwards, A Prince For Wales?, tonight (Tuesday 30 June) on BBC One Wales at 10.35pm.

In the programme, Huw Edwards brings together an audience of Lords, Ladies, politicians, and the people, to ask their opinions on the role of the Prince of Wales – past, present and future.

The good news for Prince Charles, and also for his successor, Prince William, is that there was overall support found for the monarchy.

Three in five (59%) of those people asked believed there should be a monarchy but almost a third (29%) do not believe we should have a monarchy.

Support for the monarchy is highest amongst older respondents with three-quarters (75%) of those aged over 65 in favour, compared to just two in five (42%) among those under 35.

However, when asked about the benefits of having a Prince of Wales a third of people did not think that Wales had benefitted at all, almost half (45%) felt Wales had benefitted a little and just one in six (16%) considered that Wales had benefitted a lot.

Regional differences also exist with those who lived in the south Wales valleys the least supportive of the Monarchy. Less than half (47%) believed that there should be a monarchy and 43% believed that there should not be one.

The BBC Wales survey also asked people who else they might choose as an ambassador for Wales with Sir Anthony Hopkins emerging as the front runner.

A third (32%) chose Sir Anthony, while a fifth (19%) backed Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and slightly fewer (16%) thought Tom Jones fitted the bill.

A Prince for Wales?, Tuesday 30 June 2009, BBC One Wales, 10.35pm