Prince William's tricky new challenge he's 'working on' after major title change

Prince William revealed he's practising the new skill during a visit to an ambulance center in south Wales on Tuesday with Kate Middleton

Prince William's tricky new challenge he's 'working on' after major title change
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince William has set himself an important new goal as the Prince of Wales - learning Welsh. 


Ever since Prince William became the Prince of Wales last year, he has committed himself to learning the language of his neighboring country. 

The 40-year-old, who had previously gone by the Duke of Cambridge, inherited the noble title from his father, King Charles III, after the Queen's death in September. Kate Middleton, formerly the Duchess of Cambridge, also received a moniker upgrade and is now officially known as the Princess of Wales, a title formerly held by Queen Camilla and Princess Diana. 

King Charles III was invested as the Prince of Wales by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969, eleven years after the title had been created for him. 

Before the ceremony took place, he spent a term at Aberystwyth University to study the Welsh language and to gain a greater appreciation of the nation's rich culture and history. Charles, a lifelong lover of Cymru, also made a number of bilingual speeches over the course of his career as a working royal. 

Charles

(Image credit: Getty)

Prince William is now following in his father's footsteps by learning the language, having first confirmed his intention to grasp its complex phrases shortly during a visit to Wales with Kate shortly after the Queen's death. 

On Tuesday afternoon, he confirmed that he is continuing to practice it whilst undertaking a series of engagements in south Wales ahead of St. David's Day.  

Upon arrival at the Welsh Air Ambulance base in Llanelli, William greeted High Sheriff of Dyfed Rowland Rees-Evans with the Welsh phrases for "good morning" and "how are you?"

William

(Image credit: Getty)

"I have been saying bore da and shwm'ai all day," he added. "I'm working on my repertoire."

Prince William and Kate Middleton also visited Wales for their first official engagement with their new titles in September 2022, just a few weeks after Queen Elizabeth II's passing. The future King confirmed that he was trying to learn Welsh during the tuur, even asking a Swansea local for some advice on how to improve. 

"He talked about learning Welsh and shared some Welsh phrases he's trying to do," Rev. Steven Bunting of St. Thomas's Church said, before revealing that the Prince had William already knew phrases like "paned" (a cup, like "a cup of tea") and "bara brith" (traditional Welsh tea bread). 

It's no secret that Wales has long held a special place in Prince William's heart. He and Kate Middleton famously lived on the island of Anglesey between 2010 and 2013, while he was serving as an RAF Valley search and rescue pilot. The couple resided in Bodorgan Home Farm, a rented four-bedroom house with access to a private beach and breathtaking views of Newborough Forest, during their stay. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.