Ruling Wales has driven the ambition of Roman emperors, Welsh princes, and a host of Kings and Queens throughout history. However it was last year’s Royal Wedding - and Wills and Kate’s connections with the Isle of Anglesey - that is helping to put North Wales on the global map.
North Wales has always had strong links with the monarchy and last year’s Royal Wedding helped to put the Isle of Anglesey on the global map.
The Royals are living there for the start of their married life, while Prince William is based at RAF Valley finishing his training as a Search & Rescue pilot.
Even the music for the event of 2011 was created by a Welsh composer, Paul Mealor from St Asaph who’s a regular at his home town’s North Wales International Music Festival.
www.nwimf.com
It’s not the first time that Wales has hosted Royal stays.
Queen Victoria visited Wrexham and Llangollen in 1834 as Princess Victoria and again for her Diamond Jubilee in 1889. Her eldest son, Edward Prince of Wales – affectionately known as ‘Bertie’- had a close association with Ruthin Castle Hotel where he is said to have entertained many a young lady.
www.ruthincastle.co.uk
Their Prince of Wales room also commemorates the visit by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales after his investiture at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.
Check out too the 19th century Tre- Ysgawen Country House Hotel & Spa on Anglesey, where the bridal suite has been renamed the Cambridge Suite in honour of Kate and William (who are now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).
www.treysgawen-hall.co.uk
Anglesey itself has a distinguished royal pedigree: it was the power base of the Welsh Princes of Gwynedd, and had ties to Plantagenet bad boy, King John who gave us the Magna Carta (Prince Llewelyn married his daughter), and to the Tudor dynasty that supplied an A list of historical characters including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
North Wales’ own Katheryn de Berain was a distant cousin of Queen Elizabeth I and was banished from her court with a gift of a pair of slippers and a nightgown for being too beautiful. She earned the nickname
“Mam Cymru” (Mother of Wales) as she got through 4 husbands and had so many descendants!
It was on Anglesey that Edward I built Beaumaris Castle, the last link in the chain of mighty fortresses that stretches along the North Wales coast.
He built major castles at Caernarfon, Harlech, Beaumaris, and Conwy, - now UNESCO World Heritage Sites - in addition to the strongholds at Denbigh, Flint and Rhuddlan.
www.attractionsnorthwales.co.uk/ things-to-do/21/castles
They were built to suppress rebellions by the Welsh princes.
Life hasn’t always been kind to royalty in Wales as you’ll discover in Beaumaris Church on Anglesey.
Here you can view the empty stone coffin of King John’s daughter Siwan (or Joan), who was married to Llewelyn the Great.
A plaque notes that it was once moved from the Friary of Llanfaes on the North Wales coast and used as a horse-watering trough!
Stay Close
Ruthin Castle Hotel (p57) The Castle Hotel Conwy
Ye Olde Bulls Head Beaumaris
Celtic Royal Hotel Caernarfon Plas Dinas Caernarfon
TreYsgawen Country House Hotel and Spa
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© Clarence House, 2011
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