Dr. Dylan Foster Evans has criticised Prince William’s recent St. David’s Day speech in which the royal spoke in Welsh. The language professor describes William’s Welsh as “a little faulty”.
Welsh language professor Dr. Dylan Foster Evans has critiqued Prince William’s recent Welsh speech(Image: PA)
A language professor from Cardiff University has commented on Prince William’s recent St. David’s Day speech – and he expected better.
Head of the School of Welsh, Dr. Dylan Foster Evans, says he expected the Prince of Wales to do more than just “read for a few seconds from an autocue”. Dr. Evans described the Royal’s Welsh as “halting” during a BBC Radio 4 Today programme appearance.
In his pre-recorded social media video, Prince William shares a message to mark the day Wales’s patron saint is honoured (1 March) and to “celebrate Wales – its history, culture and incredible people”.
Prince William’s Welsh has been criticised by a Welsh language professor from Cardiff University(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
In 2024, Prince William had shared that he was using the language-learning app Duolingo to learn and practice his Welsh, however it is understood that he is currently not taking any formal lessons to learn the language.
In Prince William’s St. David’s Day video message (translated to English), he said: “Hello. Today, on St David’s Day, we come together to celebrate Wales – its history, its culture, and its incredible people. From its breath-taking landscapes to its language, Wales continues to inspire.
“Today, we will celebrate everything that is magical about Wales. To the people of Wales and everybody around the world, Happy St David’s Day.”
While many people were probably “impressed and pleased” to hear William speaking in Welsh, Dr. Evans feels the Royal has had enough time to prepare for the role. He commented: “It’s been known [for a long time] that he will be the Prince of Wales.
“People say that he should be able to do a bit more than read for a few seconds from an autocue, since Welsh does have an official status in Wales since 2011. Maybe we should expect quite a bit more.”
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales made an official visit to the country on 26 February(Image: Getty Images)
When asked what the prince needs to improve on, Dr. Foster Evans commented: “His pronunciation is a little faulty.”
He went on to say: “He gets most things right, but practice will do him a great deal of good. You need to use the language in a real-world situation with real people to really get to grips with it.”
Dr. Evans acknowledged that the prince made an effort, conceding: “He was quite understandable and clear but he has a little way to go I think. It’s not perfect but it’s a start. Most people in Wales don’t speak Welsh and it’s not easy to broadcast in your second language.”
While Prince William may be using Duolingo to learn conversational Welsh, his father, King Charles, has received formal lessons to learn the Welsh language during his studies at Aberystwyth University in 1969. King Charles received his lessons ahead of his investiture as the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in July that year.
King Charles’ crowning made him the first monarch since Elizabeth I who could speak Welsh.
Prince William has not undergone an investiture since his father declared him Prince of Wales, making him the eldest son and heir, during his first televised address as monarch, which took place the day after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022.
Prince William and Princess Catherine cooking a batch of traditional Welsh cakes during their official visit in Feb(Image: Getty Images)
His eyeball-garnering speech was preceded by a visit to Wales with his wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, in February.
During their official visit, the royal couple spoke to the people of Pontypridd and inquired about the aftermath of the severe flooding that was caused by Storm Bert and Storm Darragh. The region was left devastated after it was battered in the space of a few weeks in late 2024.
The royal duo also visited Pontypridd Market, a cornerstone of the community since 1805, and toured the food hall, where they eagerly rolled up their sleeves to assist in preparing and cooking a batch of traditional Welsh cakes.
READ MORE: ‘I’ve watched Will as a baby on the TV and now he’s been in my living room’READ MORE: Prince William and Kate to ‘spend more time’ together in 2025