Prince William and Princess Catherine have shared a special video message on Instagram to mark St David’s Day. The clip featuring the Prince and Princess of Wales was recorded earlier this week on the Windsor estate and is in Welsh and English. It is the first time Catherine has delivered a message in Welsh.
It follows the future king and queen’s visits to Llanidloes and Newtown earlier this week. The video message from their Royal Highnesses dropped on Instagram at 9am on Sunday (March 1). William, speaking Welsh, says: “I bawb yng Nghymru, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus iawn!” To which Catherine adds: “Mae Cymru yn agos iawn at ein calonnau, ac rydyn ni’n edrych ymlaen at bob ymweliad.”
Prince William then says: “Mae’n wlad hyfryd, gyda hanes cyfoethog a phobl wych.” And Catherine says: “Dymunwn ddiwrnod llawn o ddathlu gyda theulu a ffrindiau.”
William’s words, translated by Kensington Palace into English, state: “To everyone in Wales, a very Happy St David’s Day!”
Catherine adds: “Wales is very close to our hearts, and we look forward to every visit.” To which William says: “It is a beautiful country, with a rich history and wonderful people.”
A beaming Princess Catherine then says: “Wishing you a day full of celebration with family and friends.”
The incredible clip comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales met well-wishers standing in heavy rain during a visit to Powys ahead of St David’s Day.
William and Kate travelled to The Hanging Gardens, a community hub focused on resilience and creativity, in the mid Wales town of Llanidloes.
They arrived at the venue to cheers from crowds of royal fans gathered outside despite the rain. Many waved Welsh flags and held bunches of daffodils – the national flower of Wales.
Ensure our latest royal headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or just add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Kate gave high-fives and hugs, while both she and husband William posed for pictures and selfies with people.
While today’s video message was the first to feature Catherine speaking Welsh, William spoke the language in his St David’s Day address last year. In 2024, William visited Wrexham and the memorial to the Gresford Mining Disaster to mark the Welsh patron saint’s day.
It was reported last year that the prince was using the language-learning app Duolingo to learn conversational Welsh and wasn’t taking formal lessons.
When King Charles was Prince of Wales, he studied Welsh while at Aberystwyth University prior to his investiture on July 1, 1969, at Caernarfon Castle.
William assumed the title Prince of Wales when his father became King in September 2022 on the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Kensington Palace said at the time that there were no plans for an investiture for William.