Queen Camilla Strokes an Alpaca in Wales

As the longest-serving Prince of Wales, the country will always be special to the now King Charles. And so it was no surprise that he and Queen Camilla took the opportunity to visit not long after their coronation on a day out in Brecon.

The royals marked the centenary year of Brecon Cathedral on Tuesday as well as meeting local volunteers in the area, which is in the south of Wales. But the liveliest part of their day came when they met the animals at the Brecknock Agricultural Society’s annual show, including an alpaca, which Camilla briefly stroked. The couple watch sheep having their wool sheared, sampled some of the local food produce, and Charles planted a tree.

The King and Queen were greeted on arrival at their first stop of the cathedral by primary school children waving flags. The enthusiastic welcome reflects the largely warm relationship that Charles has had with the people Wales over the decades despite the fact that the title Prince of Wales is viewed by many as controversial. Since King Edward I of England conquered Wales and gave the title Prince of Wales to his son, the title has been held by the eldest son of the English then British monarch. Many still see the position as symbolic of the oppression of Wales, and Prince William’s decision not to have have an investiture when he was made Prince of Wales reflects an acknowledgement of the sensitivities of such an event. Recent polling has shown that the people of Wales are broadly in favor of keeping the monarchy but slightly less so than voters in England.

The red carpet was, however, very much rolled out for Charles and Camilla on Tuesday as church bells rang, a male voice choir sang and the royals unveiled a plaque to mark the visit. The King’s third and final stop of the day was to Brecon Barracks, which is nome to the regional army command for Wales. The Queen visited a refuge operated by one of Wales’s largest domestic abuse charities.

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