King Charles and Queen Camilla to open Welsh Parliament as poet excluded

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are scheduled to officially open the seventh term of the Welsh Parliament, known as the Senedd, on Thursday. This visit marks the first time the monarch has visited the Welsh Parliament since 2024 and represents the first official meeting with Rhun ap Iorwerth, who became Wales' first minister following Plaid Cymru's election victory in May.

Poet Excluded from Ceremony

The event has drawn attention due to the exclusion of Hanan Issa, the National Poet of Wales, from the planned ceremony. Briefings to the media had indicated that Issa would perform a poetry reading. However, on Wednesday, Issa stated on Instagram that her submitted poem, "To Grow," was rejected by Senedd officials on the grounds that the ceremony was "apolitical."

Issa noted that the poem referred to Gaza and trans healthcare. She stated that a second version using "more abstract language" was also rejected. "I'm disappointed more than anything. This is the chamber where political discussion is had, and this very much says that political discussion framed as a poem is not welcome," Issa told BBC Wales.

The Senedd commission addressed the decision in a statement: "After a development process, we concluded that the poem was not the right fit for this occasion." The commission added, "We respect the National Poet of Wales' artistic independence and continue to admire and value their work."

First Minister and Opposition

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, will greet the King on the Senedd steps alongside Presiding Officer Huw Irranca-Davies and Labour Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock, who represents the UK government. Ap Iorwerth’s party took control of the Welsh government in May, replacing Labour, which had led every previous government since devolution began in 1999.

The meeting between the King and the Plaid Cymru leader is considered a significant symbolic moment. Plaid Cymru is a pro-independence party with roots in a republican tradition. Ap Iorwerth previously stated that he did not believe in "kings and princes," though he noted the issue was not a "political priority for him." He acknowledged that the monarchy remains "important" to many in Wales but argued that the Prince of Wales title should be "consigned to the history books."

All Plaid Cymru Members of the Senedd (MSs) are expected to attend the ceremony. In contrast, four Plaid Cymru MSs, including Leanne Wood, stayed away from a similar event in 2011.

Protests and Historical Context

Anti-monarchy groups are urging Senedd Members to walk out during the King's speech and join protesters outside the Welsh Parliament. The demonstration is scheduled to begin at 11am on Thursday, October 15. Adam Johannes of Real Democracy Now, an organizer of previous anti-coronation protests, criticized the invitation of the King. "An unelected king opening an elected Senedd. What an insult," Johannes said. "If the Senedd is genuinely the people’s parliament, why does it need an unelected monarch to open it?"

Ann Davies, another member of the group, stated, "When Wales suffers some of the highest levels of poverty and low pay in the UK, what an insult it is to working class people to see an unelected billionaire king... elevated above the rest of us."

The Senedd building opened in 2006 and is 20 years old this year. The late Queen Elizabeth II opened every post-election session of the Welsh Parliament from the first National Assembly in 1999 until her death in 2022. Her last official opening was in 2021. King Charles III has attended every official opening of the Senedd, but this week marks his first time at the ceremony as Head of State.

Why it matters

The opening of the Senedd's seventh term highlights the evolving relationship between the Welsh government, led by a pro-independence party, and the British monarchy. The exclusion of the national poet underscores tensions regarding the scope of political expression within ceremonial state functions, while planned protests reflect ongoing debates about the role of hereditary privilege in modern democratic institutions.

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Sources

• bbc.com: King Charles and Queen Camilla to officially open Senedd as poet dropped from ceremony
• nation.cymru: 'Not My King!': Republicans urge Senedd walkout during Charles's speech

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.