The Prince of Wales has revealed that he is learning Welsh as he steps into his new role within the royal family.
William spoke about picking up the new language during a royal visit to Swansea, where he was accompanied by the Princess of Wales.
The trip marked the first time the couple have visited the nation since being given their new titles, and their first official duty since the death of William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The royals spent time at St Thomas, a re-developed church in the city that supports people in the local area.
Steven Bunting, a reverend at the church, said William and Kate’s visit was an indicator of “their commitment” to the country. He also revealed that William had already picked up some key Welsh phrases.
“We already know they love Wales, but having them here has been amazing and is an early sign, I think, of their commitment to Wales,” Bunting told PA.
“They’ve blown us away by speaking to every person young and old, it shows how wholly committed they are to their role as Prince and Princess of Wales.
“The Prince of Wales was even talking about learning Welsh, and said he’d learned the word ‘paned’ meaning cup of tea and ‘bara brith’ [Welsh tea bread]. I think he’s taking being Prince of Wales very, very seriously.”
William and Kate have a close connection to Wales, having lived there for three years following their marriage in 2011.
In a statement after taking on their new titles, the couple said they would serve the Welsh people with “humility and great respect”.
“The Prince and Princess will spend the months and years ahead deepening their relationship with communities across Wales,” the statement added.
“They want to do their part to support the aspirations of the Welsh people and to shine a spotlight on both the challenges and opportunities in front of them.
“The Prince and Princess look forward to celebrating Wales’s proud history and traditions as well as a future that is full of promise. They will seek to live up to the proud contribution that members of the royal family have made in years past.”
