PRINCE Charles was in Llanover yesterday Thursday afternoon, as part of a series of summer engagements in Wales.
The Prince of Wales visited the Llanover Estate for a tour of the historic gardens, followed by a meeting with residents and local voluntary groups in the village hall.
There, he was greeted by the dancers and musicians of Gwerinwyr Gwent, a folk troupe based in Newport.
In traditional Welsh costume, they performed a routine from The Llanover Reel, a composition devised at the estate in the nineteenth century.
The dance group’s secretary Barbara Griffiths said Prince Charles had told the group he had really enjoyed the performance.
“He said it must be really hot for us, and we deserved a cup of tea,” she said.
“I really enjoyed it, he seemed very pleasant. Shaking hands with the future king is my claim to fame.”
Prince Charles then met members of the Lady Llanover Society, who highlight the life and achievements of that prominent 19th century patron of Welsh arts, tradition and language.
Society member Robin Davies said the society “ensures her legacy is known to the next generation.”
Mr Davies and his colleague Frances Younson presented the prince with a book about Lady Llanover’s life, before the royal entourage moved inside the village hall to meet local volunteers, including including 21 Plus, a support group for families with children who have Down’s Syndrome.
Following the prince’s departure, Tom Jones, the resident agent at Llanover Estate, said it had been a busy run-up to the royal visit.
“My responsibilities have been to organise the village and get the estate staff together to meet the prince,” he said.
“It was really nice to see how His Royal Highness found the time to speak to everyone.
“He was genuinely interested in talking to people about how long they’ve lived here and the history of the houses.
“I think he enjoyed it, there’s a good history here. It’s one of the few private villages left in Wales.”
Ross Murray, Deputy Lieutenant of Gwent welcomed the prince, and said afterwards: “The community in Llanover was thrilled and honoured at today’s visit. His Royal Highness was generous to spend so much time and spoke to many people.
"He was so interested in all the many community activities, the farming on the estate, Llanover Day Nursery, and the beauty of the gardens in the village.
"A commemorative tree was planted and will be cherished.”
And Reverend John Collier, priest in charge of Goytre and Llanover, said Prince Charles’ visit had created a “jovial and happy” mood.
“The crowd loved it – it’s special for the people from the village,” Rev Collier said. “It doesn’t happen every week.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here