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BBC Homepage Home The day of the Investiture Last updated: 26 May 2009 This year sees the 40th anniversary of Prince Charles's more from this section investiture at Castle on 1 . We BBC Local Caernarfon asked people in the town their Antur Waunfawr North West Wales memories of the day and we'd Ask a local Things to do Cofi heritage like to hear yours. Cofis Ysgubol People & Places Ghostly tales Nature & Outdoors Branwen from Caernarfon Glynllifon Steam Rally History Holding court The Royal Family came to north Wales on a train, which was Religion & Ethics Scouts' centenary kept overnight at Griffiths Crossing, near the old Ferodo The day of the Investiture Arts & Culture place. I think the family themselves stayed at the Vaynol Veterans' Day Music estate with the Assheton-Smiths. Virtual tour TV & Radio Walled Towns Trail Car Run

Local BBC Sites I was a teacher at the Twthill primary school at the time and Caernarfon to Canada News got up in the early hours of the morning to get a good spot Digital Stories Helping the Brownies Sport with the children, near Lloyd George's statue. We had a great Tecwyn reaps the rewards Weather view, right up to Queen Eleanor's gate at the castle. We saw Author Maureen Peters Travel the Queen come out and show Prince Charles to the crowd, Entertainment and attractions and him waving. He had some sort of a on his head. Local heroes Neighbouring Sites Caernarfon Town FC Mid Wales Coast walk North East Wales There was a huge choir in the castle, and there were members of the BBC and other press from all over the world living in caernarfon Related BBC Sites down on the quay. I think the Army built a bridge from the Wales quay to the town because everywhere was so busy. Local public services Cymru Useful links Have your say Gogledd Orllewin I remember my cousin in Montreal saying she'd seen it on Local healthcare explained TV, and how great the town square looked. It's a pity it doesn't look like that now, it's terrible. Weather for Caernarfon Sunday Monday Terry from Abergele max 16°C max 13°C I remember Prince Charles passing us on the in min 7°C min 6°C Llandudno Junction. He was with Lord Snowdon and I remember thinking that he was waving right at me. interact I watched the event itself on TV. There was a demonstration Tell us about a web page against the investiture and you could see the police on the Found a web page we should know television going to investigate something, although they kept about? Send us the details. it all quiet. Email A Friend

So there were mixed feelings about it, but on the day I think many people felt good about it. We were proud and excited related bbc.co.uk links over in Abergele. Archive film of the investiture BBC Wales Investiture index Elwyn from Pwllheli tour There was a bit of bad feeling Anniversary programmes in the town at the time. A lot of the Caernarfon boys were related www links Plaid Cymru, and many were Prince of Wales Investiture kept out of the town on the Gathering the Jewels day of the investiture to stop Daily Post: Dad wasn't a bomb maker any trouble-making and disturbance. more from North West Wales I remember one little boy lost his leg when a bomb went off in one of the back streets. His family were visitors from History England; I was working in London at the time and us Welsh The Romans got a lot of stick for that. Find out what the empire- building legions got up to.

Naomi Gwilym from Nebo In Pictures It was a beautiful day and the town was full of people. Some Slideshows had been there all night, sheltering on the streets in their Our A-Z takes in everything sleeping bags to make sure they got a good spot. from aerial views to zoos.

It was something I'd certainly never seen before; the horses Society and Culture Volunteering and the carriages and the Queen. We'd never had anything of Broaden your horizons and the kind in the town and I was happy to be part of history. give someone a helping hand. Nerys from Llanwnda I saw the procession from my office at Isaac Parry's.There were policemen everywhere and they'd spent a lot of money painting and tidying up Caernarfon.

A lot of people were unhappy because of all this spending for Sardinia: Cymry yn just one day. It's a pity Prince Charles doesn't remember 'ddiogel' we're here anymore - his investiture never did much for Pontio: Dim prif Caernarfon over the years. I don't really care if Prince William weithredwr comes here to be invested when it's his time. I certainly won't be getting up so early again. Things have changed since the 1960s.

More memories of the big day. 12 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Wales Home The day of the Investiture Last updated: 26 May 2009

Edith from Caernarfon more from this section I was living in Manchester at BBC Local the time, but I came back the Caernarfon Antur Waunfawr North West Wales night before with my 14-year- Ask a local Things to do old son. We got up really Cofi heritage Cofis Ysgubol People & Places early to get a good spot by the square and I remember Ghostly tales Nature & Outdoors watching all the soldiers in Glynllifon Steam Rally History Holding court their heavy coats and big Religion & Ethics Scouts' centenary hats, having to stand there The day of the Investiture Arts & Culture for ages in the heat. They only had little chairs to sit on, Veterans' Day Music when they weren't having to stand to attention, poor things. Virtual tour TV & Radio Walled Towns Trail Car Run

Local BBC Sites There were people who were against the investiture and I Caernarfon to Canada News remember them dropping some sort of bomb near Maes Alun. Digital Stories Helping the Brownies Sport But everyone around me was too busy trying to stay awake, Tecwyn reaps the rewards Weather because they'd got up so early. Author Maureen Peters Travel Entertainment and attractions I had to leave to catch the train back to Manchester at 4.30 Local heroes Neighbouring Sites Caernarfon Town FC and I remember rushing through town, seeing all those Mid Wales Coast walk North East Wales people who'd been inside the castle with their posh cushions they'd bought to sit on. living in caernarfon Related BBC Sites Wales Prince Charles came back to Caernarfon a couple of years Local public services Cymru Useful links ago. When I met him, I said, 'I got up at five in the morning Have your say Gogledd Orllewin to see your investiture'. 'My goodness', he said, 'you must Local healthcare explained have been a very brave lady to come that time of the morning.' Weather for Caernarfon Sunday Monday Dewi from Llandudno max 16°C max 13°C I was stationed at Windsor with the Welsh Guards in 1969, min 7°C min 6°C and was told to come up to Caernarfon with the rest of the regiment as guard of honour for the investiture. We came down a few days beforehand and stayed in a camp on the interact other side of Caernarfon. We were allowed out in small Tell us about a web page groups to go down to the town at night, and we got the Found a web page we should know feeling that the landlords had put their prices up for the about? Send us the details. period of the investiture. I don't know if it was true! Email A Friend

I think Prince Charles came into Caernarfon by boat, so we lined the route up from the quayside to the castle. My job was just to stand there for around three hours, giving the more from North West royal salute as the Royal Family came to and from the castle. Wales We didn't have to stand to attention for all that time though, that would've been difficult because it was a warm day. In Pictures Slideshows I don't remember there being much trouble in the town. Our A-Z takes in everything from aerial views to zoos. People had come from all over to see it and there was a lot of cheering. Useful links Let us guide you Even though I was in the Welsh Guards I wasn't, and am still The web at a glance for not, a royalist. I was just doing my duty, but I was quite Gwynedd, Conwy and Anglesey. proud to do it. Towns & Villages Lord Snowdon's memories. Your patch Back to the beginning. Have your say or find out The investiture anniversary on TV. more about community life past and present. your comments

Kennington from Nr Portsmouth I was in the Life Guards at the Investiture and would Sardinia: Cymry yn appreciate if anybody has any film of the procession. 'ddiogel' Ferrodo's car park was used as a train station for the royal Pontio: Dim prif party to disembark to get into the carriages to drive into weithredwr Caernarvon to the castle. I have tried to get a copy of the actual Television recording ,but it seems that no recording is available to purchase.I am hoping that someone could help me in my search. Mon Jul 27 11:11:23 2009

Geraint Wyn, Caernarfon Why does the BBC bring this celebration up again? It was a degrading time for Caernarfon and Wales. Population then 9,000, there was barely 5,000 there. And half of them were from outside the area. It was a stunt by the Government of the day. Charles was invited back for the 40th anniversary he said no thanks. Deud dim mwy [say no more]. Wed Jul 1 09:17:26 2009

Gwyn Bruce, Queensland, Australia I was 15 at the time and lived in Dinorwig. A distant aunt of ours had visited from Australia and was staying with us for a few days. My parents and brother weren't really keen to go to the Investiture, but I was bursting at the seams to see what all the fuss was about. I went with another aunt and uncle and we got a great spot on the Maes to watch the arrival of the Royals and saw them come out onto Queen's Gate where Prince Charles made his speech in Welsh - but we still couldn't understand what he said! I was pleased he had at least made the effort.Afterwards we went off to line the road somewhere around Felinheli where we could see the Royals on the route back to Vaynol Estate. That was quite a sight. The road was lined with Guards and as the day was quite warm, many of them were fainting, having stood there for so long. We were quite exhausted ourselves.We had seen the Queen some years before when she drove past Dinorwig Primary School on her way to the Dinorwig Quarry. In 1969 we had no idea what to expect. Many of us didn't even have TV until the mid-sixties, so this was quite an eye opener. We were on the whole, relatively poor working class people - many unemployed when the Dinorwig Quarry closed down. People were selling up and moving out. There was no work to keep people in our little villages. The empty and derelict older houses were being purchased by the "wealthy" English for "weekenders" and this created quite an anti-English swell, with Plaid Cymru gathering a lot of support. On the bus to school we passed houses, and particularly the Penisarwaun Club, which were frequently blown up by the Free Wales Army in protest. The spectacle of the Investiture was unbelievable and on such a scale not even the build-up to it could prepare us for what we were about to see - hundreds upon hundreds of horses, guards, military, police, helicopters, cavalcades, motorcades, the splendour of the uniforms, the colours, the Royals and the noise of thousands of spectators. A couple of days later our visiting aunt convinced us Australia was the place to be. Within four months we had packed up and emigrated and have lived here ever since.With the Investiture, Man's Landing on the Moon and our departure for Australia, 1969 was one heck of a year for a 15-year-old girl! Mon Jun 29 15:49:43 2009 Lorraine from Cardiff I was the secretary to staff from the Welsh Office Press Office. We travelled to Caernarfon and we were based in an office opposite the Castle. I recall the regular security sweeps that took place and the general atmosphere of anticipation. The office was visited regularly by press from all over the world eager for news of developments. The setting up of the dias was by far one of the most eagerly anticipated aspects of the the ceremony. I attended the ceremony in the castle - in spite of the difficulties, fears and speculation it was a memorable day full of emotion and pride. Mon Jun 29 09:35:59 2009

Robert Smallman Harold Creamer, the Postmaster of the Ffestiniog Railway, and myself made 4,500 letter covers of the event, and they travelled on the Ffestiniog Railway. Now 40 years later I am the Postmaster and have produced covers, which once again will travel on the Welsh Highland Railway on Wednesday 1st July. How time flies when you are having fun. Fri Jun 26 09:26:13 2009

Elizabeth Crack, (nee Thorman) Cambridgeshire. I was a local schoolgirl in the enclosure facing the location the Queen presented the Prince to the people of the town. I was 14 and I had an interview with Cliff Michelmore. The whole week prior to the Investiture, the people and the council were so excited and there were many street parties. Of course you got the usual mug or a plaque to commemorate the Investiture. 1969 for me was so thrilling as I met a group of boys from Kent who came to stay and to visit the castle. A massive turning point in a young life, as 40 years on I am still with one of those boys who visited Caernarfon at the end of July that year. I hope to be with him for many years to come. Therefore, just as for the young Prince of Wales in 1969, my life also changed. I believe that the prince will have many good years to come. God bless the Prince of Wales. Thu Jun 25 10:38:06 2009

Elizabeth Crack , Cambridgeshire I remember the accounts of trouble before, but not on the day. There were incidents, but really minor ones, like someone throwing flour. At the time I did think that was really silly and still do, but as I have got older, it really was nothing much. Except that the police forces have to be aware of such things and reacted quickly. It was a big event for the town and it still remains a tourist attraction for the town. However, the town was proud and now many of those young people who were anti Investiture are older do they still hold the view that it was bad for Wales? I hope not! Thu Jun 25 10:34:56 2009