Princes of Wales

Prince of Wales Tywysog Cymru
Incumbent The Prince Charles since 26 July 1958
Style	His Royal Highness Sir
Residence	Clarence House
Appointer	Monarch of the United Kingdom
Term length	Life tenure or until accession as Sovereign
Inaugural holder	Llywelyn the Great
Website	www.princeofwales.gov.uk

Prince of Wales (Welsh: Tywysog Cymru) was a title granted to princes born in Wales from the 12th century onwards; the term replaced the use of the word king. One of the last Welsh princes, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, was killed in battle in 1282 by Edward I, King of England, whose son Edward, born in Caernarfon Castle, was invested as Prince of Wales: the first English person to claim the title.

Since the 13th century, the title is granted to the heir apparent to the English or British monarch, but the failure to be granted the title does not affect the rights to royal succession. The title is granted to the royal heir apparent as a personal honour or dignity, and the title is not heritable, merging with the Crown on accession to the throne. The title Earl of Chester is always given in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales usually has other titles and honours.

The current Prince of Wales is Prince Charles, the eldest son of Elizabeth II, who is Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other independent Commonwealth realms as well as Head of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations. The wife of the Prince of Wales is entitled to the title Princess of Wales. Prince Charles's first wife, Diana, used that title but his second wife, Camilla, uses only the title Duchess of Cornwall (or of Rothesay when in Scotland) because the other title has become so popularly associated with Diana.