Principality of Wales

• Coat of arms/Flag of Gwynedd
• Status – Client state of the Kingdom of England
• Capital City- Abergwyngregyn
• Languages – Middle Welsh, Welsh
• Religion(s) – Christianity
• Government – Principality, Feudal monarchy
• Population – 278,000
• Legislature –
• Current Ruler – Edward of Westminster (English heir apparent)
• Notable residents –

The Principality of Wales has for most of its history been “annexed and united” to the English Crown. However, for a few generations it independent under a Welsh Prince of Wales, albeit one who swore fealty to the King of England.

The principality retained a great degree of autonomy, characterized by a separate legal legal system based on the well established laws and by the increasingly sophisticated court of the House of Aberffraw. Although it owed fealty to the king of England, the principality was de facto independent.

The period of de facto independence ended with Edward I’s conquest of the Principality between. Under the Statute of Rhuddlan the Principality lost its independence and became effectively an annexed territory of the English crown. The crown’s lands in north and west Wales formed part of the appanage of England’s heir apparent, with the title “Prince of Wales”. On accession of the Prince to the English throne, the lands and title became merged with the Crown again. On two occasions Welsh claimants to the title rose up in rebellion during this period, although neither ultimately succeeded.