Leave Welsh home or face consequences Aug 16 2007


by Hywel Trewyn, Daily Post, North Wales


POLICE are investigating an ultimatum by a shadowy republican group calling on the Prince of Wales to leave his newly-acquired Welsh mansion – or face the consequences.

The threats have come from a group calling themselves the Welsh Republican Army which wants him to leave his Llwynywormwood estate, near Llandovery, by December 11 “or become a legitimate target for Republican action.”

It also calls on him to relinquish his claim to the title Prince of Wales.

The previously-unheard-of group’s “army council” have sent the threats in the form of a statement to “Charles Windsor.”

Prince Charles bought Llwynywormwood last year hoping to use it when he and Camilla visited Wales.

But he infuriated many by submitting a planning request to develop the 192-acre estate, including 40 acres of woodland, as holiday lets.


Last night a spokeswoman on behalf of Charles at Clarence House said: “We wouldn’t be able to comment just because of the nature of what it is.”


However police in both North Wales and Dyfed-Powys are taking the threats very seriously and special branch officers have already started an investigation to find out who is behind them.


The statement from the “WRA Council” said: “We, the representatives of the Army Council of the WRA call upon Charles Windsor the English Prince and usurper of the Title Prince of Wales, to vacate his Welsh mansion Llwynywormwood, Myddfai, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, by December 11th 2007 or become a legitimate target for Republican action.”


It adds: “We further call upon Mr Windsor to relinquish his claim to the title Prince of Wales.


“Failure to accept the terms of this warning will result in the most severe represcusions (sic).”


It is signed “Rebecca, G.A.C., WRA Caerdydd Awst 2007.”


In a footnote, WRA describes itself as a “human rights organisation which specialises in fighting for Cymric freedom, works on behalf of those colonised and condemned for their republican beliefs and promotes liberty for all the people of Cymru/Wales.


Prince Charles’ decision to develop Llwynywormwood as holiday lets were previously criticised by Welsh communities group Cymuned but this is the first time an extremist group has issued threats.


Cymuned’s chief executive Aran Jones said that buy-to-let, particularly for holiday lets, had helped to create a “devastating housing crisis in rural Wales.”


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