Prince of Wales marks 50-year anniversary - in pictures

The Royal Family gathered at Buckingham Palace yesterday to the celebrate the 50th anniversary of the investiture of Prince of Wales.

Leading figures from Wales including Falklands veteran Simon Weston and Game Of Thrones star Owen Teale were invited to join the Royals at the reception, where Prince Charles’s “tireless work” and “sacred duty of service” were praised, the BBC reports.

Charles was made the Prince of Wales at the age of nine, on 26 July 1958, and was formally invested with the title by the Queen on 1 July 1969 at Caernarfon Castle.

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The investiture regalia that he wore, including the “investiture coronet, sword, ring and rod”, were on display at Tuesday’s reception, along with “the letters patent for the creation of Charles as Prince of Wales” almost 61 years ago, says the Daily Express.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William and Kate Middleton were joined by Prime Minister Theresa May and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford at the ceremony, in what Sky News describes as “a symbolic gesture of support for the future king”.

Leading tributes to the heir to the throne, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: “When you are second in the land, to serve is not automatic, human nature relishes leisure and privilege - serving requires discipline, values, a moral drive that sees service as virtue.

“Never in the history of the role can there have been such dedicated service, such honourable fulfilling of the promise at the investiture. The investiture was unique. Seldom can a coming-of-age have had such a setting, seldom can the weight of expectation have been so great.”

The Queen added: “It’s funny. Fifty years has gone very quickly.”