Prince Charles pays tribute after university lecturer who featured in The Crown and taught him Welsh dies aged 89
PRINCE Charles has paid tribute after a university lecturer who gave him Welsh language lessons died at the age of 89. The pair became friends when Dr Edward “Tedi” Millward coached Charles before his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969. The prince said he “might not have been the best student”, but learned “an […]
PRINCE Charles has paid tribute after a university lecturer who gave him Welsh language lessons died at the age of 89.
The pair became friends when Dr Edward “Tedi” Millward coached Charles before his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969.
The prince said he “might not have been the best student”, but learned “an immense amount” from the teacher.
The pair’s lessons featured in an episode of Netflix series The Crown titled Tywysog Cymru, Welsh for Prince of Wales.
Prince Charles said today: “I have very fond memories of my time Aberystwyth with Dr Millward over 51 years ago.
“While I am afraid I might not have been the best student, I learned an immense amount from him about the Welsh language and about the history of Wales.
“After all these years, I am forever grateful to him for helping foster my deep and abiding love for Wales, her people and her culture.
“I send my most heartfelt sympathy to his family.”
In one of his last interviews, Dr Millward exclusively told The Sun how he warmed to the 20-year-old prince during their hour-long sessions at Aberystwyth Uni.
Welsh Nationalist Dr Millward, who was heavily vetted by MI5, said: “I found him intelligent and quite charming, we stayed in touch for a long time afterwards.”
While I am afraid I might not have been the best student, I learned an immense amount from him about the Welsh language and about the history of Wales.
Prince Charles
The lecturer was a leading Welsh nationalist and had come close to being arrested during a Welsh language protest in 1963.
Only six years later, the Prince was had a controversial investiture at Caernarfon Castle, where he had to wear a bulletproof vest in case of an assassination attempt.
Dr Millward said: “The police had me in their black book so I was bit surprised when I was asked to teach him Welsh.
“The police interviewed me very sternly.
“When I met him I tried to be neutral, I just treated him the same as any other student. “I’m not particularly proud of being his Welsh teacher, it was forced upon me.” The pair stayed in touch and the Prince of Wales would turn to Dr Millward for advice if he had to make a speech in Welsh while on a royal visit.
Dr Millward died in Aberystwyth.
His daughter Llio Millward said in a statement: “I think firstly of my father as a nationalist.
most read in uk news
“His passion towards the Welsh language and culture drove every aspect of him, from his personal life, as an academic and as a campaigner.
“He was very unassuming and I had to nag him to write his autobiography.
“He was one of the quiet giants of our language and our culture.”
