A Cardiff schoolboy who got to meet King Charles III during his first visit to Wales as sovereign has described how he feared he was in for a telling off when he was summoned to see his head teacher. Instead 11-year-old Osian Powell was asked to present the Queen Consort with a posy of flowers during their visit to the Senedd.
Earlier in the day schoolgirl Keira Hillebert shared a sweet moment with the Queen Consort as she presented the Royal couple with a posy outside Llandaff Cathedral. Following the memorial service Charles III and his wife travelled to Cardiff Bay to visit the Senedd and formally receive a motion of condolence.
Crowds cheered as they arrived in Cardiff Bay while there was harp music played as the King was introduced to MSs. Inside the Siambr the King addressed MSs in Welsh and English. He told them: "I am deeply grateful for the addresses of condolence which so movingly paid tribute to our late sovereign, my beloved mother the Queen." The new King also spoke about Elizabeth II's fondness for Wales. "The land of Wales could not have been closer to my mother's heart. I know she took immense pride in your many great achievements," he said.
He also spoke of his "immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales". He said he would now pas that "ancient title" onto his son William "whose love for this corner of the earth was made all the greater by all the years he himself has spent here". After the conclusion of the formal element of the engagement the King and Queen Consort again greeted well-wishers – many of whom had waited several hours to get a glimpse of the Royal couple.
After the session in the Siambr ended they met members of the Youth Parliament and then were greeted by children from Ysgol Gymraeg Hamdryad, in Butetown, and Year Six pupil Osian got to have his big moment.
Speaking after he handed the Queen Consort a posy of flowers he said: “It was really exciting. The King said: 'Hi' and I said: 'Hi'. He said he hopes I get on well in life.
“When my teacher told me that the head teacher wanted to see me I went down thinking I was in trouble. And then she asked me to give the flowers. I don’t know why I was chosen but I am the oldest in the school. And the tallest.”
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