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Wales 2
Wales 2
Wales used to be famous for its coal mines, but very few of them still produce coal.
No large cities have grown up in the area – Cardiff, the capital of Wales, has a population of just
over a quarter of a million.
There is no other part of the British Isles where national spirit is stronger, national pride is more
intense or national traditions more cherished than in Wales. As in Scotland, most people live in
one small part of Wales, namely in the south-east of the country. The Welsh are very musical
people, and their country is famous for many musical and singing festivals.
It was King Edward I, who completely subjected Wales to the English rule in 1284. He built a lot
of mighty castles there, and eventually made his son (later Edward II) the first Prince of Wales.
The legend says that the Welsh did not agree to have any king who spoke English and was not
born in Wales. So Edward I promised them to find a prince who did not speak English. It turned
to be his newly born son who, naturally, did not speak any language at all, but was born on the
land of Wales. Since then, traditionally, the future kings of the United Kingdom bear the title of
the Prince of Wales. Today the title belongs to His Royal Highness Prince Charles.