Anti-monarchy billboards spotted claiming 'Wales doesn't need a prince'
Controversial billboards calling for an end to the monarchy have started appearing across Wales.
Photos of Prince Charles appearing alongside declarations that ‘Wales doesn’t need a prince’ have been spotted in Aberdare, Cardiff and Swansea.
The campaign has already seen billboards put up across the UK, aimed at calling for an end to sovereign power and stating that "the monarchy is a broken institution”.
It comes as Scotland’s charity regulator launched an investigation into claims the Prince of Wales’ charitable foundation accepted a six-figure sum from a wealthy Russian donor.
According to a YouGov survey earlier in the year, 54% of people have a positive view of Prince Charles, compared to 80% for the Queen.
YouGov data showed that Charles' popularity has declined in the past four months, as 58% of respondents had a positive view of him in April.
Other senior royals including Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also saw this percentage rating slip over the same period.
The survey also that the popularity of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle slipped to a record low following their move to the US and fallout from their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
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The controversial billboard campaign is the brainchild of non party-political organisation Republic, who first introduced them in July.
The group argue on their website a "hereditary public office goes against every democratic principle”, adding that the Queen and the Royal Family cannot be held to account via the ballot box, unlike political parties and others in power.
The investigation launched by the Scottish charity regulator follows an alleged cash-for-honours scandal which saw Charles’ former royal valet, Michael Fawcett, temporarily step down as the foundation’s chief executive earlier this month.
Fawcett was suspected of breaching the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 over accusations that he promised to help secure a knighthood and British citizenship for a Saudi billionaire donor.
Republic, who contacted Scotland Yard over the cash-for-honours allegations, proposes a new elected head of state should be put in place to "represent our hopes and aspirations – and help us keep politicians in check".
Over £25,000 has so far been raised for the group on a Crowdfunder page, aimed at funding more strongly-worded billboards to be placed around the country.
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