[Sophii3x]

Prince issues three feathers ban
Companies have criticised letters from Buckingham Palace warning against use of the Prince of Wales' three white feathers symbol.
The letters, from the Lord Chamberlain's office, have been sent to a number of retailers in Wales.

The ban on using the three feathers emblem has been described as "ridiculous" by some jewellers.

But a spokeswoman for Prince Charles said it was important that use of the insignia was not "abused".

The Prince of Wales' heraldic badge consists of the three feathers behind a gold coronet. A ribbon below the coronet bears the motto Ich dien, German for "I serve".

The feathers are used with permission by the Welsh Rugby Union, who have replaced the motto with the letters WRU.

A letter sent to jewellers Cymru-Y Metel warned that the badge was the "personal property" of the prince and was "protected from misuse by law".

It continued: "Unless permission is given to use this badge by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, then the persons or company using the badge are in contravention of the law.

"I would ask that you take immediate steps to remove the Prince of Wales's three feather badge from items in this range of jewellery and confirm to me in writing that you have taken these necessary steps."

Cymru-Y Metel managing director Nigel Blayney said: "It just seems completely ridiculous and pathetic.

"I looked at the internet last night and I searched for 'Prince of Wales feathers jewellery' and it came up with 8,670 hits. And that's just people selling on the internet.

"If they are objecting to me doing it I'm going to ask for confirmation they are writing to everyone else."

Mr Blayney said only three items out of his range of 300 pieces of jewellery used the three feathers emblem.

He told BBC News he would consider changing the motto from "Ich dien" to "Free Wales" to try to get round the ban.

"Is it a Welsh crest used by the Prince of Wales or is it his crest? It's been used for 600 years. I can't see how he can say: 'It's mine.'"

An Ammanford jeweller who received the letter, Ernest Brooks, said he was still selling Prince of Wales' feathers jewellery, but now described them as "Welsh feathers" instead.

He added: "The letter said the symbol belonged to the Prince of Wales. But it seems everyone in Wales disagrees with that."

Bob Rice, owner of the Wales Centre shop in Cardiff, has not received a letter, but confirmed he stocked products using the insignia.

He said: "I don't know how they could enforce it.

"I don't think I would go to court, but I would refer it to my solicitor. This symbol has been in the public domain for years."

A spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales said the feathers were his "personal insignia", but also were a "central part of Welshness".

"However, it is important they are reproduced in a controlled way and their use is not abused," she said.

Permission is generally granted as long as it is not for commercial gain and the use represented Wales "appropriately", the spokeswoman added.

BBC News Wales

[Sophii3x]

ARGHH I hate Prince Charles, he hardly comes to this country

[andybigbro]

i dont like him lol