Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, a former Plaid Cymru leader and presiding officer of the Senedd, has credited Queen Elizabeth II with playing a crucial role in the success of Welsh devolution. He described the late monarch's consistent attendance at Senedd openings as a 'royal blessing' that helped legitimise the institution.
After the narrow 1997 referendum in favour of devolution, the Queen attended all six opening ceremonies of the Senedd, including the final one in October 2021. Lord Elis-Thomas noted that she insisted on performing the duty herself, even when he suggested the Prince of Wales could deputise. 'She had to do it herself,' he recalled.
The Queen's support for devolution was not a recent development. In her 1977 Jubilee Speech to MPs, she acknowledged 'historic national identities' and the 'keen discussion of proposals for devolution to Scotland and Wales', while affirming her role as Queen of the United Kingdom. Lord Elis-Thomas said this balanced statement helped reassure both supporters and opponents of devolution.
At the first Senedd opening in 1999, the Queen signed the Government of Wales Act, describing it as 'a new and significant direction in the way Wales is governed' and 'a moment of renewal true to the spirit of Wales'. Lord Elis-Thomas said she appreciated the ceremonial aspects, including poetry and music, and commended the brevity of the proceedings.
First Minister Mark Drakeford paid tribute to the Queen's 'personal commitment to Wales and its democratic institutions' during a special Senedd session following her death at age 96. Lord Elis-Thomas concluded that the monarchy's backing made it 'difficult for people who support the monarchy to object when they find the monarchy is supporting devolution'.
