VISITS BY VIPs TO NEWPORT SOUTH WALES

"VISITS TO NEWPORT, SOUTH WALES IN THE LAST 100 YEARS BY ROYALS AND VIPS” The talks centres on visits to the town/ City by the Royals, Prime Ministers, Presidents and VIP celebrities in the last 100 years.

In the last 100 years Newport in South Wales has grown in importance as a host town and city in Britain, recently staging the premier golf tournament the Rider Cup in 2010 and a high profile NATO conference in 2014, attended by the President of the United States. With a chequered history of Roman occupation, Chartist uprisings, and as a critically important sea port and railway town Newport has quickly developed to meet the expansion of economic and industrial heartlands of Wales. Newport is well described as a haven of modern Britain with its exotic mix of settlers of Welsh, Irish, English, Italian, Arab and Asian origins, and it is certainly one of the most lively multi-cultural and cosmopolitan cities of the country.
The town’s allegiance to the British monarchy has had its troubled past. As late as Queen Victoria’s Jubilee of 1897 the residents of Newport were only lurkwarm in their celebrations. However the succession of 20th century Princes of Wales have all found more love and interest created by their actions and high public profiles with more affection shown for them in Wales across religions, creeds and classes. The charismatic Edward, Prince of Wales was widely welcomed in Newport in 1921 when he rode on the town’s famous Transporter Bridge. In 1937 the new King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Newport to much praise and public cheering. After the Second World War several members of the Royal family passed through Newport and received a good Welsh welcome. It has not just been Royals who have given Newport the pleasure of a visit, many VIPS from all walks of life , politicians, Prime Ministers, stars of stage, screen and TV have also appeared in the town ( now a City). In this talk local historian William Cross muses on some of the folk in question with facts and anecdotes .

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