Prince William addressed business leaders and innovators at the Wales Investment Summit today, positioning the nation as a pioneering force in renewable energy and semiconductor technology.
Speaking to more than 300 delegates from 25 countries, Prince William outlined Wales’s emergence as a major European renewable resources centre and home to groundbreaking technological innovation.
The prince emphasised his commitment to continuing the King’s decades-long support for Welsh enterprise, referencing how his father encouraged Sony’s co-founder to establish the company’s first European factory in Wales over fifty years ago.
William told the summit audience said: “His leadership in championing Welsh business and innovation is something which I am proud to have the opportunity to continue today.”
Prince William addressed business leaders and innovators at the Wales Investment Summit today, positioning the nation as a pioneering force in renewable energy and semiconductor technology.
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The prince highlighted Wales’s transformation into one of Europe’s most significant renewable energy centres, citing multiple clean energy initiatives across the nation.
“Floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, tidal stream energy in the Irish Sea, a Hydrogen Hub in the North and solar power in Pembrokeshire” are positioning Wales as a premier global clean-energy hub, William stated.
He referenced witnessing Welsh university hydrogen research impact during his Singapore visit for The Earthshot Prize two years ago.
The prince stressed that climate change, extreme weather and energy insecurity represent immediate realities requiring urgent action, not distant threats.
The prince emphasised his commitment to continuing the King’s decades-long support for Welsh enterprise, referencing how his father encouraged Sony’s co-founder to establish the company’s first European factory in Wales over fifty years ago.
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PA
“These projects are not only reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the environment, but also creating new opportunities for investment, job creation, and long-term prosperity,” he told delegates.
William drew attention to Newport’s world-first compound semiconductor cluster, which drives progress in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, autonomous electric vehicles and advanced computing.
The Prince visited KLA’s facility this morning, observing the cluster’s innovative work firsthand.
“What struck me most during that visit was not only the sophistication of the technology, but the sense of pride and purpose in the people building it,” he said.
The prince expressed honour at supporting Wales’s evolution as a dynamic nation, declaring that the summit marks a new chapter in Welsh investment.
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Welsh-developed technologies feature in smartphones, sensors, autonomous systems and high-speed networks worldwide, William noted, demonstrating the nation’s global competitive edge.
The prince emphasised that Wales’s distinction lies not merely in its products but in its approach to manufacturing.
“Technologies designed and built in Wales are already embedded in the smartphones in your pockets,” he told the summit.
William praised Wales’s distinctive collaborative approach, where industry, academia and government operate as an integrated community rather than separate entities.
“It is collaboration at its very best. Practical, purposeful, and grounded in trust,” the Prince remarked.
He recalled making his first home with Catherine on Anglesey, describing how living in Wales means joining a three-million-strong family characterised by exceptional warmth and belonging.
The prince expressed honour at supporting Wales’s evolution as a dynamic nation, declaring that the summit marks a new chapter in Welsh investment.
“Diolch. Thank you,” William concluded his address, using both Welsh and English to acknowledge attendees’ commitment to partnership and shared achievement