Edward Millward
Born
Edward Glynne Millward

(1930-06-28)28 June 1930
Wales
Died18 April 2020(2020-04-18) (aged 89)
NationalityWelsh
SpouseSilvia Hart
Children2

Edward Glynne Millward (28 June 1930 – 18 April 2020[1]), also known as Tedi Millward,[2] was a Welsh scholar and nationalist politician.

Education and marriage

Millward studied at Cathays High School in Cardiff and then the University College of South Wales, before becoming a lecturer.[3] He married Silvia Hart, with whom he had two children: Llio, an actress and singer, and Andras, an author and martial arts trainer, who died in October 2016.[2]

Welsh language

Millward became active in Plaid Cymru. He jointly founded the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith) along with Welsh historian John Davies at a Plaid Cymru summer school in the summer of 1962.[2] Millward stood for the party twice in Cardiganshire at the 1966 general election and Montgomeryshire in 1970, but was not elected.[3] In 1966, he was elected as Vice-President of Plaid.[4] He had just completed a two-year term as Vice-President of Plaid Cymru when he was asked to teach Welsh to Prince Charles ahead of his investiture as Prince of Wales. This took place over nine weeks at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, prior to the investiture of the Prince of Wales on 1 July 1969.[5]

Millward also served as Plaid's spokesperson on water policy in which role he advocated non-violent direct action against the construction of new reservoirs.[6] In 1976, he was libelled by Willie Hamilton, who claimed that he had been involved in terrorist activities while he tutored Charles; he received £1,000 in a settlement.[7]

Millward subsequently focused on his career as an academic, lecturing in Welsh at Aberystwyth. In the early 1980s, he supported Gwynfor Evans' successful campaign for a Welsh language television station.[8] In 2003, he launched a campaign for a centre to commemorate Dafydd ap Gwilym.[9]

In popular culture

His autobiography, Taith Rhyw Gymro, was published in 2015.[10]

He was played by Mark Lewis Jones in the Netflix series The Crown where he is shown teaching the Prince of Wales Welsh.[2] The episode entitled “Tywysog Cymru” (Prince of Wales) was praised for using the Welsh language in much of its dialogue, and was described as "incredibly useful" in promoting Welsh around the world.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Prince Charles' Aberystwyth lecturer Tedi Millward dies". BBC News Online. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Williams, Kathryn (17 November 2019). "Who is Prince Charles' tutor Dr Edward Millward in The Crown?". WalesOnline. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970, p.164
  4. ^ Knut Diekmann, Die Nationalistische Bewegung in Wales, (tr. "The Nationalist Movement in Wales") p.585
  5. ^ "Charles termed serious, hard-working student", Leader-Post, 24 May 1969, p.1
  6. ^ Alan Butt Philip, The Welsh Question, p.122
  7. ^ "Hamilton to pay £1,000 for libel", Glasgow Herald, 12 February 1976, p.2
  8. ^ Susan Loth, "Minor languages dying", Lewiston Tribune, 25 June 1981, p.4A
  9. ^ "Memorial plan to honour poet after 600 years", Western Mail, 13 June 2003
  10. ^ Millward, E. G. (2015). Taith rhyw gymro (in Welsh). Llandysul. ISBN 9781785620171.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ "The Crown praised for using Welsh in show". BBC News. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
Party political offices Preceded byChris Rees Vice President of Plaid Cymru 1966–1968 Succeeded byPhil Williams
Categories