'Wales doesn't need a prince': Anti-monarchy billboards spark backlash
Anti-monarchy billboards that say "Wales doesn't need a prince" have sparked fury for not being "reflective of public opinion".
The signs, which were organised by the Republic campaign group and feature pictures of Prince Charles, have cropped up in Aberdare, Cardiff and Swansea this week.
The group said they want the nation to hear their message that the Royal Family is "wrong in principle" and should be abolished in favour of an elected head of state.
However, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies criticised the billboards for not being "reflective of Welsh public opinion".
He told MailOnline: "The Royal Family are extremely popular in Wales, and that is because their presence provides guaranteed stability in the UK and they are fantastic ambassadors for this country.
"This is a fringe movement, totally divorced from the people's priorities and opinion."
The billboards were originally launched earlier this year in July, with the first batch going up in Portsmouth, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
The campaign has also raised almost £25,000 for the billboards through crowdfunding so far.
Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, added there should be a debate about the future of the monarchy as the Queen's 67-year reign may soon "draw to an end".
He said: "The monarchy is wrong in principle, wrong in practice and it's bad for British politics. That's the message we want the country to hear.
"The Queen's long reign has sustained support for the royals for decades.
"The Queen is the monarchy, the monarchy is the Queen. King Charles may inherit the throne, but he won't inherit the respect and deference enjoyed by his mother.
"We have been campaigning for the abolition of the monarchy for a long time but now we are at a crossroads. As the Queen's reign draws to an end, it is time to demand a say in who should be our head of state.
"The royals are on collision course with British values. The 2020s should be the decade when we finally get to decide who we have as our elected head of state."
Forbes recently estimated that the Royal Family brought in £19bn to the UK's economy during 2019/20.
Sky News has contacted Clarence House for a comment about the billboards.
