King Charles and Queen Camilla are to open the Senedd for the first time as monarchs amid a republican walkout call

King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to Cardiff Bay on Thursday for the ceremonial opening of the Seventh Senedd — the first such occasion with Charles fulfilling the role of Head of State. The visit has drawn controversy after Wales's national poet, Hanan Issa, was removed from the programme when her submitted poem, which touched on Gaza and trans healthcare, was deemed too political. Republican group Real Democracy Now is calling on Senedd members to walk out during the King's address and join protests outside.

Issa told BBC Wales she was 'disappointed', arguing that poetry exploring political themes should be perfectly at home in a chamber whose purpose is political debate.

Charles will address the Senedd before receiving invited guests, among them ten-year-old Noah Jones, a great-grandchild of a survivor of the 1966 Aberfan disaster.

The ceremony is the first since the Senedd expanded to 96 members, and Charles's first official meeting with First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth.