YesCymru believes that the issues of independence and the monarchy should be kept separate. Some supporters of Welsh independence, or those who are indy-curious, may favour retaining the monarchy, while others are committed republicans.

One option is for the British monarch to remain head of state, with Wales becoming a ‘Commonwealth realm’ similar to Australia and Canada. However, even if Wales were to retain the monarchy, the relationship between Wales and the Crown would inevitably change.

For those opposed to keeping the monarchy, it is worth noting that Ireland took 15 years (from the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty) to transition to a republic and a further 12 years to become a republic outside of the Commonwealth.^[34] If Wales does not establish an elected head of state immediately upon independence, this could be decided later through a separate referendum as a constitutional amendment, if the people of Wales give politicians a mandate to pursue it.

Regardless of whether the monarchy is retained, Welsh land currently owned by and managed on behalf of the royal family – the Crown Estate – should be transferred to the control of Wales. A recent estimate, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, valued the Crown Estate’s assets in Wales at over £850 million.^[35]

The Crown Estate “owns” the foreshore around the Welsh coast, meaning the royal family and the UK Treasury stand to gain a significant financial windfall from leasing this land for offshore wind and tidal energy projects.

This raises a fundamental question: should these profits benefit the UK establishment, or should they be used to develop Wales' economy for the benefit of its people?