Investiture of the Prince of Wales The tradition of investing the heir apparent of the English, and subsequently the British, monarch with the title of "Prince of Wales" began in 1301, when King Edward I of England, having completed the conquest of Wales, gave the title to his heir apparent, Prince Edward (later King Edward II of England). Investiture is not necessary to be created Prince of Wales. Peers were also invested, but investitures for peers ceased in 1621, at a time when peerages were being created so frequently that the investiture ceremonies became cumbersome. Most investitures for Princes of Wales were held in front of
Prince of Wales Collegiate In 1894 a new, much larger building was erected on the site, as well as a new College Home. Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) was visiting Newfoundland in 1919 and laid the corner stone for the proposed new Methodist College—later named Prince of Wales College. In January 1925, just six months before it would have become the United Church College (in keeping with Church Union in June of that year), the building, like its predecessor, fell victim to fire. The main structure of the building was salvaged. 1926 a new building was built from the old and