King Charles marked his 77th birthday by taking the controls of a tram-train during the official opening of a new rail depot in South Wales.
The monarch was in Taff’s Well, near Cardiff, to formally unveil the South Wales Metro Depot as part of a series of engagements for his birthday.
He briefly sat in the driver’s seat, navigating the tram around the facility, before engaging with Transport for Wales staff instrumental in delivering the flagship project.
The purpose-built depot, situated on the former Garth Works industrial estate, will maintain a fleet of 36 tram-trains, creating 400 jobs for the region.
This significant project, backed by over £1 billion, is set to launch next year, involving the electrification of 170km of track and accessibility upgrades at numerous stations.
The tram-train driven by the King was named Myddfai, a nod to the small Carmarthenshire village nestled in the Brecon Beacons, close to his previous Welsh residence.
James Price, chief executive of Transport for Wales, said: “It’s been a pleasure to host King Charles at Taff’s Well and for him to tour our South Wales Metro depot.
“With electrified railways, brand-new trains and a state-of-the-art depot, the South Wales Metro is transforming the way people travel in the region, and most importantly connecting people and communities to opportunities.
“We’re in the final stages of electrifying 170 km of track and have already introduced our first electric trains onto the network, alongside pay as you go ticketing for our customers.
“We’re excited to start introducing the brand new tram-trains next year, as we continue to transform travel and attract people to use public transport.”
Earlier, the King and Queen had joined a reception at Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil to celebrate his birthday.
The event was attended by Welsh celebrities and TV personalities including reality TV star Liam Reardon, Gavin And Stacey writer Ruth Jones, and TikTok creator Lewis Leigh.
The guests sang Happy Birthday to the King before he cut his cake, a replica of Cyfarthfa Castle made with vanilla sponge, with jam and buttercream.
The Queen later visited the nearby Cyfarthfa Primary School to mark Poetry Together Day, while the King travelled to Taff’s Wells to open the rail depot.
The King’s birthday this year comes after a number of high-profile personal and public events that were both difficult and historic.
Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer early last year and is continuing his regular treatment programme, believed to be a weekly session.
There has been a scandal over his disgraced brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York.
Andrew’s links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein eventually led to Charles stripping him of his titles, putting an end to his public life.
Charles also paid a historic visit to the Vatican, where he became the first monarch since the Reformation to pray alongside the Pope in a public service.
Charles and Pope Leo XIV made history in what was seen as a symbolic moment of unity for Anglicans and Roman Catholics across the globe.
He also hosted US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, for a second state visit in September.
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