Decision to name bridge after Prince Charles irks some in UK

LONDON – The decision to rename a major road bridge linking England and Wales after Prince Charles has drawn a royal storm of opposition from anti-monarchists and Welsh nationalists.

The government announced this week that the Second Severn Crossing is to be rebranded the Prince of Wales Bridge. Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said the change was a fitting tribute to the heir to the throne for his “decades of continued, dedicated service to our nation.”

But the news annoyed some in Wales, who said they weren’t consulted. Leanne Wood, leader of the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru, tweeted: “Is this a late April fool joke?”

Graham Smith of anti-monarchy group Republic accused the government of making “a unilateral decision that will irritate people in England and Wales for years to come.”