Coronation: Welsh commemorative postbox first to be repainted

Cardiff's postbox appears to be the first of the commemorative postboxes to be repainted red

A Royal Mail postbox decorated to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III has been painted back to its original red after drawing criticism.

It was one of four in the UK to be painted red, white and blue for the occasion.

But it was vandalised with graffiti and stickers from various campaign groups. 

The Royal Mail insists that it is their intention to revert all postboxes to their original colour.

This is despite UK government culture secretary Lucy Frazer previously saying the coronation postboxes would "leave a lasting royal legacy in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Royal Hillsborough".

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Four postboxes, one in each of Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, were chosen to commemorate last week's coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. 

The Cardiff postbox was targeted with anti-monarchy messages in part due to its location outside the Owain Glyndwr pub - named after the last native Welsh person to hold the title Prince of Wales. 

The coronation postbox outside of the Owain Glyndwr pub was plastered in Welsh independence stickers

Over the bank holiday weekend it was often vandalised with YesCymru stickers and anti royalist graffiti and had to be repainted several times.

Today, the Welsh postbox appears to be the only one of the special four to have been returned to its former glory.

The postbox in London is situated close to Westminster Abbey

The three boxes in London, Edinburgh and Royal Hillsborough in Northern Ireland remain red white and blue, despite the postbox in Edinburgh's Royal Mile also being targeted by some anti royalist stickers and graffiti.

The Royal Mail postbox in Edinburgh has also been the target of some vandalism

The Royal Mail have said that they intend to revert all four post boxes to their original colour.

A spokesperson said: "Ahead of the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Royal Mail unveiled four special postboxes across the UK. Following the coronation, Royal Mail is now returning the postboxes to red."

However this differs from the statement issued days ahead of the coronation by the UK culture secretary.

"The coronation of Charles III is going to be a huge historic moment for the UK and one that will be celebrated with a weekend packed with different ways for people to get involved," Lucy Frazer said.

"Our postboxes are recognised the world over as an iconic symbol of Britain and these four iconic unique coronation postboxes will leave a lasting royal legacy in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Royal Hillsborough."