This article is about the particular significance of the year 1996 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Secretary of State for Wales – William Hague Archbishop of Wales – Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales John Gwilym Jones (outgoing) Dafydd Rowlands (incoming)
Events 1 January - Michael German is awarded the OBE for his public and political service. 15 February - The Sea Empress, an oil tanker, runs aground off Milford Haven, causing devastation to the west Wales coastline. 1 April - The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 comes into force, creating 22 unitary authorities. 3 April - The first EuroHowl is held in Aberystwyth, Wales. 29 June - The Prince's Trust concert in Hyde Park, London is attended by 150,000 people. 18 July - Howard Hughes is sentenced to life imprisonment at Chester Crown Court for the rape and murder of 7-year-old Sophie Hook at Llandudno 12 months previously. The trial judge recommends that Hughes, 31, should never be released. 28 August - The Prince and Princess of Wales, are formally divorced at the High Court of Justice in London, the first time in history that a Prince of Wales has successfully gone through a divorce. By negotiation, Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales is restyled, Diana, Princess of Wales. November - The Owain Glyndŵr Society is founded. date unknown The Church in Wales ordains its first women priests. South Wales Constabulary changes its name to South Wales Police.
Arts and literature Sir Anthony Hopkins opens the Cliff Tucker Theatre at the University of Wales, Lampeter. Alice Thomas Ellis is dismissed as a columnist on the Catholic Herald newspaper because of her attack on the reputation of the late Archbishop Derek Worlock. Steve Balsamo stars in a West End revival of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Awards Glyndŵr Award - Jan Morris National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ffairfach, near Llandeilo) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - R. O. Williams. Accessed 26 August 2013 National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - David John Pritchard. Accessed 26 August 2013 National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld Wales Book of the Year: English language: Nigel Jenkins, Gwalia in Khasia Welsh language: Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Eirug Wyn, Smoc Gron Bach
New books Ron Berry - This Bygone Ruth Bidgood - The Fluent Moment Gillian Clarke - The Whispering Room Keith Kissack - The Lordship, Parish and Borough of Monmouth Howard Marks - Mr Nice Kenneth Morris - The Dragon Path Tim Rishton -
Film Prince Valiant filmed at Gwrych Castle.
Welsh-language films
Music John Cale - Walking on Locusts Peter Maxwell Davies - The Doctor of Myddfai (opera) Gillian Elisa - Rhywbeth yn y Glas. Karl Jenkins - Diamond Music Donna Lewis - Now in a Minute Super Furry Animals - Fuzzy Logic.
Broadcasting The Broadcasting Act 1996 changes the funding formula for S4C.
Welsh-language television Heno (Welsh-language news programme, broadcast until 2001 and returned in 2012).
English-language television Barry Welsh is Coming In the Blood, presented by Steve Jones
Sport
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ryan Giggs Football The Welsh Football Trust is founded. Llansantffraid F.C. win the Welsh Cup and are offered sponsorship by Total Network Solutions. Snooker Mark Williams wins the Welsh Open tournament in Cardiff.
Births 25 February - Laura Halford, rhythmic gymnast 25 April - Kizzy Crawford, Bajan-Welsh folk-pop crossover singer-songwriter 17 May - Seb Davies, rugby player 25 July - Jarrod Evans, rugby player 1 August - Gemma Evans, footballer 14 September - Shaun Evans, rugby player 2 October - Keston Davies, footballer 28 November - Owen Evans, footballer
Deaths 16 January - Dai Ward, footballer, 61 7 March - Aled Eames, historian, 74 11 March - Sir Granville Beynon, physicist, 81 14 March - Dewi Bebb, Wales rugby union player, 57 16 March - Harry Peacock, Wales rugby union player, 87 14 April - Mervyn Levy, artist and critic, 81 7 May - Taffy Williams, soldier, 62 27 July - Billy Rees, footballer, 72 29 August - Dillwyn Thomas, cricketer, 91 5 September - Clem Thomas, rugby player, 67 24 September - I. E. S. Edwards, Egyptologist, 87 26 October - Huw Owen, theologian and academic, 69 10 November - Dafydd Orwig, politician and academic, 68 9 December Diana Morgan, playwright and screenwriter, 86 Ivor Roberts-Jones, sculptor, 83 29 December - Pennar Davies, poet and theologian, 85 date unknown Thomas Nathaniel Davies, artist and teacher Thomas David Frank Evans, WWII prisoner-of-war Harry Hanford, footballer, 88 Thyrza Anne Leyshon, painter, 103
See also 1996 in Northern Ireland
References