To be confused about my partner's nationality

[ForestryForever]

Good evening,
My partner's parents were both born in Wales. They both lived and grew up in Wales. As adults they both left Wales and lived in England, where they remained.
Whilst married and living in England, they had a baby - my partner. My partner was born, raised in and grew up in England, and still lives in England.
What nationality is my partner?

Well legally he is British.

But I think he could legitimately say English or Welsh. Probably is, they aren’t legal nationalities, they’re more national heritage, so it’s a bit blurred. Because of that I’d probably say Welsh, but he could choose English if he wanted.

(deliberately haven’t RTFT in case the answer to what he thinks is given away)

He’s Welsh

Surely it matters to her because they're having a big fight about it and she wants to know who's right and who's wrong? That's why she's here! Why would anyone ask that?

I’m Welsh, born and raised, by two Welsh parents. I’d say if he was born in England and hasn’t ever lived in Wales that he’s English, but really it’s up to him.

He is english but has welsh heritage. Essentially though he is British

This is like men telling women they shouldn't be angry about sexism.

If he and his parents had moved back to Wales when he was a toddler, would you still think he was half-Welsh? Or would he have regained the lost half in that case?

There can't be a fact about it because there is no legal framework to define it. He is British. That's the fact.

He has also been raised in England with Welsh parents so culturally has a mixture of influences and can choose which he identifies as most. There is no answer to this other than how he identifies

I'm Welsh born and bred. My DH too. I speak welsh, DH doesn't. We have lived in England since before DDs were born. Both were born in England. Neither speak welsh apart from a few words. Both consider themselves Welsh. Given the heritage of the household where they were raised, it would surprise me if they considered themselves English.

it really doesn't go down well when you have English people who colonised our countries telling us that we are English

This. The colonisation also involved an awful lot of violence and brutality.

I’m Cornish. Over the centuries there were numerous attempts to reassert our separate identity and language, all put down with significant brutality by the English. Including at one point a literal decimation (ie execution of 1 in 10) of the adult male population. Our language and cultural identity was forcibly eradicated. Just like the English colonial forces did to other cultures all over the world.

But English people just seem to have no idea that the non-English inhabitants of these isles might not see themselves as English.

Oh clutch those pearls and swear some more. 23andme is going nowhere.

Well it clearly matters to her but I said it shouldn't matter to her because, well, it shouldn't. Let him say he's Canadian if he wants to. 🤷‍♀️

Not only can she “consider” herself French but she actually IS French. That’s how French nationality law works. She’s also British. You don’t have to have a passport to have nationality (plenty of British, and indeed French people don’t own a passport).

There is no difference between welsh or English or Scottish as they all have British citizenship and passports . If they where separate countries then your partner would be welsh as he is the son of 2 welsh people . All my children where born in the U.K. and they are still only Spanish

Do you even know what you mean when you talk about being "ethnically Welsh"? You are throwing around some very dangerous language and attitude.

He’s English, he was born and raised in England. His parents are Welsh, and he might prefer his welsh heritage but doesn’t make him welsh

He might be Welsh, he might be English, one thing he definitely isn't, is half Welsh.

Half implies one parent from somewhere and the other from somewhere else.

English, although with welsh parents I think he could be welsh

Who cares

23andMe is a crock. It tells you where that DNA is found, not that it belongs to any particular nationality.

How is that even remotely comparable 😂. Sexism directly negatively impacts women, this is just someone saying what arbitrarily drawn boundary you have more affiliation to.

He has never lived in Wales & speaks no Welsh, so his only connection is through his parents having been born there and living there. He seems to feel this connection counts for a lot and identifies with it. I think that's your answer

Well the rugby is called the six nations for a reason. England, Scotland and wales are nations and countries.
The UK is certainly not a country. Britain is a group of countries - it’s not a country in itself is it? Maybe it is but does anyone from Scotland or Wales actually call themselves British?
The lack of insight the English show with regard to other nations’ sense of identity is quite astonishing.

He’s Welsh. He’s the child of Welsh parents. The fact he was born in England isn’t relevant.