ðə kˈaʊnsəl wʌz ɪnˈɪʃəli ɹᵻspˈɑːnsᵻbəl fɔːɹ ɡˈʌvɚnɪŋ ðə lˈændz hˈɛld ˌʌndɚ ðə pɹˌɪnsɪpˈælᵻɾi ʌv wˈeɪlz, ðə lˈændz dᵻɹˈɛktli ɐdmˈɪnɪstɚd baɪ ðɪ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ kɹˈaʊn fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðɪ ɛdwˈɔːɹdiən kˈɑːŋkwɛst ʌv wˈeɪlz ɪnðə θˈɜːtiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi.
The council was initially responsible for governing the lands held under the Principality of Wales, the lands directly administered by the English Crown following the Edwardian conquest of Wales in the 13th century.