Charles III, the oldest heir apparent in British history, has always been able to combine tradition and non-conformism. From young heir to Prince of Wales, through husband, father and now king, Bridgeman Images reviews the life of the new monarch.
On September 8, 2022, King Charles III acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and was proclaimed King two days later, on September 10, 2022, by the Council of Accession at St. James' Palace in London.
At 73 years of age at the time of his accession, he is the oldest person to ascend the throne in British history. In April 2011, at the age of 62, Charles also became the longest-serving heir apparent (the previous record of 59 years, two months and 13 days was held by his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII, heir apparent to his mother, Queen Victoria).
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The education of the Prince of Wales, future king Charles III
After private schooling at Buckingham Palace and in London, Hampshire and Scotland, Charles entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1967. He obtained a degree in 1971, the first ever obtained by an heir to the British crown. He also spent a term at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, learning Welsh in preparation for his investiture as Prince of Wales by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on July 1, 1969, at Caernarvon Castle. He then attended the Royal Air Force College and the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. From 1971 to 1976, he was assigned to the Royal Navy.
The wedding between Charles and Lady Diana
On July 29, 1981, Charles married Lady Diana Frances Spencer, daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer; the royal wedding was a worldwide media event, broadcast live on television and watched by hundreds of millions of people. The couple's first child, Prince William of Wales, became the second in line to the throne at his birth (June 21, 1982). Their second child, Prince Henry, was born on September 15, 1984.
Charles and Diana's marriage gradually dragged on, under the watchful eye of the tabloid press and rumors of infidelity. On December 9, 1992, it was announced that Charles and Diana had decided to separate but would continue to fulfill their public duties and share the responsibility of raising their sons. The couple divorced on August 28, 1996.
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A year later, Diana died in a car accident, and popular sentiment toward her, even stronger in death than in life, helped to undermine the traditional form of monarchy that Charles represented. He then devoted much effort to modernizing his public image as heir apparent.
On April 9, 2005, he married Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom he had a long-standing relationship; after the wedding, Parker Bowles took the title of Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles III, a king aware of environmental problems?
Perhaps the issue that has remained closest to Charles' heart is his concern for the environment, which dates back to at least 1970, when he gave a speech about the "horrific effects" of all forms of pollution and drew attention to the threat posed by "indestructible plastic containers." Since then, he has often stressed the need for swift action against global warming.
He has also been a passionate champion of sustainability, particularly through the efforts of his Prince's Foundation, inspired by his philosophy of harmony: By understanding the balance, order and relationship between ourselves and the natural world, we can create a more sustainable future.
During the 2010s, the focus and media attention shifted from Charles to his sons, whose high-profile "royal weddings" put them and their partners in the international spotlight. In 2011, William married Catherine Middleton, and in 2018, Harry married Meghan Markle.
Tensions arose between Charles and Harry when he and Meghan chose to "step back" from their royal duties and, after negotiations, ceased to be active members of the royal family. Their absence from royal affairs added to the burden on Charles, who increasingly replaced the aging Elizabeth II, whose health was becoming more fragile. After the Queen's death on September 8, 2022, Charles became King Charles III.
What kind of sovereign will Charles III be?
Charles will probably be crowned within the year; the old coronation ritual requires advance planning, although much of it has already been done. But there has not been a coronation since June 1953, when Elizabeth was crowned.
What happened next was carefully planned decades in advance, combining ancient funeral and coronation traditions with practical measures to deal with modern realities such as instant communication, traffic control, social media, etc.
What kind of ruler will Charles III be? That's another question. But we can make some guesses based on what he has said and done, at least since his investiture as Prince of Wales in July 1969 at Caernarfon Castle, Wales, when he was 20.
Charles, like his mother, will probably take the religious significance of his coronation very seriously, as a man with a long-standing interest in philosophy and religious thought.
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