Prince Charles is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and heir apparent to the British throne. He has been in the public eye for more than four decades, and his life has been full of controversy and fascination. This blog post looks at some of the most exciting aspects of Prince Charles’ life and how he may become Britain’s future monarch.
Charles III- Early Life
Charles’ early life was spent mostly in London and Windsor. He attended Hill House School and Cheam School before enrolling at Gordonstoun in Scotland. He later went to the University of Cambridge, studying anthropology and archaeology.
Following his graduation, Charles joined the Royal Navy and served for five years. He then undertook several official engagements on behalf of his mother, including a tour of Canada and the United States. In 1976, he became the first heir to the throne to visit Australia and New Zealand.
Since the early 2000s, Charles has devoted much of his time to philanthropic work. He is a patron of more than 400 organizations and has established several charities of his own, including The Prince’s Trust and The Prince’s Foundation. He is also an outspoken advocate for environmental causes.
As the heir to the throne, Charles will likely become Britain’s next king. He said he would like to be known as “defender of the faith” rather than “the Defender of the Faith,” a title currently held by his mother. When he eventually ascends to the throne, he is expected to use his platform to promote the causes he cares about most.
Charles III (Prince of Wales)
Charles III, also known as Charles Philip Arthur George (born November 14, 1948), reigns over 14 Commonwealth states and the United Kingdom. After the passing of his mother, Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022, he succeeded to the throne, becoming the monarch at the age of 73 and acting as the longest-standing heir apparent in British history.
In addition to being the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Charles was also born at Buckingham Palace as Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’s first child. Charles became the heir apparent when his mother ascended to the throne, and his grandfather’s death occurred when he was four. In 1958, Charles became Prince of Wales and was invested in that title in 1969. He had his education at the same Cheam and Gordonstoun schools that his father, Prince Philip, attended when he was younger. Later, he spent a year studying at Geelong Grammar School’s Timbertop campus in Victoria, Australia. Charles served in the Air Force and Navy from 1971-1976 after graduating from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He married Diana Spencer in 1981, and they had two sons, William and Harry. The couple filed for divorce in 1996 after having each had widely reported extramarital affairs. Diana passed away the year after. Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, his longtime companion, in 2005.
Children of Prince Charles III
Prince Charles has been married to Camilla Parker Bowles since 2005, and the couple has two children together: sons George, 14, and Louis, 12.
Charles also has two older sons from his first marriage to Diana Spencer: William, 38, who is second in line to the throne after his father, and Harry, 36.
If Charles died before Queen Elizabeth II, his wife Camilla would not have become queen consort. This is because the line of succession passes down through male heirs, and she would be skipped over by her husband’s sons and their descendants.
When William becomes king, his wife Kate Middleton will become queen consort, and their children — George, Charlotte, and Louis — will be in line for the throne.
Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, is not currently in line for the throne as things stand, but that could change if Parliament passes new legislation.
Only a handful of people are in line for the throne after Charles: William, George, Charlotte, Louis, and Harry.
But things could get crowded at the top of Prince William and Kate have more children.
Their third child, Prince Louis, was born in April 2018.
And should they have a fourth child — which is not out of the question —, that child would bump Harry down to sixth in line, behind William, George, Charlotte, Louis, and the new baby.
This is all to say that the British monarchy is in flux, and anything could happen in the years to come. Charles has been heir apparent for longer than anyone else in British history.
Philanthropy and Interests
An active philanthropist, Charles has over 400 patronages and supports various causes, including environmentalism, education, human rights, poverty alleviation, and more.
Some of his specific interests include architecture (he even designed a co-housing development in Scotland!), holistic health care, organic farming, and sustainable development. He is also published, his most famous work being A Vision of Britain (published in 1989).
Conclusion
Prince Charles has been heir apparent to the British throne for nearly 70 years and is now just months away from becoming king. Although he is perhaps best known for his marriage to Princess Diana and his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, there is much more to him. As we wait for Queen Elizabeth II’s reign to end, it is important to get to know Britain’s future monarch so we can understand what kind of king he will be.
