King Charles III ascended to the throne on September 8, 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. As the former Prince of Wales, he has been actively involved in public life for decades and has established more than 20 charities, including The Prince’s Trust, The Prince’s Foundation, and The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (PWCF). He has also shown public support for causes related to the environment, rural communities, the built environment, the arts, healthcare, and education.
King Charles III, Born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace, Charles Philip Arthur George was the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the age of three, he became heir apparent to the throne, taking on the traditional titles of Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay, among others. He was four years old at his mother’s coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1953.
The Queen and Prince Philip decided to send the young prince to school, and he began attending Hill House School in West London in November 1956. He later became a boarder at Cheam School in Berkshire, and in 1962, he started his first term at Gordonstoun in Scotland. The Prince spent two terms in 1966 as an exchange student in Melbourne, Australia, before returning to Gordonstoun, where he was appointed school guardian and awarded six O Levels and two A Levels.
In 1967, Prince Charles went to Cambridge University to read archaeology and anthropology, later switching to history. He was invested as Prince of Wales by The Queen on July 1, 1969, after spending a term at the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth to learn Welsh. He also took his seat in the House of Lords in February 1970.
The Prince trained as a jet pilot at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire in 1971 before embarking on a naval career, which included service on HMS Norfolk and two frigates. He qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1974 before joining the 845 Naval Air Squadron and taking command of the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington in 1976.
In 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral. The couple had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, with Diana tragically passing away in a car crash in 1997. In 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom he had a long-standing relationship.
Throughout his life, Prince Charles has been dedicated to public service and charity work and supporting causes close to his heart. He has now taken on the role of king and will continue to serve his country in this new capacity.
Read about The Coronation of His Majesty The King.
