By Frank Kamuntu
King Charles III, the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, is the monarch of the United Kingdom. He came to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022. Charles matriculated from Trinity College and served in the Navy, eventually commanding the HMS Bronington, while facing public scrutiny throughout his life. In 1981, he married Diana Spencer amid much media attention. However, the pair separated in 1996 following years of gossip and scandal. Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, his lifelong love, in 2005. He is the father and grandfather of Princes William and Harry. Among his numerous charity and environmental initiatives are the Prince’s Trust and the Prince’s Rainforest Project.
Early Life
Charles Philip Arthur George, King Charles III, was born on November 14, 1948, in London, England. Charles, the son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, rose quickly through the royal family ranks. When his grandpa, King George VI, died in 1952, his mother became Queen at the age of three. As Elizabeth’s eldest child, Charles became the heir apparent to the British crown and was given the title Duke of Cornwall. Charles was also destined to be Great Britain’s eldest heir apparent, as his mother remained queen for seven decades. His younger siblings include Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.
Charles attended Hill House School in London in 1956 before moving on to Cheam School for boarding the following year. In addition to his education, William was appointed Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester at the age of nine. Beginning in 1962, Charles changed schools to attend Gordonstoun in Scotland. Later in the decade, he participated in an exchange program in Melbourne, Australia.
From 1967 to 1970, Charles studied archaeology, anthropology, and history at Trinity College, which is part of the University of Cambridge. In addition to his studies, he participated in a variety of campus activities, including polo. After receiving his degree in 1970 (the first royal heir apparent to do so), Charles began a military career.
Military Service
After six months of flight training with the Royal Air Force, Charles joined the Royal Navy in 1971. He served on the HMS Norfolk and was promoted to acting lieutenant in 1973.
Charles began helicopter training at the Royal Naval Air Station in the mid-1970s and eventually became a pilot for the 845 Naval Air Squadron, located on the HMS Hermes. During his time with the Hermes, he traveled to the Caribbean and Canada before attending Royal Naval College in Greenwich for extra courses. In 1976, Charles concluded his military duty as commander of the HMS Bronington and founded the Prince’s Trust, a philanthropic organization focused on improving the lives of disadvantaged kids.
Toward the end of the decade, Charles broadened his military skill set with parachute training, having previously served as the pilot for the Queen’s Flight, the monarchy’s official aircraft. In 1995, he was elevated to Group Captain of the Royal Air Force, and again in the new millennium to the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
Marriage to Diana
As a public figure, Charles came across as bright, aloof, and slightly awkward. He was used to the press scrutinizing his every move, but his friendship with Lady Diana Spencer caused a sensation he couldn’t have predicted. The two had met when they were younger, but were reintroduced in the late 1970s. Despite a 13-year age difference and different interests, the pair became engaged in February 1981. The people took a tremendous fancy to his shy, former kindergarten teacher fiancée, who was more approachable than the guarded prince at the time. They married on July 29, 1981, in a grandiose wedding broadcast worldwide and seen by millions.
Divorce and Diana’s Death
Charles and Diana have two children together. Their first son, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, was born on June 21, 1982, while their second son, Prince Henry “Harry” Charles Albert David, was born on September 15, 1984. Unfortunately, their shared love for their children was insufficient to keep what was touted as a fairytale marriage intact. Over time, the partnership grew strained due to royal responsibilities, personal disagreements, public demands, and infidelity. During his marriage to Diana, Charles reportedly resumed a connection with his former flame, Camilla Parker Bowles. The couple legally split in 1992, and they divorced in 1996.
Diana, Princess of Wales, died in an automobile accident in Paris in August 1997. Despite their differences, Charles and her sisters journeyed to France to escort her body back to England. During her burial procession, he marched with their boys, William, 15, and Harry, 12, as well as Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer. Charles took his job as a father to his mourning sons seriously, requesting the media to respect his family’s privacy.
Marriage to Camilla and Philanthropy
Charles married Parker Bowles on April 9, 2005, after secretly sustaining their relationship for years. She then became the Duchess of Cornwall and would accompany her husband on formal occasions. Aside from his royal duties, Charles has become a prominent philanthropist. In addition to his trust, he has supported a wide range of charity groups, including attempts to improve educational services, fund arts activities, promote sustainable economic ventures, give employment opportunities for the elderly, and protect the environment.
In 2007, Charles founded the Prince’s Rainforest Project, a global project supported by corporations and celebrities to reduce tropical deforestation and so contribute in the fight against climate change. In addition, in recognition of religious variety and the multicultural nature of modern England, Charles has pledged a multi-faith coronation if and when he ascends to the throne.
Charles is a philanthropist, watercolorist, and author of works such as The Old Man of Lochnagar (1980), Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World (2010), and The Prince’s Speech: On the Future of Food (2012).
In the spring of 2019, Charles announced the opening of The Granary Lodge, a new bed and breakfast in Caithness, Scotland. The bed and breakfast is located on the grounds of The Castle of Mey, the former residence of Charles’ grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
Grandchildren
Charles became a grandfather on July 22, 2013, with the birth of “His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge,” the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Charles issued a statement shortly after his grandson was born, saying, “My wife and I are pleased at the arrival of my first grandchild. It’s a very special time for William and Catherine, and we’re overjoyed for them.
On May 2, 2015, Charles welcomed his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, named after her grandfather and maternal aunt. On April 23, 2018, Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed Prince Louis, Charles’ second grandson. On May 6, 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, giving Charles another grandson.
Controversy
In November 2017, a leak of 13.4 million electronic files known as the Paradise Papers showed that Charles, like many other world officials and celebrities, had offshore investments, especially a Bermuda-based corporation. According to reports, Charles pushed in 2007 for changes to climate change policies without disclosing that he would benefit financially from those changes through his international firm.
Since the papers were released, Charles has maintained he has no direct participation with the offshore account. His spokeswoman further stated that he pays taxes freely, and that his foreign interests “do not derive any tax advantage whatsoever based on their location or any other aspect of their structure, and there is no revenue loss to HMRC as a result.”
Commonwealth Leadership
During a Commonwealth conference in April 2018, Queen Elizabeth selected Charles to succeed her as president of the 53-nation alliance of Britain and its former colonies. “It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949,” she went on to say.
Shortly after, Commonwealth leaders indicated that they were following the Queen’s wishes. “We recognize the Queen’s role in promoting the Commonwealth and its peoples. The next leader of the Commonwealth will be his Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, according to a statement.
Becoming King
Prince Charles became King Charles III on September 8, 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had held the throne for over seven decades. He is the oldest person to ever hold the British crown.
Health
On February 5, Buckingham Palace reported that King Charles III has an unidentified type of cancer and has started “regular treatments.” The discovery was made after the 75-year-old underwent surgery in late January to treat a “benign” enlarged prostate. The Palace statement referred to the cancer as a “separate issue.”
Charles will not do public-facing tasks while undergoing treatment, but he will continue to conduct paperwork and attend private meetings. He has been the British monarch for about a year and four months and was crowned in May 2023.
“He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible,” the statement goes on to say. “His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
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