King Charles III: Everything you need to know about the life and career of the King of England

No British king was educated longer than he.

His mother Queen Elizabeth II. († 96) died on September 8, 2022 after a record time on the British throne (70 years, 214 days). The time he waited to take office is also a record: Charles III died at the age of 73. proclaimed King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Until then, Charles has experienced some ups and downs.

Before the eyes of the British, Charles developed from the long-awaited, celebrated royal baby first to a shy boy and then to the most eligible bachelor in the world – the marriage to Lady Diana in 1981 was the peak of his popularity. But the supposedly perfect marriage began to crumble a few years later – in 1992 the couple separated after years of negative headlines, and the divorce followed in 1996. Charles’ reputation hit rock bottom when his ex-wife died in 1997.

King Charles had to fight for British affection. How did he manage to do this despite all the scandals? Read all about Charles III. in the profile.

Characteristics

Charles’ childhood

King Charles is the first son of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip. When he was born on November 14, 1948, he was second in line to the British throne behind his mother, then Princess.

King George VI died in 1952. and Elizabeth, then only 27, became Queen; Charles rose to be number one in line to the throne.

The young prince was considered a shy child. The relationship with his parents – and thus the upbringing – was described as distant.

Charles attended Gordonstoun Boarding School in Scotland from the age of 13 – the same school his father Prince Philip attended. The school motto? Discipline! The sensitive Charles was not a fan of this strictness and could not adjust to boarding school life. And not only that: The royal was bullied by his classmates. The prince is said to have “cried his eyes out,” as a Queen staffer later recounted. Charles later preferred to send his sons William and Harry to Eton College near London.

► Also interesting: Prince Charles studied history at the famous University of Cambridge. He is the first heir to the throne with a university degree.

love life

As a prince, King Charles was involved with many women in his youth. So he dated Lady Sarah Spencer, the older sister of his future wife Lady Diana! He met Camilla Shand in 1971 – she was to become the love of his life. When Charles went to sea for a few months as part of his military training in 1973, they initially parted ways. Also because the experienced Camilla was not considered a suitable royal wife by the standards of the time. During Charles’ absence, Camilla became engaged to her on-off boyfriend, Andrew Parker Bowles. The couple married in 1973.

As a future king, Charles was under a lot of pressure in the late 70s/early 80s to find the perfect woman to become Queen of Britain. He received suggestions and recommendations from many quarters. Above all, his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten is said to have advised Charles on his choice of women.

And then: the fateful encounter! Although Charles and Lady Diana Spencer had crossed paths before, everything changed in the summer of 1980. The two spent a weekend together with a group of friends. Diana Charles spoke to the recent funeral of his close confidante Lord Mountbatten, giving him comfort. Charles was so touched that his ex-girlfriend’s little sister became a potential bride for him!

After only six months of dating, the big marriage proposal came. A hit for the British people: Lady Diana enchanted the world with her lovely nature. Clearly for Charles: he had found the queen of hearts in her.

Curious: According to Diana, she only met Charles twelve times before she gave him the vows.

Dream wedding with Diana

The royal wedding took place in London on July 29, 1981. The fairy tale event had an estimated one billion television viewers. Charles was 32 and Diana was only 20. Upon marriage, Diana became Princess of Wales (English: Princess of Wales).

Diana only revealed the bracelet’s discovery in her bio in 1992 – and explained that she was on the verge of calling off the wedding. But her sisters convinced her to go through with it. The stakes were too great.

starting a family and marital problems

The couple gave birth to their first son William in 1982 – so Princess Diana has fulfilled the task of securing the throne. This was confirmed with the birth of the second son Harry in 1984 as a “surrogate heir”.

But the consequences of Charles and Diana’s hasty marriage quickly became apparent.

What was the bottom line – the age difference, Charles’ undying love for Camilla, the young princess’s extramarital flirting? Or was it its magnetic attraction to the people and the whole world, which even put the future King Charles in the shade? There is speculation about this like sand in the sea.

The Wales couple’s split was announced in 1992. For the public, the roles were clear: in the eyes of many, Diana was the flawless princess of hearts, and Charles the callous, unfaithful husband. His reputation suffered greatly from the separation.

► Wiretapped telephone calls from the 1980s between then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles became public in 1993. The public was anything but enthusiastic about Charles’ infidelity!

Diana was divorced in 1996. Just one year later, Lady Diana was involved in a traffic accident in Paris. Two billion television viewers worldwide watched the funeral on September 6, 1997.

Second marriage to Camilla Parker-Bowles

On April 9, 2005, the then Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince William was the best man. Camilla became the Duchess of Cornwall by marriage.

The Cornwall couple had a long and tumultuous relationship before their long-awaited union.

Also interesting: Charles and Camilla have a common ancestor from the 17th century. Not uncommon in the nobility – Charles’ parents are known to be third-degree relatives on his mother’s and father’s side.

With the accession of Charles III. Camilla became the king’s wife.

tasks and activities

King Charles is the head of state of the United Kingdom and the 14 so-called Commonwealth Realms (including Canada and Australia). His role is representative and ceremonial; he must remain politically neutral.

According to the constitution, the monarch has only limited but important powers: he calls on the winner of the parliamentary elections to form a government, he opens and dissolves parliament, he has to approve bills, appoints knights and lords and meets once a week the Prime Minister.

︎ In addition, the monarch is the head of the Church of England and the Commonwealth of Nations, a loose association of 56 states.

King Charles III is also involved as a patron in numerous organizations, for example:

• in society for the protection of old buildings
• in sustainable agriculture – he produces organic biscuits, the proceeds of which are donated
• in the project for the protection of the rainforests
• as author of the work “Harmony – A new view of our world”
• as patron of the Faculty of Homeopathy in London

plans for his reign as king

On May 6, 2023, Charles is to be officially crowned in London’s Westminster Abbey.

British monarchs can choose a royal name when ascending the throne. Charles chose King Charles III.

His grand plan for preserving the monarchy? austerity measures! The king wants to downsize the royal family along the lines of other European monarchies, it has been reported for many years. This relieves the British taxpayer.

▶︎ In the palace diary 17 royals are currently listed. However: Three of them – Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan and Prince Andrew – are no longer on duty and seven royals (queen cousins ​​and their wives as well as Princess Alexandra) are so old that they only very rarely appear in public. The bottom line is seven active royals (Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Edward, Sophie, Anne) – and the representation duties are still high.

Charles wanted the current number of “working royals”. short term change nothing, it was said recently. Also means that no other royals will be “nominated”. Not foreseen: a comeback of Scandal Prince Andrew

long term conceivable: only the king and his direct family (wife and children) officially represent the royal house. This form of slender monarchy could begin with William’s reign at the latest.

ancestors

descendants