CharlesIII KingoftheUnitedKingdom

British monarch, King of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms who ascended to the throne on the afternoon of 8 September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. At 73, Charles is the oldest person ever to assume the British throne. As Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay from 1952 to his accession in 2022, he was the oldest and the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. He was also the longest-serving Prince of Wales, having held the title from 26 July 1958 until his accession 64 years later. Although he has often seemed to be stodgy, cold and reserved, his friends consider him to be generous, loyal, thoughtful and kind, a man who always tried to do his best. A sensitive child, he was raised largely by nannies while his parents were absorbed in their public duties and travels for state functions. He hero-worshipped his father who was formidable, often brusque and impatient with the boy. The first Royal to go to a public school, at eight he went to an all-boys school in London and loved it. The following year he went to boarding school. In 1962, Charles was sent to Scotland to a boys school, where he stayed from ages 13 to 18. It was a rough beginning, as the boys did not accept him easily and made life difficult. The school put an emphasis on physical skills and macho conduct. From the time that Charles was 18, the media were always nearby with cameras trained on him, often critically. In 1967, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took history, archaeology and geography, learned to master Welsh and government studies, and fulfilled his civic duties. It was not all grim; with skits at the college theatre he displayed his off-beat sense of humour. In royal tradition, after getting his degree he went into military training at 21, becoming a sailor, airman and soldier. He flew helicopters and spent five years at sea, getting his own command of a minor vessel. His favourite sport was polo, which he played with great skill and daring. The center of an active social list, he was tall, fit, tanned and a great catch. Women were available and he took his pick, always maintaining discretion. When a relationship went poorly, he suddenly became inaccessible; "Working it out" was not part of his training. However, Charles was keenly aware of the need to find a suitable mate, one who would qualify as the future Queen of England, and one who was a virgin. He probably met Camilla Parker-Bowles in 1972 at a polo match. They hit it off well from the beginning, but she was not aristocratic enough and not a virgin. In 1973, when he was away on a naval tour of duty, she married Andrew Parker Bowles. As Charles turned 30, he was still single. The Royal family put pressure on him to find a bride. On 27 August 1979, Charles uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, was killed by a bomb explosion on his vessel. The death was a severe blow, as he lost a beloved and respected figure in his life. In November 1980 he met Diana Spencer, a 19-year-old girl with the proper qualifications. She was sympathetic and devoted to him, if somewhat naive. They married on 29 July 1981 and had the first of two sons 11 months later. Princes William, born in 1982, was followed by Henry (known as "Harry"), born in 1984. Charles set a precedent by being the first royal father to be present at his childrens births. Charles was conscientious about his public role. He had one function and duty: to wait for the throne. But waiting was not en Read less