In his 1994 authorised biography by Jonathan Dimbleby, Charles's parents were described as physically and emotionally distant and Philip was blamed for his disregard of Charles's sensitive nature, including forcing him to attend Gordonstoun, where he was bullied. With his parents and sister Anne, October 1957 Charles subsequently attended two of his father's former schools: Cheam School in Hampshire, from 1958, followed by Gordonstoun, in the north-east of Scotland, beginning classes there in April 1962. He did not receive preferential treatment from the school's founder and headmaster, Stuart Townend, who advised the Queen to have Charles train in football, because the boys were never deferential to anyone on the football field. He was the first heir apparent to attend school, rather than be educated by a private tutor. Charles then commenced classes at Hill House School in west London on 7 November 1956. When Charles turned five, a governess, Catherine Peebles, was appointed to oversee his education at Buckingham Palace. On 2 June the following year, Charles attended his mother's coronation at Westminster Abbey. Under a charter of Edward III in 1337, and as the monarch's eldest son, he automatically assumed the traditional titles of Duke of Cornwall and, in the Scottish peerage, the titles Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. George VI died on 6 February 1952 and Charles's mother acceded to the throne as Elizabeth II Charles immediately became the heir apparent. As a titled member of the royal family, he rarely uses a surname.

On 15 December 1948, at four weeks old, he was christened Charles Philip Arthur George in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher. His parents had three more children, Anne (born 1950), Andrew (born 1960) and Edward (born 1964). He was the first child of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Įarly life, family, and education Christening of Charles (centre, wearing the royal christening gown) in 1948: (from left to right) his grandfather King George VI his mother, Princess Elizabeth, holding him his father, Philip and his grandmother Queen ElizabethĬharles was born at 21:14 ( GMT) on 14 November 1948, during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI. His coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on. At the age of 73, he became the oldest person to accede to the British throne, after having been the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history. He has authored or co-authored 17 books.Ĭharles became king upon his mother's death on 8 September 2022. An environmentalist, Charles supported organic farming and action to prevent climate change during his time as the manager of the Duchy of Cornwall estates, earning him awards and recognition as well as criticism he is also a prominent critic of the adoption of genetically modified food, while his support for alternative medicine has been criticised. In that vein, he generated the experimental new town of Poundbury. He advocated for the conservation of historic buildings and the importance of architecture in society. He founded the Prince's Trust in 1976, sponsored the Prince's Charities, and became patron or president of more than 800 other charities and organisations. In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles.Īs heir apparent, Charles undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of his mother. Diana died as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash the following year. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, after they had each engaged in well-publicised extramarital affairs. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer, with whom he has two sons: William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. After earning a history degree from the University of Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. He was educated at Cheam School and Gordonstoun, and later spent six months at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. He was created Prince of Wales in 1958 and his investiture was held in 1969. Ĭharles was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, George VI, and was three years old when his mother, Elizabeth II, acceded to the throne in 1952, making him the heir apparent. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms.

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