King Charles III - 70 Years In Waiting, Oldest British Monarch
While the people mourn the passing of the longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, they also find themselves talking about King Charles III. For him, the long wait is over as heir apparent. The public will now place him under closer scrutiny in the coming days.
Susan MurilloSep 14, 2022143 Shares2015 Views
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, a spotlight has been cast on Her Majesty’s eldest child, who is now known as King Charles III.
The new King of the United Kingdom, who will turn 74 this November, opted to retain the name he used as Prince of Wales.
His mother likewise did the same thing.
The then-25-year-old Elizabeth (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) chose not to pick another name after her coronation in 1952.
Observers recalled that past royals did quite the opposite.
They forgo their “old name” and use one of their other birth names as soon as they assume a new title.
One good example is the grandfather of King Charles III, Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI (1895-1952), whose birth name is Albert Frederick Arthur George.
Before he got crowned in 1936 at the age of 40, he went around as Prince Albert, Duke of York.
Moving on from a seemingly mundane matter, observers express concern if Charles, as King, will also imitate the restraint his mother displayed as a monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II was known for being extra cautious when giving opinions, particularly on political matters.
At 22, Queen Elizabeth IIgave birth to Charles Philip Arthur George - the future King Charles III - on November 14, 1948 at Buckingham Palace in London.
On July 26, 1958, when Charles was nine, the Queen created him Prince of Wales.
Also, while only nine, the other titles he acquired, as mentioned in The London Gazette on July 29, 1958, were the following:
Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay
Earl of Carrick
Earl of Chester
Baron of Renfrew
Lord of the Isles
Great Steward of Scotland
Aside from English, King Charles III can speak French, German, and, of course, Welsh.
On July 1, 1969 at Caernarfon Castle in Wales, the then-21-year-old heir apparent was invested as Prince of Wales.
Before King Charles III, the last person to bear the title Prince of Wales was King Edward VIII (1894-1972), which the latter held from 1911-1936.
When interviewed about the investiture, the young prince shared the specific part in the ceremony that impacted him the most.
Town & Country magazine quoted him as saying:
“„
By far the most moving and meaningful moment came when I put my hands between Mummy’s and swore to be her liege man of life and limb.
In September 2022, the Prince of Wales, 73, became King Charles III.
The King’s “Mummy” and “Daddy” were Prince Philip, duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021), the former prince of Greece and Denmark, and Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022).
King Charles III grew up spending less time and receiving less affection from Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II.
That’s one of the revelations found on the 620-page Prince of Wales: A Biography (1994; 1st edition)by British author and historian Jonathan Dimbleby, according to Independent.
Queen Elizabeth II carrying an infant Prince Charles and then holds hands with an adult Prince Charles
Charles was 45 when that authorized biography came out where, in the words of Fiammetta Rocco, who reviewed the book for her Independent article:
“„
They portray this middle-aged man as an emotionally stunted little boy.
Based on Dimbleby’s biography, Prince Philip lacked affection and showed poor parenting skills. As for the Queen, she was too formal in her dealings with their first born.
During his growing up years, King Charles found Queen Elizabeth to be “physically and emotionally distant” as a mother.
The first time, when he was 32, was to someone he seemed to get compelled to marry. Though the marriage ended up in a divorce, it blessed them with two children.
The second time, when he was 56, was to someone that could be considered his true love. And, his one and only queen.
King Charles III was dating Lady Sarah Spencer, the older sister of Diana Spencer (1961-1997), when the future Princess of Wales met him for the first time.
It was November 1977, when she was 16, at Althorp House in England, where she grew up.
They started dating in July 1980. He proposed in February 1981 after 13 meetings. Charles, 32, and Diana, 20, tied the knot in July 1981.
They have two sons: William Arthur Philip Louis (born 1982) and Henry Charles Albert David (born 1984), more referred to as “Harry.”
Charles in a Royal Navy commander’s uniform and Diana wearing a crown and an ivory silk taffeta wedding gown
Charles and Diana split up in 1992. Their 15-year marriage officially ended in 1996, when the divorce was finalized.
Prince Philip, according to Prince of Wales: A Biography, asked him to marry Diana. Based on media reports, it was Queen Elizabeth II who told them to get a divorce.
In June 1994, King Charles III confessed in public that he cheated on Diana.
In a 1995 BBC interview, Diana said:
“„
There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.
At age 36, the former Princess of Wales died from injuries she sustained from a car crash in a Paris tunnel in 1997.
Diana with young William and Harry; Charles with grown-up William and Harry all in suits
Charles and Camilla started dating in the 1970s. Their relationship was halted when he served the Royal Navy in 1972.
Even after her marriage to Brigadier Andrew Henry Parker Bowles, they continued being friends.
King Charles III is the godfather of Camilla’s first child with Parker Bowles, whom she married in 1973.
Camilla filed for divorce in 1995. She and Charles lived together in 2003. They got engaged in February 2005 and got married in April 2005 (he 56; she, 58).
King Charles III in black tailcoat with pinned medals and Camilla in white wide brimmed hat and clothes
As heir apparent, the Prince of Wales ascended the throne and became King Charles III when Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022.
On September 10, the proclamation of His Majesty The King, Charles the Third took place at St. James’s Palace in London.
Per Voice of America (VOA), the Accession Council that witnessed it was composed of these people:
six former prime ministers of Britain
senior government officials
judges
Clerk of the Privy Council Richard Tilbrook announced:
“„
With one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now . . . our only lawful and rightful liege Lord Charles III.
After the proclamation, at the Blue Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, King Charles III made his first televised address.
In the 9-minute speech, on the part where Charles mentioned about her mother’s duties as the Queen, he said:
“„
That promise of lifelong service I renew to all today.
Aside from the United Kingdom, King Charles III is also the king of 14 Commonwealth countries, including:
Australia
Canada
Papua New Guinea
New Zealand
Tuvalu
King Charles III in black tailcoat walks in the middle of two rows of military men in kilts in Edinburgh