Charles III (1948-…) is the king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in 2022. As a constitutional monarch, Charles is formally head of state in the United Kingdom. But he has no power over what the British government does. Laws are formally enacted in the name of the king, but their content is the responsibility of the government.
Charles was born on Nov. 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace in London, England. He was the eldest child of Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Charles was the first heir to the British throne to get most of his education away from the royal palace, rather than having tutors at home. In 1956, he attended day classes at Hill House in London. From 1957 to 1962, he went to Cheam, a preparatory school near London. In 1962, he enrolled at Gordonstoun, a school in the Scottish Highlands that his father had attended. He spent six months in 1966 at Timbertop, an Australian school that stresses rugged outdoor activities.
In 1967, Charles entered Trinity College at Cambridge University. He acted in the drama society, took part in polo and cricket, played the cello, and flew his own airplane. Charles graduated from Trinity College in 1970 with a degree in history.
In 1958, Queen Elizabeth officially named Charles Prince of Wales, the 700-year-old title traditionally given to the heir to the throne. In 1969, she presented the prince to the people of Wales in a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in Wales. Prince Charles enrolled at the Royal Air Force College in 1971 and graduated from its advanced flying course later that year. He then entered the Royal Navy and served until 1976. In the Navy, his activities included flying helicopters and commanding a ship, the minehunter Bronington.
After leaving the Navy, Charles began to handle a full schedule of public duties. He made numerous visits to countries of the Commonwealth of Nations and frequently represented Queen Elizabeth on state visits to foreign countries. Before becoming king, Charles’s full name and titles were His Royal Highness The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
As prince, Charles concerned himself with such issues as disadvantaged people, education, and the environment. He also has been a critic of modern architecture. Charles is the founder of two charitable organizations—The Prince’s Trust and The Prince’s Youth Business Trust. As prince, Charles enjoyed fishing, gardening, and other outdoor activities.
On July 29, 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, a British aristocrat. They had two sons—Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, born in 1982, and Prince Henry Charles Albert David, born in 1984. The couple divorced in 1996. Diana was killed in an automobile accident in 1997.
In February 2005, Prince Charles announced his engagement to Camilla Parker Bowles, a long-time friend. The couple married on April 9, 2005.
Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Sept. 8, 2022. Charles became King Charles III. His wife, Camilla, became queen consort (wife of the king). Charles’s elder son, Prince William, became the heir to the British throne. The coronation of King Charles III took place on May 6, 2023, in Westminster Abbey, in London. On the same day, Camilla was crowned queen and she became known as Queen Camilla.
