Charles became king upon his mother's death in 2022. At the age of 73 he was the oldest person to accede to the British throne, after having been the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history. Significant events in his reign have included his coronation in 2023, and his cancer diagnosis the following year, the latter of which temporarily suspended planned public engagements.
When Charles turned five, a governess known as Catherine Peebles, was appointed to oversee his education at Buckingham Palace.[12] Charles then commenced classes at Hill House School in west London in November 1956.[13] He was the first heir apparent to attend school, rather than be educated by a private tutor.[14] 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.[15] Charles subsequently attended two of his father's former schools: Cheam School in Hampshire,[16] from 1958,[13] followed by Gordonstoun, in the north-east of Scotland, beginning classes there in April 1962.[13][17]
In his 1994 authorised biography by
GCE O-levels and two A-levels in history and French, at grades B and C respectively.[20][23] On his education, Charles later remarked, "I didn't enjoy school as much as I might have; but, that was only because I'm happier at home than anywhere else".[19]
Charles broke royal tradition when he proceeded straight to university after his A-levels, rather than joining the
Welsh nationalist sentiment.[28] He took his seat in the House of Lords the following year[29] and he delivered his maiden speech on 13 June 1974,[30] the first royal to speak from the floor since the future Edward VII in 1884.[31] He spoke again in 1975.[32]
Charles began to take on more public duties, founding
governor-general of Australia, at the suggestion of Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser; however, because of a lack of public enthusiasm, nothing came of the proposal.[35] In reaction, Charles commented, "so, what are you supposed to think when you are prepared to do something to help and you are just told you're not wanted?"[36]
Military training and career
Charles served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy. During his second year at Cambridge, he received Royal Air Force training, learning to fly the Chipmunk aircraft with the Cambridge University Air Squadron,[37][38] and was presented with his RAF wings in August 1971.[39]
After the
BAe 146 in Islay in 1994, as a passenger who was invited to fly the aircraft; the crew was found negligent by a board of inquiry.[42]
Relationships and marriages
Bachelorhood
In his youth, Charles was amorously linked to a number of women. His girlfriends included Georgiana Russell, the daughter of
Camilla Shand, who later became his second wife.[47]
Charles's great-uncle
Amanda Knatchbull, Mountbatten's granddaughter.[49] Charles wrote to Amanda's mother, Lady Brabourne, who was also his godmother, expressing interest in her daughter. Lady Brabourne replied approvingly, but suggested that a courtship with a 16-year-old was premature.[50] Four years later, Mountbatten arranged for Amanda and himself to accompany Charles on his 1980 visit to India. Both fathers, however, objected; Prince Philip feared that his famous uncle[note 6] would eclipse Charles, while Lord Brabourne warned that a joint visit would concentrate media attention on the cousins before they could decide on becoming a couple.[51]
In August 1979, before Charles would depart alone for India,
younger brother in the bomb attack and was now reluctant to join the royal family.[51]
Lady Diana Spencer in 1977, while he was visiting her home, Althorp. He was then the companion of her elder sister Sarah and did not consider Diana romantically until mid-1980. While Charles and Diana were sitting together on a bale of hay at a friend's barbecue in July, she mentioned that he had looked forlorn and in need of care at the funeral of his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten. Soon, according to Dimbleby, "without any apparent surge in feeling, he began to think seriously of her as a potential bride" and she accompanied Charles on visits to Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.[52]
Within five years, the marriage was in trouble due to the couple's incompatibility and near 13-year age difference.[56][57] By November 1986, Charles had fully resumed his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.[58] In a videotape recorded by Peter Settelen in 1992, Diana admitted that she had been "deeply in love with someone who worked in this environment."[59][60] It was assumed that she was referring to Barry Mannakee,[61] who had been transferred to the Diplomatic Protection Squad in 1986, after his managers determined his relationship with Diana had been inappropriate.[60][62] Diana later commenced a relationship with Major James Hewitt, the family's former riding instructor.[63]
Charles and Diana's evident discomfort in each other's company led to them being dubbed "The Glums" by the press.[64] Diana exposed Charles's affair with Parker Bowles in a book by Andrew Morton, Diana: Her True Story. Audio tapes of her own extramarital flirtations also surfaced,[64] as did persistent suggestions that Hewitt is Prince Harry's father, based on a physical similarity between Hewitt and Harry. However, Harry had already been born by the time Diana's affair with Hewitt began.[65]
In December 1992,
Camillagate" and "Tampongate".[66] Charles subsequently sought public understanding in a television film with Dimbleby, Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role, broadcast in June 1994. In an interview in the film, Charles confirmed his own extramarital affair with Parker Bowles, saying that he had rekindled their association in 1986, only after his marriage to Diana had "irretrievably broken down".[67][68] This was followed by Diana's own admission of marital troubles in an interview on the BBC current affairs show Panorama, broadcast in November 1995.[69] Referring to Charles's relationship with Parker Bowles, she said, "well, there were three of us in this marriage. So, it was a bit crowded." She also expressed doubt about her husband's suitability for kingship.[70] Charles and Diana divorced on 28 August 1996,[71] after being advised by the Queen in December 1995 to end the marriage.[72] The couple shared custody of their children.[73]
Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. Charles flew to Paris with Diana's sisters to accompany her body back to Britain.[74] In 2003, Diana's butler Paul Burrell published a note that he claimed had been written by Diana in 1995, in which there were allegations that Charles was "planning 'an accident' in [Diana's] car, brake failure and serious head injury", so that he could remarry.[75] When questioned by the Metropolitan Police inquiry team as a part of Operation Paget, Charles told the authorities that he did not know about his former wife's note from 1995 and could not understand why she had those feelings.[76]
Charles was the only member of the royal family to have a civil, rather than a church, wedding in England. British government documents from the 1950s and 1960s, published by the BBC, stated that such a marriage was illegal; these claims were dismissed by Charles's spokesman[80] and explained by the sitting government to have been repealed by the Registration Service Act 1953.[81]
The union was scheduled to take place in a civil ceremony at
Charles's parents did not attend the marriage ceremony; the Queen's reluctance to attend possibly arose from her position as
service of blessing and held a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle.[84] The blessing by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was televised.[85]
In 1965, Charles undertook his first public engagement by attending a student garden party at the
Royal Collection Trust met three times a year under his chairmanship.[91] Charles also represented his mother at the independence celebrations in Fiji in 1970,[92] the Bahamas in 1973,[93] Papua New Guinea in 1975,[94] Zimbabwe in 1980,[95] and Brunei in 1984.[96]
In 1983,
.22 rifle at the Queen in 1981, attempted to escape a psychiatric hospital in order to assassinate Charles, who was visiting New Zealand with Diana and William.[97] While Charles was visiting Australia on Australia Day in January 1994, David Kang fired two shots at him from a starting pistol in protest of the treatment of several hundred Cambodian asylum seekers held in detention camps.[98] In 1995, Charles became the first member of the royal family to visit the Republic of Ireland in an official capacity.[99] In 1997, Charles represented the Queen at the Hong Kong handover ceremony.[100][101]
In March 1998 Charles had laser
keyhole surgery on his right knee.[102] In March 2003 he underwent surgery at King Edward VII's Hospital to treat a hernia injury.[103] At the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, he caused controversy when he shook hands with the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, who had been seated next to him. Charles's office subsequently released a statement saying that he could not avoid shaking Mugabe's hand and that he "finds the current Zimbabwean regime abhorrent".[104] In 2008 a non-cancerous growth was removed from his nasal bridge.[102]
Charles and Camilla made their first joint trip to the Republic of Ireland in May 2015. The trip was called an important step in "promoting peace and reconciliation" by the British Embassy.
Commonwealth heads of government decided at their 2018 meeting that Charles would be the next Head of the Commonwealth after the Queen.[110] The head is chosen and therefore not hereditary.[111] In March 2019, at the request of the British government, Charles and Camilla went on an official tour of Cuba, making them the first British royals to visit the country. The tour was seen as an effort to form a closer relationship between Cuba and the United Kingdom.[112]
Charles contracted
NHS doctors, nurses and patients had been unable to be tested expeditiously.[115] He tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time in February 2022.[116] He and Camilla, who also tested positive, had received doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021.[117]
Charles attended the November 2021 ceremonies to mark
Charles acceded to the British throne on his mother's death on 8 September 2022. He was the longest-serving British heir apparent, having surpassed Edward VII's record of 59 years on 20 April 2011.[122] Charles was the oldest person to succeed to the British throne, at the age of 73. The previous record holder, William IV, was 64 when he became king in 1830.[123]
Charles gave his first speech to the nation at 6 pm on 9 September, in which he paid tribute to his mother and announced the appointment of his elder son, William, as Prince of Wales.
Charles and Camilla have engaged in three state visits and received two. In November 2022 they hosted the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, during the first official state visit to Britain of Charles's reign.[135] In March the following year, the King and Queen embarked on a state visit to Germany; Charles became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag.[136] Similarly, in September, he became the first British monarch to give a speech from France's Senate chamber during his state visit to the country.[137] The following month, the King visited Kenya where he faced pressure to apologise for British colonial actions. In a speech at the state banquet, he acknowledged "abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence", but did not formally apologise.[138]
In January 2024, Charles underwent a "corrective procedure" at
outpatient treatment.[140] He released a statement espousing his support for cancer charities and that he "remain[ed] positive" on making a full recovery.[141] In March, it was announced that Camilla would deputise for him in his absence at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey and at the Royal Maundy at Worcester Cathedral.[142][143]
Philanthropy and charity
Since founding the Prince's Trust in 1976, using his £7,500 of
patron or president of over 800 other charities and organisations.[86]
the Prince's Charities Australia, based in Melbourne, to provide a coordinating presence for his Australian and international charitable endeavours.[148]
Charles has supported humanitarian projects; for example, he and his sons took part in ceremonies that marked the 1998 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[147] Charles was one of the first public figures to express strong concerns about the human rights record of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, initiating objections in the international arena,[149] and subsequently supported the FARA Foundation,[8] a charity for Romanian orphans and abandoned children.[150]
Charity Commission also launched an investigation into allegations that the donations meant for the Prince's Foundation had been instead sent to the Mahfouz Foundation.[153] In February 2022, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the cash-for-honours allegations linked to the foundation,[154] passing their evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for deliberation in October.[155] In August 2023, the Metropolitan Police announced that they had concluded their investigations and no further actions would be taken.[156]
The Times reported in June 2022 that, between 2011 and 2015, Charles accepted €3 million in cash from Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.[157][158] There was no evidence that the payments were illegal or that it was not intended for the money to go to the charity,[158] although, the Charity Commission stated it would review the information[159] and announced in July 2022 that there would be no further investigation.[160] In the same month, The Times reported that the Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund received a donation of £1 million from Bakr bin Laden and Shafiq bin Laden – both half-brothers of Osama bin Laden – during a private meeting in 2013.[161][162] The Charity Commission described the decision to accept donations as a "matter for trustees" and added that no investigation was required.[163]
Personal interests
From young adulthood, Charles encouraged understanding of
CHOGM 2022, Charles, who was representing the Queen, raised that reconciliation process as an example for dealing with the history of slavery in the British Empire,[168] for which he expressed his sorrow.[169]
Letters sent by Charles to government ministers in 2004 and 2005 expressing his concerns over various policy issues – the so-called black spider memos – presented potential embarrassment following a challenge by The Guardian newspaper to release the letters under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In March 2015, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom decided that Charles's letters must be released.[170] The Cabinet Office published the letters in May 2015.[171] The reaction was largely supportive of Charles, with little criticism of him;[172] the press variously described the memos as "underwhelming"[173] and "harmless",[174] and concluded that their release had "backfired on those who seek to belittle him".[175] It was revealed in the same year that Charles had access to confidential Cabinet papers.[176]
In October 2020, a letter sent by Charles to the governor-general of Australia,
Kirking of the Scottish Parliament
, May 2016
The Times reported in June 2022 that Charles had privately described the British government's Rwanda asylum plan as "appalling" and he feared that it would overshadow the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda that same month.[178] It was later claimed that Cabinet ministers had warned Charles to avoid making political comments, as they feared a constitutional crisis could arise if he continued to make such statements once he became king.[179]
Built environment
Charles has openly expressed his views on architecture and
National Gallery in London as a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved friend" and deplored the "glass stumps and concrete towers" of modern architecture.[181] Charles called for local community involvement in architectural choices and asked, "why has everything got to be vertical, straight, unbending, only at right angles – and functional?"[181] Charles has "a deep understanding of Islamic art and architecture" and has been involved in the construction of a building and garden at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which combine Islamic and Oxford architectural styles.[182]
In Charles's 1989 book
the Prince's Foundation for Building Community, which were later merged into one charity – promote his views. The village of Poundbury was built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall to a master plan by Léon Krier, under the guidance of Charles and in line with his philosophy.[180] In 2013, developments for the suburb of Nansledan began on the estate of the Duchy of Cornwall with Charles's endorsement.[186] Charles helped purchase Dumfries House and its complete collection of 18th century furnishings in 2007, taking a £20m loan from his charitable trust to contribute toward the £45m cost.[187] The house and gardens remain property of the Prince's Foundation and serve as a museum and community and skills training centre.[188][189] This led to the development of Knockroon, called the "Scottish Poundbury".[190][191]
Charles has occasionally intervened in projects that employ architectural styles such as
Qatari Diar to the High Court.[200] After the suit was settled, the CPC Group apologised to Charles "for any offence caused... during the course of the proceedings".[200]
Natural environment
Since the 1970s, Charles has promoted environmental awareness.
talking to plants, stating that "I happily talk to the plants and trees, and listen to them. I think it's absolutely crucial".[203] His interest in gardening began in 1980 when he took over the Highgrove estate.[204] His "healing garden", based on sacred geometry and ancient religious symbolism, went on display at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2002.[204]
Upon moving into Highgrove House, Charles developed an interest in
GM crops, and in a letter to Tony Blair in 1998, Charles criticised the development of genetically modified foods.[208]
The Sustainable Markets Initiative – a project that encourages putting sustainability at the centre of all activities – was launched by Charles at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos in January 2020.[209] In May of the same year, the initiative and the World Economic Forum initiated the Great Reset project, a five-point plan concerned with enhancing sustainable economic growth following the global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[210]
As early as 1985, Charles was questioning meat consumption. In the 1985 Royal Special television programme, he told host
PETA that foie gras would not be served at any royal residences; he had stopped the use of foie gras at his own properties for more than a decade before becoming king.[214] During a September 2023 state banquet at the Palace of Versailles, it was reported that Charles did not want foie gras or out-of-season asparagus on the menu. Instead he was served lobster. Charles does not like chocolate, coffee, or garlic.[215]
The holy chrism oil used at Charles's coronation was vegan, made from oils of olive, sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, and benzoin, along with amber and orange blossom. His mother's chrism oil contained animal-based oils.[216]
Charles delivered a speech at the
COP28, saying among others he prayed "with all my heart that COP28 will be a critical turning point towards genuine transformational action."[220]
Charles, who is patron of the
University of Montreal in March 2022.[221] In 2010 he funded The Prince's Countryside Fund (renamed The Royal Countryside Fund in 2023), a charity which aims for a "confident, robust and sustainable agricultural and rural community".[222]
Trick or Treatment: Alternative Medicine on Trial and mockingly dedicated to "HRH the Prince of Wales". The last chapter is highly critical of Charles's advocacy of complementary and alternative treatments.[229]
Charles's Duchy Originals produced a variety of complementary medicinal products, including a "Detox Tincture" that Ernst denounced as "financially exploiting the vulnerable" and "outright quackery".[230] Charles personally wrote at least seven letters[231] to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency shortly before it relaxed the rules governing labelling of such herbal products, a move that was widely condemned by scientists and medical bodies.[232] It was reported in October 2009 that Charles had lobbied the health secretary, Andy Burnham, regarding greater provision of alternative treatments in the NHS.[230]
Following accounting irregularities, the FIH announced its closure in April 2010.
College of Medicine,[234][235] of which Charles became a patron in 2019.[236]
Sports
From his youth until 2005, Charles was an avid player of competitive polo.[237] Charles also frequently took part in fox hunting until the sport was banned in the United Kingdom in 2005.[238] By the late 1990s, opposition to the activity was growing when Charles's participation was viewed as a "political statement" by those who were opposed to it.[239] Charles suffered several polo and hunting-related injuries throughout the years, including a two-inch scar on his left cheek in 1980, a broken arm in 1990, a torn cartilage in his left knee in 1992, a broken rib in 1998, and a fractured shoulder in 2001.[102]
Charles has been a keen salmon angler since youth and supported Orri Vigfússon's efforts to protect the North Atlantic salmon. He frequently fishes the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and claims his most special angling memories are from his time spent in Vopnafjörður, Iceland.[240] Charles is a supporter of Burnley F.C.[241]
Apart from hunting, Charles has also participated in target rifle competitions, representing the House of Lords in the Vizianagram Match (Lords vs. Commons) at
Charles has been involved in performance since his youth, and appeared in sketches and revues while studying at Cambridge.[244]
Charles is president or patron of more than 20 performing arts organisations, including the
Purcell School. In 2000, he revived the tradition of appointing an official harpist to the Prince of Wales, in order to foster Welsh talent at playing the national instrument of Wales.[247]
Charles is a keen
Windrush generation, respectively, which went on display at the Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace.[251][252][253]
Charles is the author of several books and has contributed a foreword or preface to numerous books by others. He has also written, presented, or been featured in a variety of documentary films.[254]
Religion and philosophy
Shortly after his accession to the throne, Charles publicly described himself as "a committed Anglican Christian";
confirmed into the Anglican communion by Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.[256] The King is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England[257] and a member of the Church of Scotland; he swore an oath to uphold that church immediately after he was proclaimed king.[258] He attends services at various Anglican churches close to Highgrove[259] and attends the Church of Scotland's Crathie Kirk
with the rest of the royal family when staying at Balmoral Castle.
In his 1994 documentary with Dimbleby, Charles said that, when king, he wished to be seen as a "defender of faith", rather than the British monarch's traditional title of
Since his birth, Charles has received close media attention, which increased as he matured. It has been an ambivalent relationship, largely impacted by his marriages to Diana and Camilla and their aftermath, but also centred on his future conduct as king.[274]
Described as the "world's most eligible bachelor" in the late 1970s,[275] Charles was subsequently overshadowed by Diana.[276] After her death, the media regularly breached Charles's privacy and printed exposés. Known for expressing his opinions, when asked during an interview to mark his 70th birthday whether this would continue in the same way once he is king, he responded "No. It won't. I'm not that stupid. I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So, of course, you know, I understand entirely how that should operate."[277] In 2023, the New Statesman named Charles as the fourth most powerful right-wing figure of the year, describing him as a "romantic traditionalist" and "the very last reactionary in public life" for his support of various traditionalist think-tanks and previous writings.[278]
A 2018 BMG Research poll found that 46 per cent of Britons wanted Charles to abdicate immediately on his mother's death, in favour of William.[279] However, a 2021 opinion poll reported that 60 per cent of the British public had a favourable opinion of him.[280] On his accession to the throne, The Statesman reported an opinion poll that put Charles's popularity with the British people at 42 per cent.[281] More recent polling suggested that his popularity increased sharply after he became king.[282] According to YouGov, as of April 2023, Charles had an approval rating of 55 per cent.[283]
Reaction to press treatment
In 1994, German tabloid Bild published nude photos of Charles that were taken while he was vacationing in Le Barroux; they had reportedly been put up for sale for £30,000.[284] Buckingham Palace reacted by stating that it was "unjustifiable for anybody to suffer this sort of intrusion".[285]
Charles, "so often a target of the press, got his chance to return fire" in 2002, when addressing "scores of editors, publishers, and other media executives" gathered at
St Bride's Fleet Street to celebrate 300 years of journalism.[note 7][286] Defending public servants from "the corrosive drip of constant criticism", he noted that the press had been "awkward, cantankerous, cynical, bloody-minded, at times intrusive, at times inaccurate, and at times deeply unfair and harmful to individuals and to institutions."[286] But, he concluded, regarding his own relations with the press, "from time to time we are probably both a bit hard on each other, exaggerating the downsides and ignoring the good points in each."[286]
In 2023, The Guardian estimated Charles's personal wealth at £1.8 billion.[290] This estimate includes the assets of the Duchy of Lancaster worth £653 million (and paying Charles an annual income of £20 million), jewels worth £533 million, real estate worth £330 million, shares and investments worth £142 million, a stamp collection worth at least £100 million, racehorses worth £27 million, artworks worth £24 million, and cars worth £6.3 million.[290] Most of this wealth which Charles inherited from his mother is exempt from inheritance tax.[290][291]
Clarence House, previously the residence of the Queen Mother, was Charles's official London residence from 2003, after being renovated at a cost of £4.5 million.
As Prince of Wales, Charles's primary source of income was generated from the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns 133,658 acres of land (around 54,090 hectares), including farming, residential, and commercial properties, as well as an investment portfolio. Since 1993, Charles has paid tax voluntarily under the Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation, updated in 2013.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs were asked in December 2012 to investigate alleged tax avoidance by the Duchy of Cornwall.[300] The Duchy is named in the Paradise Papers, a set of confidential electronic documents relating to offshore investment that were leaked to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.[301][302]
Charles has held many titles and honorary military positions throughout the Commonwealth, is sovereign of many orders in his own countries and has received honours and awards from around the world.
There had been speculation throughout Elizabeth II's reign as to what regnal name Charles would choose upon his accession; instead of Charles III, he could have chosen to reign as George VII or used one of his other given names.[309] It was reported that he might use George in honour of his grandfather George VI and to avoid associations with previous controversial kings named Charles.[note 8][310][311] Charles's office asserted in 2005 that no decision had yet been made.[312] Speculation continued for a few hours following his mother's death,[313] until Liz Truss announced and Clarence House confirmed that Charles had chosen the regnal name Charles III.[314][315]
As Prince of Wales, Charles's coat of arms was based on the arms of the United Kingdom, differenced with a white label and an inescutcheon of the Principality of Wales, surmounted by the heir apparent's crown, and with the motto Ich dien (German:[ɪçˈdiːn], "I serve") instead of Dieu et mon droit.
When Charles became king, he inherited the royal coats of arms of the United Kingdom and of Canada.[317] The design of his royal cypher, featuring a depiction of the Tudor crown instead of St Edward's Crown, was revealed on 27 September 2022. According to the College of Arms, the Tudor crown will now be used in representations of the royal arms of the United Kingdom and on uniforms and crown badges.[318]
Coat of arms as Prince of Wales (1958–2022)
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland
The banners used by Charles as Prince of Wales varied depending upon location. His personal standard for the United Kingdom was the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom differenced as in his arms, with a label of three points argent and the escutcheon of the arms of the Principality of Wales in the centre. It was used outside Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and Canada, and throughout the entire United Kingdom when Charles was acting in an official capacity associated with the British Armed Forces.[319]
The personal flag for use in Wales was based upon the
High Steward of Scotland, and Lord of the Isles. In Cornwall, the banner was the arms of the Duke of Cornwall.[319]
In 2011, the
Royal Coat of Arms of Canada defaced with both a blue roundel of the Prince of Wales's feathers surrounded by a wreath of gold maple leaves and a white label of three points.[320]
The royal standard of the United Kingdom is used to represent the King in the United Kingdom and on official visits overseas, except in Canada. It is the royal arms in banner form undifferentiated, having been used by successive British monarchs since 1702. The royal standard of Canada is used by the King in Canada and while acting on behalf of Canada overseas. It is the escutcheon of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada in banner form undifferentiated.
Haakon VII of Norway, who was called "Uncle Charles" by Elizabeth II.[5][6]
Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (his paternal great-grandmother); the Lady Brabourne (his cousin); and the Hon David Bowes-Lyon (his maternal great-uncle).[7]
^ abJohnson, Bonnie; Healy, Laura Sanderson; Thorpe-Tracey, Rosemary; Nolan, Cathy (25 April 1988). "Growing Up Royal". Time. Archived from the original on 31 March 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
^Holland, Fiona (10 September 2022). "God Save The King!". Trinity College Cambridge. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022. The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 19, at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday.
^Ratcliffe, Rebecca (10 September 2022). "Charles III is proclaimed King". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
^Torrance, David (29 September 2022). The Accession of King Charles III(PDF). House of Commons Library. p. 21. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
^"Prince Charles dined with Bin Laden's brother". The Guardian. 13 October 2001. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022. The Prince of Wales had dinner with a brother of Osama bin Laden two weeks after the September 11th attacks, St James' Palace said today.
^Garner, Clare (17 December 1996). "Prince's guru dies aged 90". The Independent (UK). Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
^"Princ Čarls u manastiru Kovilj" [Prince Charles in the Kovilj monastery]. Ekspres.net (in Serbian (Latin script)). Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022. The Independent has learnt that the Prince of Wales will only speak to broadcasters on the condition they have signed a 15-page contract, demanding that Clarence House attends both the "rough cut" and "fine cut" edits of films and, if it is unhappy with the final product, can "remove the contribution in its entirety from the programme".
from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2012. Clarence House yesterday issued a pained denial of claims that the Prince of Wales has held private discussions with "trusted friends" about the possibility of reigning as George VII rather than risk the negative connotations attached to the name King Charles.
from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023. Charles has become King Charles III – with his title as monarch a personal choice that was entirely his own.
^"Britain's new monarch to be known as King Charles III". Reuters. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022. Clarence House confirmed on Thursday that Britain's new monarch will be known as King Charles III, following the death of Queen Elizabeth, PA Media reported on Thursday.
^"Coats of Arms". The Royal Family. 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
^"Royal Cypher". College of Arms. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
^ abc"Standards". Prince of Wales. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
^"The Prince of Wales". Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges. Office of the Governor General of Canada: Canadian Heraldic Authority. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
1 Not a British prince by birth, but created Prince Consort. 2 Not a British prince by birth, but created a Prince of the United Kingdom. Princes whose titles were removed and eligible people who do not use the title are shown in italics.
1 Office is either vested in the Crown, or vacant. Status is currently debated. 2 There is debate around whether these offices constitute Officers of the Crown.