The Prince of Wales was born Charles Philip Arthur George on 14th November 1948. He parents were the young Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, heir to the British throne. Just 4 years later, having enjoyed a childhood home in Clarence House, and the birth of a little sister, Anne, in 1950, his mother became Queen, upon the death of her father and Charles’ grandfather, King George VI. This changed things for Charles. Although he had always been destined to be king, he was now first in line to the throne, heir apparent from the age of 3. His parents became busier with their royal duties, and the family moved into Buckingham Palace. The young prince watched his mother’s coronation in 1953 in Westminster Abbey, accompanied by his Grandmother, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, with whom Charles always had a special relationship. He is the first heir to the throne to have seen his mother crowned as sovereign. Charles had 2 younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, born in 1960, and 1964, respectively.
Charles grew up, educated at Cheam, and then at Gordonstoun in Scotland; Prince Philip had been to Gordonstoun himself. Charles was unhappy here, being of a more sensitive nature, and unprepared for the rough outdoor emphasis the school had. He went on to achieve a BA degree and a Masters degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, and serve with the RAF and Royal Navy.
He married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, and they went on to have 2 children, Prince William born in 1982, and Prince Harry in 1984. Sadly, the Prince and Princess of Wales separated in 1992, and divorced in 1996. The Princess of Wales then died a year later in a car crash in Paris. Charles was left to bring up his 2 young sons, which I think he has done an excellent job with. Both boys are a credit to their parents, and show the influence of their mother, and also their father; for example their interests in conservation. The Prince of Wales re-married in 2005 to Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall. Charles has 3 grandchildren, George, Charlotte, and Louis, the children of Prince William and his wife, Catherine. Harry and his wife Meghan are expecting their first child in Spring 2019. He also has 5 step-grandchildren.
Charles had forged out a career for himself, and a public role, as Prince of Wales, a title he was given at aged 10. He was invested at Caernarfon Castle as the 21st Prince of Wales at age 20 in 1969. He is the longest holder of the title, as he waits to assume the throne when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passes on. There is no guidebook for being Prince of Wales, but Charles has followed the causes close to his heart; conservation, young people, architecture, the countryside. He is patron or president of over 420 charities.
His charitable trust, “The Prince’s Trust,” has helped young people gain employment and improve the environment. Founded in 1976, it is self-described as, "the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the United Kingdom, raising over £100 million annually ... [and is] active across a broad range of areas including education and young people, environmental sustainability, the built environment, responsible business and enterprise and international.” He also established The Prince’s Charities Canada and The Prince’s Charities Australia. He has been known to speak out against infringement of human rights, supporting the FARA foundation that supports Romanian orphans, in response to the Romanian dictatorship. He donated his state pension to a charity that supports the elderly, and through the charity International Health Partners of which he is patron, sent out vaccines during the measles outbreak in the Philippines in 2014. These are just some examples of the philanthropic work of the prince.
His Gloucestershire home of Highgrove has pioneered greener and organic methods of food production and farming. For years, the Prince has been holding discussions on climate change, and global warming. He has been criticized for speaking out, but he knows that he has a unique position of influence, and once he is king, he will become neutral, and unable to meddle. He champions so many different charities, organisations, and causes. He also holds conversations with different world leaders, and makes a difference. He often notices the overlooked charities and causes, and people groups.
Lately, he has taken on more and more of the duties of his mother, as she gets older. One prominent role he has taken on, is leading the country and commonwealth on Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph. As he approaches the age most people retire, he is still waiting for his real job to begin. I do not think he will abdicate in favour of a younger monarch in his son William. He will not want William, Catherine, and their young family to experience what he did when his mother became Queen at a young age. Besides, Charles has had years of experience at the role of royalty in the 21st Century. He has lost favour with the public and worked hard to regain it. He knows the political world stage and its key players, and having studied in different countries and cities, knows foreign cultures. He will work twice as hard to win over the sceptics. I think he will prove to be a king who cares; cares about his subjects, diplomatic relationships, and the environment. He will be less aloof than the current Queen, who maintains that sense of Majesty and respect that I so admire in her. But Charles will be relatable in that he has made mistakes, and like the rest of us, he is trying his best. He tries to learn and engage with each new generation. He will be respected for the quiet work he has been doing for years. He is well travelled having visited nearly 100 countries; it astonishes me the amount of foreign tours he and the Duchess of Cornwall do. I can hardly keep up! Furthermore, he has a respect for tradition, which I think is essential for any monarch, to retain the foundation that the monarchy is built on, the strength that lies in that foundation. But he is also able to adapt and embrace modernity. I think proof of the world’s confidence in him is that he has been named as the Queen’s successor as Head of the Commonwealth, a role which is not hereditary, but shows the trust the leaders of the commonwealth nations have in him.
Happy Birthday, your royal highness!
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