Was He Really Born to Be King?
From day one, Prince Charles was a man of firsts and would often break the royal mold. In November 1948, a young Princess Elizabeth gave birth to Charles, with newspapers reporting at the time that he was a “lovely boy, a really splendid baby.”
Amazingly, the newborn prince was the first royal baby to be born at Buckingham Palace in the 20th century. While he didn’t have to grow up during the first or second world war, Charles would have his own battles as the years progressed…
Passing of the Crown
6 February, 1952, marked a bittersweet time in the history of the British monarchy. King George VI, Charles’s grandfather, was diagnosed with coronary thrombosis and ultimately passed away. This meant two important things. Firstly, George’s daughter, Elizabeth, immediately became the Queen of England.
Subsequentially, at just three years and three months of age, Charles was now the first in line for the throne. This would begin one of the longest periods that any royal has had as heir…
The Little Prince
As the years went on, Charles was given and more and more titles. However, one of his most important titles came in July 1958, when his mother Queen Elizabeth II named him Charles Prince of Wales. It made sense, seeing that the nine-year-old was a male heir to the throne.
Over a decade later, Charles was officially crowned as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle. Despite his royal duties building up, Prince Charles was still determined to have some sort of normality in his life…
Like Any Other Student
As he grew into his adolescence, Prince Charles continued to break royal norms, determined to have some sort of “normal” life, whatever that might mean. In October 1967, he became the very first royal heir to attend university.
He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge until finally graduating in 1970 with a 2:2 in anthropology, archaeology, and history. Many casual fans wondered why a member of the British royal family wasn’t able to graduate with a first. Some speculate that it was for the following reason…
The Worst Was Yet to Come
Their English subjects were bewildered, to say the least. Three consecutively broken rules left them asking, do the rules actually matter anymore?
But before long, their concerns over time and tradition were put aside by a tragedy no one saw coming that shook not only England but the entire world: just one year after their divorce, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash while in Paris on the 31st of August, 1997. Despite their differences and separation, this would be very bad news for Prince Charles.
Charles Braces the Public With Camilla
On top of its widespread sadness and a resurgence of affection for the young Princess, the public turned a critical eye to Prince Charles. Many suspected his involvement in the tragedy which took her life, and villainized him for it. For a while, he kept a low profile – especially keeping his budding romance with Camilla out of the spotlight, even though everyone knew they were together.
But in time, he decided it was finally time to begin living his truth transparently. In 1999 he made his first public appearance with Camilla at a party at the Ritz.
Prince Charles Marries Camilla & Makes History
To say that the Queen approved of their relationship would be a far cry from the truth, but she did not ultimately get in the way of Charles and Camilla’s love. The couple spent years enjoying their relationship despite many odds against them, and took their time getting to the altar, even though she had been part of his intimate life and family for some time.
On April 9th, 2005, 30 years after their acquaintance was made, Prince Charles and Camilla were officially married at a register office in Windsor. Prince Harry later said, “We are very grateful for her. She’s made our father very happy.”
His Reactions to the Media
There’s no denying that Prince Charles’ relationship with the media hasn’t always been smooth sailing. During a gathering at St. Bride’s Fleet Street in 2002, the Royal member noted that at times, the press has been “awkward, cantankerous, cynical, at times intrusive, at times inaccurate, and at times deeply unfair and harmful to individuals and to institutions.”
Still, Prince Charles also made a reasonable point in addressing the fact that “from time to time, we are probably both a bit hard on each other, exaggerating the downsides and ignoring the good points in each.”
He “Talks to Plants”
Not only is Charles a reasonable guy but he’s also one with the Earth. In fact, he’s been promoting environmental awareness since the ’80s and has even received an award from the Harvard Medical School for his work in the natural world.
With that being said, it makes sense as to why Charles enjoys the occasional conversation with nature. During an interview with BBC, the Royal member admitted that “I happily talk to the plants and trees, and listen to them. I think it’s absolutely crucial.” Despite the backlash his comments received, Charles still stands by them.
Jack of All Trades
Believe it or not, Prince Charles is a man of many talents. As a child, Charles learned how to play the piano, trumpet, and cello. In the end, Charles stuck with cello and would go on to play in the Trinity College Orchestra during his undergraduate years.
Aside from music, Prince Charles writes books and even paints! In fact, Charles is an honorary member of the Royal Watercolor Society and the Royal Academy. Using watercolors, the Prince pulls inspiration for his art from nature and scenery.
There is no denying that Prince Charles has had a rollercoaster ride of a life. From as early as he can remember, the Prince of Wales has always known that one day, the time would come for him to wear the crown and become the King of England. However, Queen Elizabeth II’s son has had many twists and turns in his life. Here are some of the most unforgettable ones…