King Charles III has waited a lifetime to become monarch and will fulfil his destiny when he is crowned on Saturday, May 6, watched by a worldwide audience. As the Prince of Wales, he was the country’s longest serving heir to the throne and carved out a role for himself speaking out on issues like the environment, climate change, architecture and farming.
Less than a year into his new role, the 74-year-old is adapting to life as head of the royal family and the nation, completing a number of milestones as he follows the 70-year reign of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The day after the Queen’s death in September 2022, the King pledged his whole life in service as the new sovereign, just as his mother had done, saying: “That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”
Charles Philip Arthur George was born on November 14, 1948, and grew up in a time of quiet revolution inside Buckingham Palace. After his birth at Buckingham Palace – the first at the royal residence since 1886 – his father Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, drove to Caxton Hall to register the event.
