This May marks the coronation of King Charles III, the first crowning of a male British monarch for 87 years. Therefore, it is a significant moment for many of us, and people across the nation – and the world – will be tuning in to watch. In recognition of this event, we look at the life of His Majesty King Charles III and the plans being put in place for the coronation.
Childhood
Born on November 14th, 1948, the then-Prince Charles was the first child of Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip. At the time of his birth, his grandfather, George VI, was still King. He was baptised a month later, on December 15th, at Buckingham Palace.
In 1952, upon the death of George VI and his mother’s accession to the throne, Charles was named Heir Apparent to the British crown. He was also given the titles Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. Before the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, Charles was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.
As a child, then then-Prince Charles was one of the first royals to attend school rather than being educated at home. Whilst he received home schooling between the ages of 5 and 8, from a governess named Catherine Peebles, in 1956 he started attending Hill House School, West London.
In 1967, Charles left school with six GCE O-levels and two A-levels. His A-levels were in History and French.
University
Notably, Charles was the first Heir Apparent to attend university and get a degree. This went against the royal tradition of joining the British Armed Forces straight out of school.
Instead, His Majesty attended Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1969, in the lead-up to his investiture as Prince of Wales, Charles attended Aberystwyth to study Welsh history and language. On June 23rd, 1970, then-Prince Charles graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts degree.
Whilst studying at university, Charles did not entirely neglect the Armed Forces. During his second year, he received flight training from the Royal Air Force, and trained as a jet pilot at RAF College Cranwell in 1971.
Royal Duties
As Heir Apparent and Prince of Wales, Charles attended many events on behalf of the royal family, including undertaking functions on behalf of the late Queen. Included in these duties was a yearly tour of Wales, which will now become the duty of Prince William, who has inherited his father’s title of Prince of Wales.
One of his most notable state visits was in 1995, when he became the first member of the royal family to visit the Republic of Ireland in an official capacity.
Relationships and Children
In 1981, Charles married Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral. The couple lived together at Kensington Palace and Highgrove House, having two children together: Prince William in 1982, and Prince Henry (known as Harry) in 1984. Unlike most royal fathers, Charles was present for the births of both sons.
Unfortunately, the couple divorced in 1996. Diana continued to be considered a member of the royal family, becoming an obsession of the paparazzi. In 1997, she was tragically involved in a fatal car crash, with a funeral held later that year at Westminster Abbey.
In 2005, Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who remains his wife to this day. Upon his accession, she was named Queen Consort, and will be crowned alongside His Majesty at the coronation. The couple have not had any children and regularly attend royal functions together.
The Coronation
The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III is set to take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023, and will be televised live by BBC, ITV, and Sky. Whilst deeply rooted in tradition, it has been announced that the ceremony will also look towards the future, reflecting the King’s modern role in our country.
The event will take place in the morning, beginning with the ‘King’s Procession’ from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. Then, after the ceremony itself, which is expected to last around 90 minutes, Their Majesties the King and Queen Consort will return to Buckingham Palace.
This will involve a second, longer procession – ‘The Coronation Procession’ – where they will be joined by other members of the royal family. The ceremonial events will be concluded with an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Coronation Celebrations
After the coronation itself, there will be a Sunday of celebrations. The most notable of these will be the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. This will be broadcast live by the BBC. Music icons and contemporary stars will perform together to celebrate the occasion.
Several thousand members of the public have been selected to receive free tickets to the Coronation Concert.
Coronation Big Lunches are also being arranged across the nation, bringing communities together to celebrate. This will be a way to help people get to know their neighbours better. Find out if there’s a Big Lunch happening near you – it could be a great way to fight loneliness.
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