His Royal Highness Prince Charles is one of the most prominent public figures in the world. He is next in line to the throne of the United Kingdom and has supported international charities for years. The work he does not just for the crown but also for disadvantaged people across the world make him a true National Treasure.
Childhood
Prince Charles was born on November 14th, 1948, in Buckingham Palace. He was the first child of then-Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip; his grandfather, George VI, was King at the time. A month later, on December 15th, Charles was baptised at the Palace. The ceremony was performed by Geoffrey Fisher, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1952, upon the passing of his grandfather and his mother’s accession to the throne, he was named Heir Apparent. He was also given the titles Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. Charles is now the oldest, and longest-serving, heir apparent in British history. The young Prince Charles became one of the first royals to go to school rather than being educated at home. Between the ages of five and eight he was attended by a governess named Catherine Peebles. In 1956 he started at Hill House School, West London. Over the next ten years he would attend other schools, such as Cheam Preparatory School and Geelong Grammar School. When he left school in 1967, he had six GCE O-levels and two A-levels. These A-levels were in History and French, in which he earned a grade B and C, respectively.University
Charles ended up being the first heir apparent in British history to attend university and get a degree. This went against the royal tradition of joining the British Armed Forces after leaving school. Instead, he attended Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1969, as the ceremony to crown him Prince of Wales approached, he went to Aberystwyth to study Welsh history and language. Ultimately, Prince Charles graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts degree on June 23rd, 1970. In his time at university, Charles did not entirely neglect the Armed Forces. He requested and received flight training from the Royal Air Force in his second year of studies, and flew himself to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell to train as a jet pilot in 1971.Royal Duties
Through the years, Prince Charles has attended many events on behalf of the royal family. It is, in fact, his duty as Prince of Wales to undertake functions on behalf of the Queen. One of the duties he performs regularly is a yearly tour of Wales. He attends important national events and fulfils a week of engagements every summer. In 1995, Charles became the first member of the royal family to visit the Republic of Ireland in an official capacity. During this visit, Charles said, “The links and friendships between the peoples of these islands are found everywhere and in almost every family. This, ladies and gentlemen, must surely reinforce the important efforts now being made to build a lasting peace.” At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Charles represented the Queen at the opening ceremony. He revisited Ireland in May 2015, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall. The British Embassy called it an important step in “promoting peace and reconciliation”.