King Charles III of the United Kingdom
| King Charles III of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| Head of the Commonwealth | |
_(cropped).jpg)
| |
| Photograph of Charles III in 2023 | |
and other Commonwealth realms[note 1] | |
| Reign | 8 September 2022 – present |
| Coronation | 6 May 2023 |
| Predecessor | Elizabeth II |
| Heir apparent | William, Prince of Wales |
| Born | Prince Charles of Edinburgh 14 November 1948 Buckingham Palace, London, England |
| Spouses | |
| Issue | |
| Full name | |
| Charles Philip Arthur George[note 2] | |
| House | Windsor[1] |
| Father | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
| Mother | Elizabeth II |
| Signature | Charles's signature in black ink |
| Religion | Protestant |
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor; born 14 November 1948) is the current King of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms[note 1] since 8 September 2022, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
Charles was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and became heir apparent when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, acceded to the throne in 1952. He was created Prince of Wales in 1958 and his investiture was held in 1969. He was educated at Cheam School and Gordonstoun, and later spent six months at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. After completing a history degree from the University of Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer. They had two sons, William and Harry. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, after they had each engaged in well-publicised extramarital affairs. Diana died as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash the following year. In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles.
Titles and Styles[edit]
- 14 November 1948-6 February 1952: His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh
- 6 February 1952-26 July 1958: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall, His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay, His Royal Highness The Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles
- 26 July 1958-9 April 2021: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness The Earl of Chester
- 9 April 2021-6 May 2023 His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness The Earl of Merioneth, Baron of Greenwich
- 6 May 2023-present His Majesty The King of the United Kingdom
Notes[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 In addition to the United Kingdom, the fourteen other realms are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.
- ↑ As the reigning monarch, Charles does not usually use a family name, but when one is needed, it is Mountbatten-Windsor.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Royal Family name". Official website of the British monarchy. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2009.