Who is King Charles III?
Charles III is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, he became king in September 2022 at the age of 73, the oldest person ever to take the British throne, after a record time as heir apparent and Prince of Wales.
Early life and education
Charles was born in 1948 and became heir apparent when his mother became queen in 1952. He was educated at Cheam School and Gordonstoun in Scotland, spent six months at a school in Australia and then studied history at the University of Cambridge, becoming the first heir to the throne to earn a university degree. He served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976.
Career as Prince of Wales
For decades, Charles carried out official duties and represented the UK abroad. In 1976 he used his Royal Navy severance pay to found the Prince’s Trust, which has supported more than a million young people into work, education and enterprise. He went on to found many more charities and became patron of hundreds of organisations.
Major achievements
- The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust): one of the UK’s best-known youth charities.
- Environment: an early supporter of organic farming and climate action.
- Architecture: created the planned town of Poundbury to promote traditional design.
- Author: has written or co-written 17 books.
Expertise and interests
Charles is known for long-standing interests in the environment, sustainable farming, architecture, and interfaith dialogue, as well as painting watercolours.
Leadership and impact
As king he is head of state, head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. In April 2026, during a state visit to the United States, he became the second British monarch to address a joint meeting of Congress.
Personal life
He married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981; they had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and divorced in 1996. In 2005 he married Camilla, now Queen Camilla.
Current role
His reign has included his coronation in 2023, continuing royal duties after a cancer diagnosis announced in 2024, and the removal of his brother Andrew’s remaining titles in 2025. In 2026 the palace announced he would publish his personal tax bills, a first for a UK head of state.
The coronation
Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023, in a ceremony planned for years under the code name Operation Golden Orb. It kept the ancient Church of England rites, including the oath, anointing and crowning, but was shorter than his mother’s 1953 coronation and included representatives of different faiths and communities. Millions watched around the world.
Environmental work
Long before climate change was a mainstream issue, Charles promoted organic farming on the Duchy of Cornwall estates and called for action on the environment. He later launched the Sustainable Markets Initiative to encourage businesses to adopt greener practices.
Timeline: key moments
- 1948Born in London
- 1952Becomes heir apparent
- 1958Created Prince of Wales
- 1970Graduates from Cambridge
- 1976Founds the Prince’s Trust
- 1981Marries Lady Diana Spencer
- 2005Marries Camilla Parker Bowles
- 2022Becomes King
- 2023Crowned at Westminster Abbey
- 2026Addresses the US Congress
King Charles III spent a lifetime preparing for the throne, using those decades to build charities and champion causes such as youth opportunity and the environment.
