November 14 celebrates his 65th birthday Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, Prince of Wales and number one contender to the British royal throne. In this collection you will find selected footage and facts from the life of Prince Charles.

(Total 30 photos)

1. Prince Charles was born on November 14, 1948 at the residence royal family— at Buckingham Palace. In the photo, Queen Elizabeth II holds the prince in her arms after the baptism ceremony, which took place on December 15. During the ceremony, the baby was dipped into water taken from the Jordan River.

2. In the photo, Elizabeth, along with her husband Prince Philip and two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, at the Westminster residence of members of the British royal family, Clarence House, in August 1951. Anna was only 1 year old at the time.

3. In 1952, Charles's mother became Queen Elizabeth II. In the photo, she arrived with the Prince and Countess Edwina Mountbatten for a polo game in Malta. Charles would later become an excellent polo player.

4. In 1960, Charles discovered another exciting activity - and became a frequent visitor to equestrian events. In the photo, he walks along the edge of the field during the show jumping competition in Badminton. This event is considered one of the main events in the life of equestrian sports enthusiasts.

5. In 1965, Prince Charles had a brother, Prince Andrew. In the photo, they are karting with their sister, Princess Anna.

6. Prince Charles stands next to a horse during a polo match in Jamaica in 1966. He played until 1992, when due to injuries he had to leave the sport. Until 2005, the prince participated in charity games.

7. As heir to the throne, Charles received many titles and titles, for example, when he was only 9 years old, he was proclaimed the Prince of Wales. Charles was made a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in 1968, pictured at a ceremony at Windsor Castle.

8. When the prince was 21 years old, some official duties were assigned to him. The picture shows him visiting Tilbury Docks in East London in August 1968, which were under renovation.

9. With the advent of the prince's duties, he instantly became the center of attention of the press. In the picture he is being interviewed by David Frost for documentary film"Prince for Wales".

10. Queen Elizabeth II puts a crown on Charles's head during a ceremony in 1969 in which he was proclaimed Prince of Wales.

11. In 1970, Charles met Camilla Shand. This acquaintance was not particularly happy in the royal family and in its entourage. Pictured are Charles and Camilla at a polo game. Shand later married Andrew Parker Bowles and Charles married Diana Spencer. Despite this, Camilla and the prince continued to communicate, and eventually resumed their close relationship.

12. The Prince acted as honorary commander of the Welsh Guards and donned a fur shako in July 1975 during the parade of the Horse Guards in London.

13. Charles, along with his father Prince Philip, at the funeral of his uncle and mentor Earl Louis Mountbatten, who died in a terrorist attack by the Irish Republican Army in 1979.

14. In the summer of 1980, Prince Charles began a relationship with Diana Spencer. In the photo, she is on the right, along with Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom Charles continued to communicate. In February 1981, Charles and Diana got married.

15. Charles and Diana pose for photographers after they announced their engagement in 1981. Judging by the photo, it seems that Charles is taller than his fiancée, but this is only because he is one step above Diana. In fact, he is half an inch shorter than his future wife.

16. July 29, 1981 in London's St. Paul's Cathedral, a magnificent wedding ceremony took place between Diana and Charles. The ceremony was broadcast on television and was seen by about a billion people. In the photo, the prince and the newly-made princess are kissing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. To the right of the couple stands Charles's mother.

17. Diana and Charles spent their Honeymoon not somewhere in the Caribbean, but in the royal castle in Scottish Balmoral. In the photo, the couple is relaxing on the banks of the River Dee.

18. The Prince and Princess of Wales surrounded by the press at the entrance to the hospital "St Mary's" a few days after the birth of their first child, William, who was born on June 21, 1982. Charles became the first member of the British royal family to be present at the birth of his child.

19. Charles and William at Kensington Palace in December 1982. This palace was given to Charles by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen herself lived nearby at Buckingham Palace.

20. In September 1984, Prince William had a brother -. The brothers were jokingly called "heir and spare." The picture shows Charles and Harry walking outside a country house in Gloucestershire Highgrove House.

21. A passionate polo fan, Charles participated in the games as soon as time allowed. Pictured is the Prince playing for the Diables Blues at Cowdray Park in Sussex in August 1985.

22. Princes Harry and William with their parents at the parade in London in August 1995. It was during this period that the relationship between Charles and Diana was strained. The Prince mainly lived in Highgrove, and the Princess in Kensington Palace. They divorced a year later.

23. On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died in a car accident that occurred in an underground tunnel under Alma Square in Paris. Her companion Dodi al-Fayed and the driver of their car also died. Pictured is Diana's brother, her sons and ex-husband while the coffin is carried through the streets of London. Approximately 2.5 billion people watched the broadcast of the funeral of Princess Diana. This event attracted the most a large number of viewers throughout history.

24. Prince Charles serves at the coffin of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth (who was commonly called the Queen Mother) in London on April 8, 2002. Charles was very close to his grandmother, who was known for her cheerful nature and open opposition to the Germans during World War II. She passed away at the age of 101.

25. After the death of Diana and the Queen Mother, Charles's former lover Camilla Parker Bowles moved into the prince's house in 2003 and began to frequently get into the lenses of television cameras. The picture shows the couple at the highland games in Scotland in August 2004.

26. Before the couple Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles announced their engagement on February 10, 2005, their photos did not leave the covers of newspapers.

27. Since both Charles and Camilla were divorced, they had to confine themselves to the usual marriage ceremony, which took place on April 9, 2009. After they officially married, and the union was blessed in the church of St. George at Windsor Castle, where this photo was taken.

28. On official photo from the marriage ceremony of Charles and Camilla, all family members are captured. From left to right, back row: Prince Harry, Prince William, Tom and Laura Parker Bowles. From left to right, bottom row: Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand.

29. Charles in a group photo of the Royal Regiment "Black Watch" after the ceremony of presenting commemorative medals for participation in the military operation on January 20, 2010 in Fort George, Scotland. The regiment lost 5 people during the military operation in Afghanistan, which lasted seven months.

30. Prince Charles visited a bison reserve in Poland on March 16, 2010. A visit to this country was part of his 3-day tour of Eastern Europe. Unlike his mother, Charles intends to increase the influence of the royal family in society.

Prince Charles is one of the brightest representatives modern generation British monarchy. Born and raised in the family of Queen Elizabeth and her husband Philip Mountbatten, he is a vivid example of a true aristocrat - a man brought up in the harsh traditions of the Windsor dynasty. One day, this Englishman will ascend the royal throne of Great Britain and become one of the most important figures in the entire British Commonwealth of Nations. Therefore, our today's story about the life and fate of the Prince of Wales will certainly be of interest to many. How was the life of Prince Charles? What kind important points included his biography? The answers to these questions are further in our article.

Early years, childhood and the royal family of Prince Charles

The future prince was born in 1948 - a year after the magnificent wedding of Princess Elizabeth and her husband Philip Mountbatten. At that time, his grandfather, the eminent monarch George VI, was the king of Great Britain. However, unfortunately, already three years later the great king died, and the mother of our today's hero, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended the royal throne. Thus, already at the age of three, Charles received the title of Prince of Wales and officially became the first person in the hierarchy of succession to the throne.

Some time later, other children of the “Queen Mother” were also born - Anna, Andrew and Edward. However, they could only claim the throne in exceptional cases.

As the current heir to the throne, Charles has been early years was surrounded by all the benefits of the English monarchy. He attended an elite London school, and then (even despite the rather average grades) - the University of Cambridge. In this institution, Charles studied art history and already in 1970 received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Five years later, in the tradition of the University of Cambridge, Prince Charles was consecrated to the Master of Arts.

The further career of Prince Charles, education and work

It is quite remarkable that the Master of Arts degree in the case of Prince Charles turned out to be far from being just a formality. AT different years he successfully proved himself as a skilled writer. At the moment, he authored many books on painting, architecture, gardening and ecology. In addition, during a certain period, the Prince of Wales decided to try himself as a screenwriter and wrote scripts for some obscure documentaries.

However, in fairness, it should be noted that literature has always been just a favorite hobby for Prince Charles. He never aspired to a career as a professional writer or screenwriter, devoting himself to public service and the daily duties of the heir to the throne.

Biography of Prince Charles

In the seventies, he several times took part in the meetings of the House of Lords and even attended a meeting in the Cabinet of Ministers. It is quite remarkable that Prince Charles is the first monarch in more than three hundred years to be allowed to take part in the work of British ministers. According to some reports, for a long time the name of the Prince of Wales appeared on the list of contenders for the post of Governor General of Australia, but due to the constitutional crisis on the Green Continent, our today's hero abandoned his claims to this position.

After working in the public service, the heir to the royal throne began military service. In 1971, he completed a course of study and was officially enrolled in air Force Britain as a helicopter and fighter pilot. In this capacity, the Prince of Wales served for several years, after which he voluntarily transferred to the Navy, to which he gave a couple more years of his life.

After returning to London, Charles began to actively engage in charity work. Under his patronage at the moment there are more than 350 different structures. In addition, our today's hero is the founder of the Prince's Foundation, as well as fifteen other organizations working in the field of conservation. environment and improvement of the urban environment. Among other things, the Prince of Wales is also actively interested in alternative medicine, and also supports various liberal projects aimed at recognizing the rights of sexual minorities and small peoples.

Prince Charles on the subway

Speaking about the functions of the prince, it is worth noting the fact that in last years due to the advanced age of his parents, it is he who makes most of the interstate visits. As a representative of the British monarchy, he receives ambassadors from other states, and also often personally visits foreign countries.

Personal life and family of Prince Charles, wedding and divorce from Princess Diana

It is known for certain that already in his youth, Charles was known as a great womanizer. Back in the sixties, he courted many girls, and in 1979 he even proposed to Amanda Knatchbull, his second cousin, the granddaughter of the Viceroy of India. However, the girl refused to marry him.

After that, for some time, the Prince of Wales met with Sarah Spencer, the daughter of the famous aristocrat John Spencer, however, as it is not strange, he eventually married her own sister, Diana. In July 1981, a solemn marriage ceremony of famous people took place, and eleven months later, the eldest son of Prince Charles, William, was born.

Two years later, a new addition happened to the family of Charles and Diana. In September 1984, Lady "Dee" gave birth to her younger son Harry.

However, some time later, relations in the august family were upset. In the early nineties, all British newspapers trumpeted about the romance of Prince Charles with Camilla Parker Bowles. Some time later, there were reports in the press that Princess Diana was also romantically involved with her riding instructor.

In 1997, during a trip to Paris with her then-lover businessman Dodi al-Fayed, Princess Diana was killed in a car accident and tragically died. Her formal husband Charles was present at all the funeral ceremonies dedicated to the "People's Princess". However, he soon remarried. New wife Prince of Wales was his longtime girlfriend Camilla Parker Bowles.

The Duchess of Cornwall Camilla became known to the general public in the early 90s, thanks to an extramarital love affair with the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles. This article is devoted to the history of her life.

Duchess of Cornwall Camilla: who is she (origin)

The current wife of Prince Charles comes from a noble family, standing one step below the peers. Her father, Bruce Shand, rose to the rank of major in the British Army, and her mother, Rosalind Cubitt, was a baroness.

After the birth of their eldest daughter Camilla, the couple had two more girls. The father was very sad about the absence of an heir, but he saw that his favorite Milla, thanks to her courage and self-confidence, would put any boy in the belt.

Childhood

The path of Camilla Parker Bowles from tomboy to duchess took almost half a century. Surely the boys, whose company she preferred to play with peers, would never have believed that Milla would ever become “Her Highness”, riding around in the queen’s landau and greeting people from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The girl liked to dress up in shorts and a shirt with rolled up sleeves, and she could hardly be persuaded to wear a dress for the traditional Sunday church visit.

At the age of 5, Milla Shand was sent to primary school Dumbrells, where corporal punishment was commonplace. However, if Charles Windsor, who at the same time studied at a privileged boarding school for boys, wrote home tearful letters complaining about teachers, then the parents did not hear a single complaint from Camilla. Moreover, she did not even allow herself to cry in front of her classmates.

At the age of 10, the girl was transferred to the Queens Gate School, where she was friends mainly with the boys, taking part in all their pranks. Around this time, Milla learned that her great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, was an "adviser" to King Edward the Seventh. She was terribly proud of the "great-grandmother", and asked the adults for the details of this "chaste" novel.

First novel

At seventeen, the future Duchess of Cornwall Camilla met Kevin Burke at her first ball. This 19-year-old student at Eton University was the heir to a wealthy businessman. Although it was not welcomed in those days, young people became lovers after a couple of days. According to Camille, she went for it out of pure curiosity to find out "what all this noise is about." The couple did not even hide their too “close” relationship, which shocked all their friends.

First marriage

The romance with Burke did not last long, as the handsome officer Andrew Parker-Bowles appeared on the horizon of Miss Shand. He was always surrounded by girls who dreamed of getting this heartthrob as their husband. Camilla also fell under Andrew's spell. However, this novel also turned out to be short-lived, as she found young man in the arms of another.

Acquaintance with Charles

As already mentioned, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was not a beauty in her youth, but she knew how to attract the attention of men. It is said that when she was introduced to Charles, she asked him if the prince knew about the connection between his ancestor and her great-grandmother, and also joked that she would try to follow their example. The meeting of young people took place on the initiative ex girlfriend Prince, Lucia Santa Cruz, who was the daughter of the Chilean ambassador to London. Shortly before this, this sultry Latina told Charles that she had found the perfect girlfriend for him, who, like him, loves to fish, hunt, horseback ride and tinker in the garden.

The romance of the prince and Camilla was supported by a relative of the young man, Lord Mountbatten. He encouraged this relationship in every possible way, as he dreamed of marrying the prince to his 14-year-old granddaughter in the future. According to the lord, Camilla was the ideal “girl for a while” for the heir to the throne, since she could not claim his hand and heart in any way.

Marriage

Despite Mountbatten's confidence in Charles's prudence, he nevertheless made an offer to Camille, however, in order for this marriage not to take place, it did not even require the intervention of the Queen and Duke Philip. The fact is that Camilla was not going to change freedom for a golden cage, so she refused to enviable groom Europe. Immediately after that, Charles was forced to leave on business, and Andrew Parker-Bowles, who was on a business trip in Germany, returned to London. Rumors that Camilla refused herself crown prince made her desirable in Andrew's eyes.

In 1973, the wedding took place, which marked the beginning strange marriage that lasted for 22 years. Charles grieved for a long time, and after 6 years, when the future Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla already had two children, he proposed to her again. He could not help but know that if such a wedding took place, he would be excluded from the list of heirs to the throne. After all, his grandfather's brother paid with the crown for the marriage with the "divorced woman". However, this did not stop the prince, who again received a refusal from his beloved, who was not going to leave her husband.

Lady Diana

When Charles was already 30, his parents began to insist on marriage, especially since they had in mind the ideal bride for him - Diana Spencer. There was no romance among young people, as such, especially since only Camilla reigned in Charles's heart. Shortly before the wedding, Diana found out about what connected her fiancé and Mrs. Parker-Bowles, but she could not cancel the celebration.

After the marriage, the Princess of Wales constantly tormented herself with suspicions of her husband's infidelity and made him scandals. Charles, of course, found consolation from family hardships in the arms of the future Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, whose life story resembles a love story.

Love triangle

Many years after her second marriage, the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla admitted that she considered herself guilty of the divorce of Charles and Diana. Although officially their marriage was annulled in 1996, the couple began to live separately from each other after the birth of Prince Harry. It was then that Charles moved from Kensington Palace to Highgrove Manor and, according to servants, met Camilla regularly. The Parker-Bowles family lived 10 minutes away from the prince's dwelling, and on the days when its head was away on business, the prince visited his beloved. The visits stopped only when Camille's children came for the holidays.

Scandal

Over time, the lovers became so bold that Milla went to visit Charles to paint with him in watercolor and sunbathe in a bikini. The situation got out of control, as the connection between the prince and married woman began to write the yellow press. Diana was not satisfied with the status of a rejected and deceived wife, so she persuaded one of the security officers to give her a recording of a very frivolous conversation between Charles and Camilla. His printout got into the press, and the prince was disgraced to the whole world. It is said that he even contemplated suicide. However, after much deliberation, Charles decided to acknowledge the connection with Camilla, which was seen as a courageous act. As a result, the Parker-Bowles family broke up. Moreover, Andrew almost immediately got married. Things were different for Diana. The Queen for a long time did not give consent to her divorce from her son. It was received only after the princess spoke about the situation in an interview that had the effect of an exploding bomb.

Second marriage

When Charles finally got a divorce, the future Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, finally felt like her dream of reuniting with the love of her life was finally close to being realized. However, all her plans collapsed after the tragic death of Diana. In the eyes of the public, Charles and Camilla were indirectly responsible for the death of the princess, who had millions of fans around the world.

Only a year and a half later, the Prince of Wales ventured to turn to his royal mother for permission for a second marriage. However, Elizabeth II stated that she did not even want to hear about "this woman." Almost 7 more years had to pass for the queen to change her mind.

The civil marriage ceremony took place on April 9, 2005. Since then, Milla Shand has become known as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Biography of this strong woman in subsequent years, this is a story about quiet family happiness, charity and participation in various official events. Most likely, such her life will be in the future.

Now you know who the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla is. The biography and family of this woman more than once became the subject of discussion in the press, but she stubbornly walked towards her goal, not paying attention to public opinion.

One can treat Lady Camille in different ways, but it is impossible not to admire her intelligence and ability to be the mistress of her own destiny.

Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles, Prince of Wales), full name- Charles (Karl) Philip Arthur George (George) Windsor (Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor). Born November 14, 1948 at Buckingham Palace, London. The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, heir to the British throne, field marshal, admiral of the fleet and marshal of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain.

Charles was born on November 14, 1948 at Buckingham Palace - a year after the wedding of his parents, then Princess Elizabeth and her husband Philip Mountbatten.

Mother - (Elizabeth II), Queen of Great Britain (since 1952), from the Windsor dynasty.

Father - Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh), the only son of Prince Andrew, the son of King George I of Greece and the brother of King Constantine, who reigned at that time, had the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark at birth.

He became the first grandson of King George VI.

Sister - Princess Anna (born 1950)

The brothers are Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 1960) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).

Prince Charles Island, discovered in 1948, is named after the birth of the prince.

By father (former Greek prince Philip of the Glücksburg dynasty) - great-great-great-grandson Russian emperor Nicholas I (through the granddaughter of Nicholas, Olga Konstantinovna - the wife of the King of Greece George I).

Charles himself considers himself a genetic relative of Vlad Dracula.

At the age of three, he became heir to the British throne after the death of George VI and the accession of Elizabeth II.

After high school Charles, despite a mediocre certificate, entered the University of Cambridge, where in 1970 he received a diploma of "Bachelor of Arts" (that is, the humanities).

In 1975, according to university tradition, he was awarded the degree of "Master of Arts".

On July 1, 1969, a formal investiture ceremony took place at Caernarvon Castle in Wales, during which Elizabeth II placed the crown of the Prince of Wales on her son's head. Since then, he has been actively involved in public life Great Britain. He became the first Prince of Wales (not counting the medieval princes who actually ruled Wales) to attempt to learn the Welsh language.

In the 1970s, he participated in meetings of the House of Lords, and also became the first member of the royal family in three hundred years to attend a meeting of the Cabinet.

According to some reports, Charles was interested in the post of Governor General of Australia, but in the light of the constitutional crisis in this country in 1975, these plans were forced to be abandoned.

In parallel, in 1971-1976, Charles was in military service: he completed a course as a fighter and military helicopter pilot, and also served in the Navy.

Military ranks of Prince Charles:

November 14, 2006 - General (UK Armed Forces);
November 14, 2006 - Captain (UK Armed Forces);
November 14, 2006 - Air Chief Marshal (UK Armed Forces);
June 16, 2012 - Field Marshal (UK Armed Forces);
June 16, 2012 - Admiral of the Fleet (UK Navy);
June 16, 2012 - Marshal of the Royal Air Force (UK Force)

In London, the official residence of the Prince of Wales is Clarence House. The Prince also owns the estates of Highgrove in Gloucestershire, Burkhall in Scotland and Luynevermude in Wales.

He is the absolute record holder in the history of the British monarchy for the length of stay in the status of heir to the British crown, as well as the oldest of all the Princes of Wales. If Prince Charles ascends the throne, he will be the oldest person to hold the British throne. If Prince Charles retains the title of Prince of Wales by September 9, 2017, he will break the record for the longest tenure. He currently ranks second in this indicator after King Edward VII.

Prince Charles. Lucky loser

Prince Charles Height: 178 centimeters.

Personal life of Prince Charles:

In the 1960s, Charles courted many girls.

In 1979, he proposed to his second cousin Amanda Natchbull, the granddaughter of the legendary commander, the last viceroy of India, Louis Mountbatten, but Amanda did not give her consent to the marriage.

In 1980, Charles met Lady Sarah Spencer, daughter of the aristocrat John Spencer, Viscount Althorp and future 8th Earl Spencer. Later he met her younger sister, whom he eventually married on July 29, 1981.

wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer

Princess Diana has gained immense popularity in the UK and abroad. However, the marriage was unsuccessful. Relations between the spouses soon deteriorated, and since 1992 they officially lived separately, and in 1996 they divorced. Significant public attention was drawn to the scandal, and it did not have the best effect on the reputation of the Prince of Wales. Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997.

Charles and Diana had two sons:

On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time - to his longtime mistress, with whom he maintained relations both before marriage and during it - nee Shand. The marriage ceremony was performed in a civil, not a church order - for the first time in the history of the British royal family.

By marriage to Charles, Camilla received all his titles, but prefers not to use her title of Princess of Wales in order to avoid unpleasant associations with the late Princess Diana. Instead, she uses the title of Duchess of Cornwall (in England) and Rothesay (in Scotland).

Prince Charles is actively involved in charity work, is a member of various societies, including the patronage of about 350 structures. He is the founder of The Prince's Trust and 15 other charities. His particular areas of interest are environmental protection and improvement of the urban environment. Charles is interested in alternative medicine, and his work to popularize it has become the subject of public discussion. In addition, the prince deals with issues of national minorities and small peoples.

As befits a member of the British royal family, Charles belongs to the Anglican Church. At the same time, he shows an interest in Orthodoxy and visits Mount Athos in Greece every year.

Prince Charles was an active polo player who enjoyed fox hunting (until the sport was banned in 2005) and fishing. It is known that he paints with watercolors and enjoys gardening.

As part of his duties as a member of the royal family, Charles visits many countries of the world. He visited Russia twice (in 1994 and 2003).

He is a fan of the Doctor Who series, which he first watched, according to his own statement, at the age of 15.

Titles of Prince Charles:

At the birth of Charles, his mother was a princess and, being the wife of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duchess of Edinburgh. Her husband did not bear the title of prince.

According to the rules in force until 1948, the title of prince was given only to the sons of the king and their sons, as well as the sons of the eldest son of the heir to the throne. According to these norms, Charles could not have become a prince, since he was the son of not a son, but the daughter of a monarch, and would be called the "Earl of Merioneth" - by the "additional title" of the Duke of Edinburgh. However, three weeks before his birth, King George VI changed these rules, extending the right to the title of prince to all future children of Elizabeth and Philip.

As a result, at birth, Charles received the title “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh” - “His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh” (“Edinburgh” here acts as a kind of surname, only Philip remained the title of Duke of Edinburgh, since, according to British tradition, in every Each peerage title is held by only one bearer at a time).

Upon the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth II in 1952, Prince Charles automatically received the title "Duke of Cornwall" (traditionally belongs to the eldest living son of the reigning monarch, if he is heir to the throne) and the similar Scottish title "Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick". The official name of Charles was "His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall" - "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall", without the words "prince" and "Charles".

In 1958, Charles was granted the title of "Prince of Wales" along with the additional title of "Earl of Chester". The full official title began to sound like "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester" - "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester."

In modern English usage, he is referred to as either "Prince Charles" or "Prince of Wales".

In the event of accession to the throne, Prince Charles should become King Charles III (in Russian tradition, English kings bearing the name Charles are called "Karl"). There were reports that he was considering not using this name, but "George VII", after his fourth name, but these reports have been officially denied.

Coat of arms of Prince Charles:

As heir to the British throne Prince Charles has a special personal coat of arms based on the British coat of arms.

Quadruple shield, with escutcheon and silver tournament collar. The shield is the royal badge of Wales under the crown of the Prince of Wales.

In the first and fourth parts of the shield, the image three gold leopards in a red field - the emblem of England, in the second part - a red lion in a golden field - the emblem of Scotland, in the third part - a golden harp with silver strings in a blue field - the emblem of Ireland.

On the shield there is a golden royal helmet with a golden insignia, lined with ermine fur, topped with the crown of the Prince of Wales, with a crest - a golden royal leopard, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales and a silver tournament collar around the neck. The shield surrounds the badge of the Order of the Garter. Shield holders: on the right (heraldically) - gold, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, a lion with a silver tournament collar around its neck, red tongue and claws; on the left (heraldic) - silver, with golden weapons and a mane, a red tongue, a unicorn with a golden collar in the form of a crown and a golden chain from it, below the collar is a silver tournament collar.

The shield holders are placed on a stand, on which are located: the coat of arms of the Duchy of Cornwall crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales; heraldic badge of Edward the Black Prince, a heraldic Welsh dragon with a silver tournament collar around his neck. Motto ribbon: silver with gold letters "ICH DIEN" (I serve).

Like the Scottish Duke of Rothesay, Charles has another coat of arms different from the previous one.

Quadruple shield, with shield. The shield is the coat of arms of Scotland, featuring a blue tournament collar above a lion. The first and fourth parts of the shield depict the personal coat of arms of the Stuart dynasty: in a golden field, a blue belt in a silver checkerboard.

In the second and third quarters, the coat of arms of the Lord of the Isles: in a silver field, a black boat with red flags and a golden deck. On the shield there is a golden royal helmet with a golden insignia, lined with ermine fur, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, with a crest - a Scottish royal red lion, sitting in full face, with a blue tournament collar on the neck, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, holding in his right paw a silver sword with golden handle, and in the left paw - a golden scepter.

The shield surrounds the chain of the Order of the Thistle. Shield holders - silver, with gold arms and a mane, a red tongue, unicorns crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales with a gold collar in the form of a crown and a gold chain from it, below the collar there is a blue tournament collar holding standards: on the right - with the image of a central shield, on the left - Scottish flag. The shield and supporters stand on a green lawn, with green stems and thistle flowers.

Prince Charles is a bright representative of the current generation of British monarchs. Raised in the family of the Queen and her husband Philip, the Prince of Wales is an example of a true aristocrat. Brought up in the traditions of the Windsor dynasty, he is a potential heir to the British throne and may become a key figure in the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Childhood and youth

Prince Charles - the firstborn - was born at Buckingham Palace a year after the marriage of Princess Elizabeth of York and the Duke Edinburgh Philip. The grandson of the king at the age of three, after the death of his crowned grandfather and the accession of Elizabeth II, became the first contender for the throne. After 2 years, the prince had a sister, Anna. Ten years later - in 1960 - brother Andrew. In 1964, the Queen gave birth to her youngest son, Edward.

Prince Charles, as befits the heir to the British crown, studied at an elite school in London. Despite the average performance, the Prince of Wales became a student at Cambridge University. Charles studied art history until 1970 and became a Bachelor of Arts. After 5 years, according to the tradition of the oldest (after Oxford) University, the prince was consecrated to the masters.

monarch

In 1952, after the coronation of Elizabeth, Prince Charles became the Duke of Cornwall. This is a British title that automatically passes to the eldest son of the monarch. Charles' legal name is "His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall". In 1958, the titles "Prince of Wales" and "Earl of Chester" were added to the official name of Charles. If the eldest son of the Queen of Britain ascends the throne, he will become King Charles III.

Rumor has it that Prince Charles prefers to become George VII - this is his fourth name. But the royal court and its speechwriters officially denied the information, pointing out the prematureness of discussing the issue.

In the summer of 1969, in the Welsh castle of Caernarvon, at the ceremony of investiture, the Queen Mother put on the head of Prince Charles the crown of the heir to the British throne (another name is the crown of the Prince of Wales). After the coronation, the prince became an active participant in the public life of England. Already in next year he attended a meeting of the British Cabinet.

In the 1970s, the Prince of Wales participated in several meetings of the House of Lords. For the first time in the 300-year history of the monarchy, the heir was allowed to participate in the work of ministers and included the name of Charles in the list of candidates for the post of Australian governor-general, but due to the constitutional crisis that erupted in Australia, the prince resigned.

In the early 1970s, Prince Charles met military service. After a course of study, he was enrolled in the air force: Charles is a helicopter and fighter pilot. A few years later he transferred to the British Navy, where he served for 2 years.

After returning from service, Prince Charles devotes time to charity, patronizing 350 structures. He founded the "Prince Foundation" and 15 organizations working in the field of nature and urban conservation. The heir is keenly interested in alternative medicine, supports projects that lobby for the rights of small peoples and sexual minorities. Prince Charles is a parishioner of the Anglican Church, but is interested in Orthodoxy and has repeatedly visited Mount Athos.

The Prince of England visited Russia in the mid-1990s and in 2003. Due to the advanced age of his parents, Charles took on more responsibilities royal family. Charles is fond of polo, loves fishing and gardening. Free time spends his time painting watercolors and writing scripts for documentaries. He is the author of books on painting and architecture. In the summer of 2013, he visited the film studio where his favorite Doctor Who series is filmed.

Prince Charles is a bright personality, his image and biography have been repeatedly used by directors. In 2006, the historical and biographical drama The Queen by Stephen Frears premiered, describing the first days of the royal family after the death of Princess Diana. She played Elizabeth II, and British actor Alex Jennings appeared in the image of Prince Charles. In 2011, the film "William and Kate" was released, where Ben Cross played the heir.

Marriage to Princess Diana

In his youth, the eldest offspring of a crowned family was known as a womanizer. In the late 1970s, he offered to marry Amanda Knatchbull, who is distantly related to the British monarchs (Charles' second cousin), but Amanda refused the heir. In 1980, Prince Charles courted Sarah Spencer, a girl from an aristocratic family, the daughter of a viscount. But it was not she who became the wife of the prince, but Sarah's younger sister -.

A magnificent wedding took place in the summer of 1981. It is noteworthy that the newlyweds are the same height: Charles and Diana - 1.78 meters. The first years, the young spouses managed to maintain the appearance of a happy family, but the relatives and close friends of the couple knew that scandals were raging behind the beautiful facade. A year after the marriage, he was born, and 2 years later (in 1984) a second son appeared -.

The British fell in love with Diana, and when rumors broke out about Prince Charles's adultery, the reputation of the royal heir suffered. The English took Lady Dee's side, people's princess". After in the Paris tunnel in 1997, the British regretted their favorite, and Prince Charles, who divorced his wife a year before his death, was covered with a wave of negativity.

Personal life

The story of Prince Charles's relationship with the daughter of a British Army major, Camilla Rosemary Shand, began before his marriage to Diana, in the 1970s. According to rumors, the queen mother considered an untitled gentry to be a bad match for the heir to the crown. Camilla married officer Andrew Parker-Bowles, but in the 1980s Charles and Mrs. Parker-Bowles' secret royal romance resumed, which led to the prince's divorce from Diana in 1996. Camilla left her husband even earlier - in 1995.

After breaking up with Lady Di, Prince Charles planned to marry Camilla, but death ex-wife and a wave of indignation forced royal family move the marriage of the heir and his longtime mistress. The civil marriage ceremony took place in the spring of 2005.

For the first time in the history of the British crown, the union was not consecrated by the church, but the 35-year relationship between Charles and Camilla finally gained legal status. Camilla received the titles of her husband, but chose to abandon the title of Princess of Wales (as Diana was called), using another - the Duchess of Cornwall.

Today, the wave of negativity around the name of the second wife of Prince Charles subsided. The British noticed how genuinely happy the heir is next to a woman who, although it is difficult to compare in beauty with Diana, has virtues. The Queen Mother and sons have come to terms with the choice of Prince Charles.

Prince Charles now

In August 2017, information appeared in the German media that the sons of Prince Charles had a sister, Sarah. The yellow tabloid Globe wrote about the secret order of the Queen Mother in the early 1980s to fertilize Diana's egg with Charles's seed, so Elizabeth wanted to make sure that her daughter-in-law was able to give birth to a child. When the queen was convinced of Diana's fertility, she ordered the destruction of the egg. But the doctor allegedly disobeyed and planted her on a woman who could not conceive. Because of the threats, the woman who gave birth to the "princess" moved to America.

In Britain, a story that looks like a Brazilian TV series was called a duck, which was invented on the 20th anniversary of the death of the "People's Princess". Much more serious are insider rumors from Buckingham Palace that the British queen intends to transfer the throne to her eldest grandson, Prince William, who has a strong family and already. In this case, Prince Charles will be left without the throne.