Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, became King Charles III with Queen Elizabeth’s passing. Charles, 73, has waited decades to ascend to the British throne. He is the eldest of Queen Elizabeth’s four children and has been first in line to the throne all his life. The Prince of Wales’ highly publicised marriage to Lady Diana, the couple’s messy divorce and her tragic death has largely defined his public persona, but in recent years he has tried to restore his image.

He has been preparing for this role his entire life. As the eldest of Queen Elizabeth’s children, he has been in line to the throne for 70 years, a record in the royal family.

When he was born on the November 14, 1948, his mother was not yet queen. It was not until four years later, when his grandfather King George VI died of a coronary thrombosis, that Elizabeth ascended the throne. The following year, the young Charles attended his mother’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.

After growing up in Buckingham Palace alongside his siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward, Charles was the first to go to school, just like any royal subject, according to his mother’s wishes.

He attended Gordonstoun School, a regular boarding school in north-east Scotland, the same institution his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, had gone to as a child. Charles did not have fond memories of the school. He went on to study at Cambridge University, where he earned a degree in anthropology, archeology and history – making him the first British monarch with a university degree.

At the age of 21, in 1969, Charles was officially named The Duke of Cornwall, the title reserved for the oldest male heir of the sovereign.

His mother crowned him Prince of Wales at a ceremony that was broadcast on national television. After university, Charles joined the Royal Navy where he served as an officer for five years, from 1971 to 1976. He also earned his helicopter pilot’s license.

It is expected that Charles will be officially proclaimed King on Saturday. This will happen at St James’s Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

This is made up of members of the Privy Council – a group of senior MPs, past and present, and peers – as well as some senior civil servants, Commonwealth high commissioners, and the Lord Mayor of London.

more at france24.com