Biography
British royalty, the first son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip; heir to the throne of the United Kingdom. Although
he has often seemed to be stodgy, cold and reserved, his friends consider him to be generous, loyal, thoughtful and kind,
a man who always tried to do his best.
A sensitive child, he was raised largely by nannies while his parents were absorbed in their public duties and travels for
state functions. He hero-worshipped his dad who was formidable, often brusque and impatient with the boy. The first Royal to
go to a public school, at eight he went to an all-boys school in London and loved it. The following year he went to boarding
school. In 1962, Charles was sent to Scotland to a boy's school, where he stayed from ages 13 to 18. It was a rough beginning,
as the boys did not accept him easily and made life difficult. The school put an emphasis on physical skills and macho
conduct. From the time that Charles was 18, the media were always nearby with cameras trained on him, often critically. In
1967, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took history, archaeology and geography, learned to master Welsh and
government studies, and fulfilled his civic duties. It was not all grim; with skits at the college theater he displayed his
off-beat sense of humor.
In royal tradition, after getting his degree he went into military training at 21, becoming a sailor, airman and soldier. He
flew helicopters and spent five years at sea, getting his own command of a minor vessel. His favorite sport was polo, which he played
with great skill and daring. The center of an active social list, he was tall, fit, tanned and a great catch. Women were available and
he took his pick, always maintaining discretion. When a relationship went poorly, he suddenly became inaccessible; "Working it out" was
not part of his training. However, Charles was keenly aware of the need to find a suitable mate, one who would qualify as the future Queen
of England, and one who was a virgin.
He probably met Camilla Parker-Bowles in 1972 at a polo match. They hit it off well from the beginning, but she was not aristocratic
enough and not a virgin. In 1973, when he was away on a naval tour of duty, she married Parker Bowles.
As Charles turned 30, he was still single. The Royal family put pressure on him to find a bride. On August 27, 1979, Charles' uncle,
Lord Louis Mountbatten, was killed by a bomb explosion on his vessel. The death was a severe blow, as he lost a beloved and respected figure
in his life. In November 1980 he met Diana Spencer, a 19-year-old girl with the proper qualifications. She was sympathetic and devoted to him,
if somewhat naive. They married on July 29, 1981 and had the first of two sons 11 months later. Charles was conscientious about his public
role. He had one function and duty: to wait for the throne. But waiting was not enough for him. Although he could not get involved in politics,
he wanted to have a position in life. Seeing himself as a defender of the common man, he started a Trust for Small Business in 1976, and set up
some $30,000 in aid to Englishmen who wanted, as he did, to get going.
He had a range of interests that included painting, the occult, philosophy, architecture and ecology, and he loved the country life. His subjects
called him eccentric, an odd-ball. Meanwhile wanting to make a contribution to society, he was trying to find his place in the world, although his
attempts were often soundly criticized in the press. In addition, there was marital stress from the beginning, and he either continued or resumed his
relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. His wife Diana was insecure in her role, bulimic and emotional, demanding more of his attention than he was
prepared to give. Moreover, she began to eclipse him in public, finding her own place in the sun. The public loved her, and many blamed him
for her unhappiness.
By 1987, their unhappiness was palpable and they were separated much of the year. The turmoil of their marriage became world news; their official
separation was announced on December 9, 1992. Diana went public with her story, which made her relationship with the Palace, already fragile, frigid.
She and Charles both publicly admitted adultery. The question of whether or not the heir to the throne might divorce was a subject of speculation and
debate that was settled on August 28, 1996 when their divorce became official. Once the pressure was off and Diana moved into her own life, they each
appeared more relaxed in public. He quietly began easing Camilla into his life.
On August 31, 1997, Diana was killed in an automobile accident in Paris. The public's beloved princess was dead and the outpouring of grief was
sensational. Rumors flew that Charles arranged for her death or, at the least, that he was indirectly responsible by creating the unhappiness that
propelled her. Always a man to do his duty, Charles stepped in to handle the world press and take over the role of parenting his two sons with the full
innate dignity of his position. He became more accessible to the public and was complimented for the loving attention he gave to his sons. Gradually,
both the public and the press became more favorably inclined towards him than ever before.
In mid-1999, Camilla met his sons in a casual encounter, and the following year she was present at a function where she spoke to the Queen.
Popular opinion did not seem to favor her being the future queen: indeed, many feel that Charles will never sit on the throne, but that the succession
will go directly to his eldest son, William.
On January 6, 2001, Charles fell from his horse during a fox hunt in Derbyshire, England, breaking a bone in his left shoulder. Slowly, slowly,
Camilla's and Charles' relationship became more accepted and in 2003, they began living together at Clarence House.
On Thursday, February 10, 2005, Prince Charles announced that they would marry on April 8, 2005 in Windsor. Camilla will bear the title Her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, and, should Charles ascend to the throne, she wants to be known as the princess consort, not Queen Camilla. Lawmakers
have declared that she is entitled to be Queen if Charles becomes King. Saying that she did not want to detract from the couple, Charles' mother,
Queen Elizabeth, announced that she would not attend the small civil ceremony. The couple endured another delay to their happy day when Pope John Paul II died.
Since the pontiff's funeral was scheduled for April 8, Camilla and Charles pushed their wedding date forward by one day, to April 9. On that day, the couple
arrived at Windsor's Guildhall at 12:30 PM BST to exchange their vows. Twenty-five minutes later the couple emerged as husband and wife.
Top
For More Information on the Web:
|
