Charles III

CHARLES III is King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and monarch of the other Commonwealth realms, and Head of the Commonwealth. The eldest son of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, he was born at Buckingham Palace. He became the first British heir apparent to earn a university degree, studying archaeology, anthropology and history at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and spending a term at Aberystwyth in 1969 learning Welsh. He was created Prince of Wales in 1958 and formally invested in 1969. From 1971 to 1976 he served in the armed forces, principally in the Royal Navy, and commanded the minehunter HMS Bronington in 1976. In the same year he founded The Prince's Trust, which became a major focus of his public and charitable work. Following the death of Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022, he succeeded to the throne as Charles III; he was formally proclaimed King on 10 September and crowned at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. Before his accession he spent decades carrying out the duties of the heir apparent, representing the monarchy in the United Kingdom and abroad and supporting charitable work, architecture, cultural heritage and environmental causes.