Prince Charles, 73, ascends the throne to become King Charles III of the United Kingdom following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Clarence House, the residence of Prince Charles, confirmed on September 8 that he will become King Charles III, contrary to earlier speculation that he might choose a different regnal name. He is expected to be officially proclaimed king at St James’s Palace in London as soon as possible.
King Charles later issued a statement regarding the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
“The death of my beloved mother, the Queen, is the greatest moment of sadness for me and all members of my family. We deeply mourn the passing of our revered monarch and a mother who was loved by many,” King Charles stated. “I know this loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Commonwealth, and around the world.”
“During this time of mourning and change, my family and I are acutely aware of the respect and deep affection that people hold for the Queen, and we find comfort in that,” the statement continued.
Prince Charles at the UK Parliament in London last May. (Photo: AFP).
Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, at the age of 96. King Charles remained at Balmoral on the night of September 8 and returned to London the following day.
King Charles was born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and was second in line to the throne after his mother. When Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952, he became the Prince of Wales at just three years old.
On July 29, 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London in a fairy-tale wedding that was watched by approximately 750 million people worldwide. The couple welcomed two sons, William and Harry, in 1982 and 1984, respectively.
In December 1992, Charles and Diana announced their separation. They officially divorced on August 28, 1996. A year later, Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed tragically died in a car accident in Paris while trying to escape from paparazzi.
In 2005, the Prince married his long-time companion Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Guildhall. Traditionally, when Prince Charles ascends the throne, Camilla will be titled Queen Consort, the highest title for a king’s wife. However, due to previous concerns about public reaction, there has been speculation that she would only be referred to as the Princess Consort.
Earlier this year, Queen Elizabeth expressed her wish for her daughter-in-law Camilla to be titled Queen Consort when Charles ascended the throne.
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