Charles III

Charles III is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms, born 14 November 1948. He is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, became heir apparent on his mother's accession in 1952, was created Prince of Wales in 1958, and completed a history degree at the University of Cambridge before serving in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. He married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, with whom he had two sons, William and Harry; the couple divorced in 1996, Diana died the following year, and in 2005 Charles married his long-time partner Camilla Parker Bowles. As heir apparent he founded the Prince's Trust in 1976, became patron or president of more than 800 charities, advocated for traditional architecture and the conservation of historic buildings, and was an early supporter of organic farming and action on climate change during his time managing the Duchy of Cornwall estates. He became king on his mother's death in 2022, at 73 the oldest person to accede to the British throne, with his reign so far including his 2023 coronation and a 2024 cancer diagnosis that temporarily suspended his public engagements.