PEOPLE Royals King Charles

‘To witness your kindness expressed in so many different ways has been the greatest possible coronation gift, as we now rededicate our lives to serving the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and Commonwealth’—CHARLES III, MAY 8, 2023 King Charles III & Queen Camilla May 6, 2023 Buckingham Palace, London…

ST. EDWARD’S CROWN CARRIES THE substantial weight of its solid gold frame, abundant gemstones and, symbolically, a thousand years of British history, from the medieval era through the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. On the afternoon of May 6, 2023, in Westminster Abbey, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby gingerly placed the crown on the head of Elizabeth’s oldest son, Charles, 74, who ascended the throne in September after her death. When the prelate declared, “God save the King!” the cry was echoed through the venerable church. It was “God Save the King” that began this day of meticulously staged pomp. Britain’s stirring national anthem played that morning as Charles and Camilla, escorted by members of the Household Cavalry, departed Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, a gilded horse-drawn…

William the Conqueror — 1066 Following his defeat of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror marched to London. There, on Christmas Day 1066, he became the first monarch crowned at Westminster Abbey. Aldred, the Archbishop of York, oversaw the service, which has been handled ever since by the Archbishop of Canterbury. When William’s French-speaking troops heard shouts of joy coming from the Abbey, they mistook it for an assassination attempt and torched nearby houses, filling the church with smoke and setting off a riot. Charles II— 1661 Charles I was executed in 1649 during the English Civil Wars. When the monarchy resumed in 1660, his son Charles II took the throne. His 1661 coronation (right) was the most elaborate since Elizabeth I’s a century earlier. The…

QUEEN ELIZABETH’S WAS A LIFE well-lived, a promise with destiny kept,” said her bereaved oldest son a day after her death. Seated in the Blue Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, a photo of his mother beside him, Charles gave his first address as monarch, vowing to subjects in Britain and around the globe: “That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.” He had waited in the wings longer than any heir in history. His mother had taken the throne at age 25 and remained for more than 70 years, until her death on Sept. 8, 2022. For millions who had known no other monarch in their lifetimes, the change felt monumental. Coming in at 73, Charles sought to demonstrate continuity, following his mother’s example, but also to…

FOUR WEEKS AFTER HIS BIRTH on Nov. 14, 1948, Charles Philip Arthur George, the first child of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, drew his first public audience. On Dec. 15 a crowd gathered outside Buckingham Palace, hoping to catch a glimpse of the christening performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury with water from the River Jordan. A Movietone newsreel from the time claimed “that the baby Prince behaved with exemplary fortitude throughout the christening … remaining perfectly calm while the cameras produced the records we’ve all been so anxious to see.” From that day forward the usual touchstones of childhood were chronicled by an entranced press. His infant schedule: “Each morning at 6, he awoke for a breakfast of milk and cereal. Three other meals and long naps followed in…

IN SEPTEMBER 1971 PRINCE CHARLES underwent a family rite of passage and enlisted in the Royal Navy. He had a couple of tough acts to follow: His father and great-uncle Louis Mountbatten were both World War II heroes—dashing naval officers straight out of central casting. Charles doggedly applied himself during a six-week stint at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, plowing through seamanship drills and courses in leadership, engineering and navigation. The latter proved a slog for the prince, who was known to doze off in class. Nevertheless Charles passed his exams and set off for a seven-month tour as a sublieutenant on the destroyer HMS Norfolk. He had rough spots—a chronic weakness in mathematics hampered his ability to earn his bridge-watching certificate, necessary were he given command of a ship.…