The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

He is Heir Apparent to the thrones of sixteen sovereign states, known as the Commonwealth Realms, though it is expected he will be most directly involved with the United Kingdom, where the Royal Family reside, and the Monarchy is historically indigenous. He will not, however, necessarily inherit the title Head of the Commonwealth.

He has held the title of Prince of Wales since 1958, and is styled HRH The Prince of Wales, except in Scotland, where he is styled HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay. In relation to Cornwall, one of the Prince's other titles, that of Duke of Cornwall is often used. Constitutionally, in each Realm he is the first in line to the throne; however, in the United Kingdom order of precedence he is third, after his parents, and is not included in the other Realms' precedence orders at all, though typically he would be fourth or fifth, following his mother, the relevant vice-regal representative(s), and his father.

The Prince of Wales is well-known for his extensive charity work, particularly for the Prince's Trust. He also carries out a full schedule of royal duties and, increasingly, is taking on more royal roles from his ageing parents. The Prince is also well known for his marriages to the late Diana, Princess of Wales (died 1997) and, subsequently, to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

If The Prince of Wales eventually ascends to the throne he will be the first monarch of the United Kingdom who is descended from Queen Victoria through two lines. One, from his mother's side, through Edward VII, George V and George VI, a child, grandchild, and great grandchild of Queen Victoria respectively. Two, through his paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg who is the eldest daughter of Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven (formerly Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), who as a daughter of Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine is a female line grandchild of Queen Victoria.

Birth

Prince Charles was born on 14 November 1948 at Buckingham Palace, London, England. At the time of his birth:

• his mother was The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, the elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and Heiress Presumptive to the British throne, and

• his father was The Duke of Edinburgh, the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg

Prince Charles was baptised in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace on 15 December 1948 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher and his godparents were: King George VI, Queen Mary, Princess Margaret, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, Hon. David Bowes-Lyon, Lady Brabourne, King Haakon VII of Norway (for whom the Earl of Athlone stood proxy) and Prince George of Greece (for whom Prince Philip stood proxy).

Under letters patent issued by the Prince's great grandfather, King George V, the title of a British prince and the style His Royal Highness was only available to the children and grandchildren in the male-line of the sovereign and children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. As Charles was a female-line grandchild of the sovereign, he would have taken his title from his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, and would have been styled by courtesy as Earl of Merioneth. However the title of Prince and Princess, with the style HRH was granted to all the children of Princess Elizabeth by new letters patent issued by King George VI. In this way the children of the heiress presumptive had a royal and princely status not thought necessary for the children of King George VI's other daughter, Princess Margaret. Thus from birth Charles was known as His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh.

Early life

In 1952, his mother assumed the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Charles immediately became Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III, which gave that title to the Sovereign's eldest son, and was then referred to as HRH The Duke of Cornwall. He also became, in the Scottish Peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The Duke of Cornwall was now the heir apparent to the throne. He attended his mother’s coronation at Westminster Abbey, sitting with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and his aunt, The Princess Margaret.

School

As with royal children before him, a governess, Catherine Peebles, was appointed to look after the Prince. The governess was responsible for educating the Prince between the ages of 5 and 8. In a break with tradition, Buckingham Palace announced in 1955, that the Prince would attend school, rather than have a private tutor, the first heir apparent to do so. He first attended Hill House School in West London, and later the Cheam Preparatory School in Berkshire which the Duke of Edinburgh also attended.

The Prince finished his education at Gordonstoun, a private boarding school in the north east of Scotland. His father, the Duke of Edinburgh, had previously attended Gordonstoun, becoming head boy. It is often reported that the Prince despised his time at the school, where he was a frequent target for bullies. ("Colditz in kilts" he reportedly said.) The Prince would later send his own children to Eton College rather than Gordonstoun.

In 1966 Charles spent two terms at Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia during which time he visited Papua New Guinea on a history trip with his tutor Michael Collins Persse. On his return to Gordonstoun he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming Head Boy. In 1967 he left Gordonstoun with two A levels, in history and French.

University

Traditionally, the heir to the throne would go straight into the military after finishing school. However, in a break with tradition, Charles attended university at Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied anthropology and archaeology, and later history, earning a 2:2 (lower second class) Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree on 23 June 1970. Charles was the first member of the British royal family to earn a degree. For a term he also attended the Old College, part of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he studied Welsh and Welsh History. The intention was specifically to learn the Welsh language, and as such he was the first English-born Prince (of Wales) ever to make a serious attempt to do so. He subsequently learnt enough to be able to deliver his investiture speech in Welsh.

On 2 August 1975, per Cambridge tradition, the Prince was awarded a Master's degree, entitling him to use the postnominal MA (Cantab.).

Created Prince of Wales

He was created The Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 26 July 1958, though his actual investiture did not take place until 1 July 1969. This was a major ceremony, held at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales, a place traditionally associated with the creation of the title in the 13th century. Previous investitures had taken place at various locations, including the Palace of Westminster, the seat of Parliament. The Welsh borough of Swansea was granted city status to mark the occasion.

The investiture also aroused considerable hostility among some Welsh nationalists, and there were threats of violence and a short bombing campaign, although these acts were generally more related to the greater nationalist campaign for Welsh independence and the rights of the Welsh language. The nationalist campaign against the investiture culminated with an attempted bombing of the Royal Train by two members of the Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru as it passed through Abergele on the eve of the investiture - it resulted in the two bombers' deaths.

In the late 1970s, The Prince of Wales established another first when he became the first member of the royal family since King George I to attend a British cabinet meeting, being invited to attend by Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan so as to see the workings of cabinet government at firsthand.

In the early 1980s, Charles privately expressed an interest in becoming Governor-General of Australia. Commander Michael Parker explained: "The idea behind the appointment was for him to put a foot on the ladder of Monarchy, or being the future King and start learning the trade. And because he was well liked in Australia, and he loved the place, it was an obvious place for him to go to do that. I think it would have been an interesting thing and a wonderful thing to have done." However, nothing came of the proposal. The Prince accepted the decision of his mother's Australian ministers, if not without some regret; he reportedly stated: "What are you supposed to think when you are prepared to do something to help and you are told you are not wanted?"

The British expert in Romanian politics and history and Encyclopaedia Britannica editor Tom Gallagher wrote that Charles was offered the Romanian Throne, supposedly by Romanian monarchists, an offer which he reportedly turned down.

If he ascends to the British throne after 20 September 2013, the Prince, who turned 58 in November 2006, would become the oldest successor to do so. Only William IV and Edward VII were older than Charles is now when they became monarchs of the United Kingdom.

Romances

The Prince of Wales's love life has always been the subject of speculation and press fodder. In his youth he was linked to a number of women including: Georgiana Russell (daughter of the British Ambassador to Spain); Lady Jane Wellesley (daughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington); Davina Sheffield; Penthouse model Fiona Watson; the actress Susan George; Lady Sarah Spencer; Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg; Dale, Baroness Tryon (wife of Anthony Tryon, 3rd Baron Tryon); Janet Jenkins; and divorcée Jane Ward, among others. Irrespective of the truth of the romantic rumors, the hurdles of marriage made some of these matches manifestly implausible.

As heir-apparent to the Throne, the Prince of Wales would be expected to father future monarchs; also, like other members of the royal family, he was legally obliged to obtain his mother's approval before marriage. Apart from her support, his choice of a future wife would also need to survive the immense popular interest it would immediately arouse.

Amanda Knatchbull

Charles was given written advice on dating and selection of a future consort from his father's "Uncle Dickie", Louis, Earl Mountbatten of Burma:

"In a case like yours, the man should sow his wild oats and have as many affairs as he can before settling down, but for a wife he should choose a suitable, attractive, and sweet-charactered girl before she has met anyone else she might fall for...it is disturbing for women to have experiences if they have to remain on a pedestal after marriage."

Mountbatten had a unique qualification for offering advice to this particular heir to the throne; he had invited George VI and Queen Elizabeth to visit Dartmouth Royal Naval College with their daughters on 22 July 1939, having also detailed Cadet Prince Philip of Greece to keep the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret company. This was the first recorded meeting of Charles's future parents. Mountbatten began corresponding with Charles about a potential marriage to his granddaughter, Hon. Amanda Knatchbull, early in 1974. It was at this time he also recommended that the 25 year-old prince get on with sowing some wild oats. Charles dutifully wrote Amanda's mother (who was also his godmother), Patricia Brabourne, about his interest. She replied approvingly, while suggesting that a courtship was premature.

Undaunted, four years later Mountbatten wangled an invitation for himself and Amanda to accompany Charles on his planned 1980 trip to India, where Mountbatten had served as last British viceroy and first governor general. This time both fathers objected: Philip complained that the Prince of Wales would be eclipsed by his famous uncle. Amanda's father, John Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne, warned that a joint visit would rivet media attention on the cousins before they could decide on becoming a couple, potentially dashing the very prospect for which Mountbatten hoped.

But before Charles departed alone for India, Mountbatten was assassinated, in August 1979. When Charles finally proposed marriage to Amanda (who had been with her grandfather when he, her paternal grandmother, and her youngest brother, Nicholas, were fatally wounded) she declined immediately. In June 1980, Charles officially turned down Chevening House as his future residence. A stately home in Kent, Chevening was bequeathed to the British nation by the last Earl Stanhope, Amanda's childless great-uncle, in the hope that Charles would eventually occupy it.

First marriage

On 29 July 1981, The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana were married at St Paul's Cathedral before 3,500 invited guests and an estimated worldwide television audience of 750 million people. All of Europe's crowned heads attended (except for Juan Carlos I of Spain, who was advised not to attend because the couple's honeymoon would involve a stop-over in the disputed territory of Gibraltar). So, too, did most of Europe's elected heads of state, with the notable exceptions of President of Greece Constantine Karamanlis, who declined to go because Greece's exiled King, Constantine II, a personal friend of the Prince, had been described in his invitation as "King of the Hellenes" and the President of Ireland, Patrick Hillery, who was advised by taoiseach Charles Haughey, not to attend because of the dispute over the status of Northern Ireland.

By marriage to the heir apparent, Lady Diana received both the title of the Princess of Wales and the style of "Her Royal Highness". She was popularly known as Princess Diana, although her correct title was, until the couple's divorce, Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. The couple made their home at Highgrove, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire and at Kensington Palace. Almost immediately, the Princess of Wales became a star attraction, chased by the paparazzi, her every move (including every change in hairstyle) closely followed by millions.

However, the marriage soon became troubled. Critics of the Princess of Wales alleged that she was unstable and temperamental; one by one she sacked each of the Prince of Wales's longstanding staff members and fell out with numerous friends and members of her family (her father, her mother, her brother, The Duchess of York). Many of her own staff were reported to have left as well.

The Prince of Wales, too, was blamed for the marital troubles, continuing his adulterous affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, even hosting evenings at Highgrove with her as hostess, and refusing to treat Diana as an equal. Within five years of the wedding the fairytale marriage was already on the brink of collapse. Ironically, the Prince and Princess of Wales were similar in some respects: both had had troubled childhoods, both took their public roles seriously and devoted much of their time to charity work, becoming highly regarded for it. (The Princess of Wales notably devoted much time to helping AIDS sufferers, while The Prince of Wales devoted much effort to marginalised groups in urban centres through The Prince's Trust charity and to victims of mines).

Though they remained publicly a couple, they had effectively separated by the late 1980s, he living in Highgrove, she in Kensington Palace. The media noted their increasing periods apart and their obvious discomfort at being in each other's presence. Evidence and recriminations of infidelity aired in the news media. By 1992, it was obvious that the marriage was over in all but name. The couple formally separated, with media sources taking different sides in what became known as the War of the Waleses.

The marriage of The Prince and Princess of Wales formally ended in divorce on 28 August 1996. It had produced two sons, Prince William of Wales, and Prince Henry of Wales who is known as Harry.

Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car accident while being chased by paparazzi in Paris on August 31, 1997. The Prince of Wales was praised by some for his handling of the events and their aftermath, in particular his over-ruling of palace protocol experts (and indeed the Queen) who argued that as Diana, Princess of Wales, was no longer a member of the Royal Family, the responsibility for her funeral arrangements belonged to her blood relatives, the Spencers. The Prince of Wales, against advice, flew to Paris along with Diana's sisters to accompany his ex-wife's body home and insisted that she be given a formal royal funeral; a new category of formal funeral was specially created for her.

The role of a single father earned much sympathy, in particular in the way the Prince handled a crisis when it was revealed that his younger son, Prince Harry, was using illegal drugs.

Relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles

During a 1994 television interview, Charles admitted that he had committed adultery "once it was clear the marriage had broken down". It was later confirmed that the third party was Camilla, ending years of speculation. In fact in 1993, the British tabloids got hold of tapes (still unexplained) of a 1989 mobile telephone conversation allegedly between Prince Charles and Mrs Parker Bowles, in which Prince Charles expressed regret for all the indignities she endured because of their relationship.

After his divorce from Diana, Princess of Wales, The Prince of Wales's relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles eventually became openly acknowledged, and she became his unofficial companion. With the death of Diana in 1997, Camilla's gradual emergence in the public eye came to a temporary halt. However, in 1999, after a party celebrating the 50th birthday of Camilla's sister Annabel Elliott, Charles and Camilla were photographed in public together. Many saw this as a sign that their relationship was now regarded as "official". In a further effort to gain acceptance of the relationship, in June 2000 Camilla met the Queen. Eventually in 2003, Camilla moved into Charles's homes at Highgrove and Clarence House, although Buckingham Palace points out that public funds were not used in the decoration of her suites.

Marriage remained elusive, with two main issues requiring resolution and acceptance. As future Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the prospect of his marrying Mrs Parker Bowles, with whom he had had a relationship while both were married, was seen as controversial by some. Both the Prince and Camilla had divorced their spouses, but as her former husband was still alive (although re-married to his long-time mistress), her remarriage was likely to be problematic. Over time, opinion—both public and within the Church—shifted somewhat to a point where a civil marriage would be acceptable.

Second marriage

On 10 February 2005, it was announced by Clarence House that the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles would marry on 8 April of that year, in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle, with a subsequent religious blessing at the castle's St George's Chapel. Subsequently, the location was changed to the Guildhall in Windsor, possibly because of the discovery that Windsor Castle might have to become available for other people's weddings, should theirs be performed there. On Monday 4 April, it was announced that the wedding would be delayed for one day to 9 April to allow the Prince of Wales and some of the invited dignitaries to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

It was announced that, after the marriage, as the wife of the Prince of Wales, Mrs Parker Bowles would be styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and that upon the Prince's accession to the throne, she would not be known as Queen Camilla but as Her Royal Highness The Princess Consort. This form of address is believed to be based on that used by Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, who was styled as Prince Consort.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall spent their first wedding anniversary in Scotland. In Scotland they are styled the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

Personal interests

The Prince of Wales has a wide array of interests and activities, some of which have not been fully appreciated by the public. His popularity has fluctuated, but he is one of the most active Princes of Wales for centuries, and has devoted his time and effort to charity work and working with local communities. He is President of 16 charities, and raised over £100 million for charity in 2004. As heir to the Canadian Throne, he has aimed to use his tours of that country as a way to help draw attention to relevant issues, including youth, the disabled, the environment, the arts, medicine, the elderly, heritage conservation and education.

The Prince is also regarded by some as an effective advocate for the United Kingdom. On a visit to the Republic of Ireland, for example, he delivered a personally researched and written speech on Anglo-Irish affairs that was warmly received by Irish politicians and the media.

Alternative medicine

The Prince has recently become known to be interested in greater exploration of alternative medicine, drawing fire from the medical establishment and those who consider such "complementary therapies" to be pseudoscience at best and outright fraud at worst.

However, his charity The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health has been closely involved in a government drive to improve regulation and quality standards in the sector.

Architecture

Charles has frequently shared his views about the built environment in public forums. In essence, these views might be thought of as being part of the intellectual tradition of English town planning that descends from Ebenezer Howard and Raymond Unwin. The Prince claims to "care deeply about issues such as the environment, architecture, inner-city renewal, and the quality of life" and is known for being an advocate of the neo-traditional ideas of architects such as Christopher Alexander and Leon Krier. In 1984 he delivered a blistering attack on the profession of architecture in a speech given to the Royal Institute of British Architects. Despite criticism from the mainstream architectural press, he has continued to put forward his views on traditional urbanism, human scale, and green design in numerous speeches and articles.

To put his ideas on architecture and urban planning into practice, the Prince of Wales is developing the village of Poundbury, in Dorset, which is built from a master plan by Krier. Prior to commencing work on Poundbury, Prince Charles published a book and produced a documentary entitled A Vision for Britain, both being critiques of modern architecture. In 1992 he also established The Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture, and began the publication of a magazine dealing with architecture, but the latter has since ceased independent operation after being merged with another charity to create the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment in 2001.

Prince Charles assisted with the establishment of a National Trust for the built environment in Canada, after lamenting the unbridled destruction of many of Canada's historic urban cores when in the country in 1996. He offered to help the Department of Canadian Heritage create a trust modelled after the British National Trust. With the passing of the 2007 federal budget by his mother's representative in Canada, a National Trust was finally fully implemented. Since 1999, Heritage Canada has awarded The Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership, given annually to a municipal government that has shown sustained commitment to the conservation of its historic places.

The Prince also has had a particular interest in the Romanian countryside since the 1980s, when, under the rule of the Communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, Romanian villages were destroyed to move farmers to apartment buildings in cities. Since 1997 he has been visiting Romania regularly and has shown a great personal interest in Romania's Orthodox monasteries as well as in the fate of the Saxon villages of Transylvania where he purchased a house. He is patron to two built environment organisations that are active in Romania: the Mihai Eminescu Trust, which manages the restoration of Romanian architecture and INTBAU (the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism), an advocate of architecture that respects cultural tradition and identity.

In November, 2005, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the United States. Besides visiting Washington D.C. and President George W. Bush, the Prince and Duchess toured southern Mississippi and New Orleans to highlight the need for financial assistance in rebuilding these areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Prior to their visit to New Orleans, the Prince received National Building Museum’s Vincent Scully Prize in Washington D.C. The Prince donated $25,000 (£14,000) of the Scully Prize to help restore communities damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Arts

Prince Charles is a watercolour artist, having exhibited and sold a number of paintings, and a published writer. He is also reportedly a fan of Canadian singer and song writer Leonard Cohen.

Automobiles

The Prince is also known to have a keen interest in automobiles, particularly the British marque Aston Martin. He has collected numerous Aston models over the years and has tight connections with the brand, so much so that special "Prince of Wales" Edition Aston Martins have been created over the years, sporting his favourite colour and trim combinations. He is a frequent visitor to the factory and its service department, and has been a guest of honour at most of the company's special launch events.

Canadian First Nations

As Prince of Wales, Prince Charles has paid seventeen visits to Canada, beginning in 1970. Five years later, while serving aboard HMS Hermes in Canadian waters, the prince spent a week in the Northwest Territories; the Canadian North remains an area that holds a special attraction for him. Reflecting the Prince's interest in aboriginal peoples, members of the First Nations community have conferred on him special titles: In Winnipeg, Cree and Ojibway students named the Prince "Leading Star" in 1996, and in 2001 he was named Pisimwa Kamiwohkitahpamikohk, or "the sun looks at him in a good way," during his first visit to the province of Saskatchewan in 2001. Charles also meets with aboriginal leaders; sometimes taking time to walk and meditate with tribal elders.

Environment

The Prince has taken a keen interest in environmental issues, and has taken a leadership role in promoting environmentally sensitive thinking, within business practice as well as urban planning and design. The latter ties in with his Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment. His company, Duchy Originals, produces foodstuffs using organic farming processes.

In 2007 Charles received the 10th annual Global Environmental Citizen Award from Harvard Medical School's Centre for Health and the Global Environment, by former US Vice President Al Gore and actress Meryl Streep. Eric Chivian, director of the Centre, stated: "For decades The Prince of Wales has been a champion of the natural world... He has been a world leader in efforts to improve energy efficiency and in reducing the discharge of toxic substances on land, and into the air and the oceans." The Prince's travel to the United States via commercial airliner caused some controversy amongst environmental activists; Joss Garman, a spokesman for Plane Stupid, a climate change action group, stated "Flying is the single most polluting way in which you can travel."

In December, 2006, Charles announced plans to make his household's travel plans more eco-friendly. Later in 2007 he will also have published in his annual accounts the details of his own carbon footprint, as well as targets for reducing his household's carbon emissions.

Charles attended The British School - Al Khubairat's Environmental Exhibition hosted by a number of companies on February 27, 2007.

On Friday 23 March 2007, Prince Charles opened a climate change exhibition at The Peacocks shopping centre in Woking. The exhibition, a joint venture by Business in the Community and the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) endorsed by the Climate Group, features displays with information on "issues of recycling, energy use, transport, waste reduction and locally sourced food."

The Orthodox Church

Prince Charles is also interested in Eastern Orthodoxy. Each year he spends time in the Orthodox monasteries of Mount Athos in Greece and of Romania. Together with his father, Prince Philip, who was born and raised Greek Orthodox, he is a patron of the "The Friends of Mount Athos" organisation. Prince Charles was also the patron of the "21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies," a forum dedicated to the study of the history and art of the former Orthodox Roman Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.

Organic products

The Prince grows and promotes organic food, although he drew some ridicule when he joked about sometimes talking to his houseplants. The Prince regularly meets with farmers to discuss their trade; in Saskatchewan in 2001 the foot-and-mouth epidemic in the UK prevented Charles from visiting farms, however organic farmers came specifically to meet him at the Assiniboia town hall. He is co-author, with Charles Clover, environment editor of the Daily Telegraph (London), of Highgrove: An Experiment in Organic Gardening and Farming, published by Simon & Schuster in 1993.

Philosophy

Another of the Prince's greatest areas of interest continues to be philosophy, especially the philosophy of Asian and Middle Eastern nations, as well as so-called New Age theology. He had a friendship with author Sir Laurens van der Post, whom outsiders called the "guru to Prince Charles," starting in 1977 until van der Post's death in 1996; such was his friendship with van der Post that the author was named godfather to Prince William. In 2006, the Prince praised "that wonderful Kabbalistic diagram of the Tree of Life", as expounded by Warren Kenton, a teacher at the Temenos Academy.

Youth

The Prince's Trust, which he founded, is a charity that works mainly with young people, offering loans to groups, businesses and people (often in deprived areas) who had difficulty receiving outside support. Fundraising concerts are regularly held for the Prince's Trust, with leading pop, rock, and classical musicians taking part. Charles also supports the FARA Foundation, which runs Romanian orphanages.

During Charles's tour of Canada in 1998, with his two sons, he participated in the ceremonies marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Later, in 2001, he drew attention to youth and education while touring Saskatchewan, where he helped launch the Canadian Youth Business Foundation in Saskatchewan, and he visited Scott Collegiate, an inner-city school in Regina.

Personality and image

Prince Charles has been a prominent figure in the media since his youth, his public actions and comments attracting both praise and criticism, and sometime ridicule. The British tabloid media became particularly obsessed with Charles after his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer, casting him in a favourable light. Coverage continued through the couple's separation and divorce, with Charles often portrayed negatively. This press exposure affected the Prince's public image and popularity.

Prince Charles is also well known in the media as a keen environmentalist and gardener and has vociferously spoken on many green issues from the need to combat climate change to his love of talking to his plants to help them grow .

During a visit to Canada in 2001 it was remarked by the Saskatchewan officer for protocol and the Prince's personal staff, that people were first beginning to see "the real Prince Charles."

Military career

The military training of the Prince of Wales took place in the early 1970s. It included helicopter flying and qualification as a fighter pilot. During the Prince's years in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, he came to fly the following aircraft (the WWII vintage Spitfire arguably having more of a historical/symbolic value than practical importance):

• Chipmunk basic pilot trainer

• Harrier T Mk.4 V/STOL fighter

• BAC Jet Provost jet pilot trainer

• Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft

• F-4 Phantom II fighter jet

• Avro Vulcan jet bomber

• Spitfire classic WWII fighter

Prince Charles served in the Royal Navy for five years:

• 1971–72: HMS Norfolk

• 1972–73: HMS Minerva

• 1974: HMS Jupiter

• 1974–75: Helicopter flying training at RNAS Yeovilton

• 1975: Pilot with 845 NAS on HMS Hermes

• 1976: Captain, HMS Bronington

The Prince's involvement as Colonel-in-Chief of Canadian Forces regiments permits him to be informed of their activities, and allows him opportunity to pay visits while in Canada or overseas. In 2001, Charles placed a specially-commissioned wreath, made from vegetation taken from French battlefields, at Canada's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Prince also became patron of Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in 1981. The Prince serves as Colonel-in-Chief, Air-Commodore-in-Chief, or Honorary Air Commodore of various regiments throughout the Commonwealth Realms.

In the United Kingdom, Prince Charles also holds the ranks of General (British Army), Admiral (Royal Navy) and Air Chief Marshal (Royal Air Force), having been promoted, to these ranks on his 58th birthday.

Official residence

The Prince of Wales's current official London residence is Clarence House, former London residence of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (the nineteenth century building has undergone major restoration and renovation to equip it for use by him, his wife, and their personal and office staffs). His previous official residence was an apartment in St. James's Palace. He also has a private estate, Highgrove in Gloucestershire and in Scotland he has use of the Birkhall estate near Balmoral Castle which was previously owned by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Some previous Princes of Wales resided in Marlborough House. It, however, is no longer used as a royal residence. Following the death in 1953 of Queen Mary, widow of George V, its last royal resident, it was given by Queen Elizabeth II for use by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Styles

The Prince's style in full (rarely used): His Royal Highness The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Great Master and First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight of the Order of Australia, Companion of the Queen's Service Order, Honorary Member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, Chief Grand Commander of the Order of Logohu, Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty.

In Canada, the Inuit gave Prince Charles the distinctive title Attaniout Ikeneego, meaning "The Son of the Big Boss," serving as a reasonable equivalent to the term "heir apparent" in the Inuktitut language of Nunavut. The Cree and Ojibway in Winnipeg named Prince Charles Leading Star.

Upon the death of Elizabeth II, if Prince Charles keeps his first given name he would become known as Charles III. However, Prince Charles has considered rejecting that style when he accedes to the throne, because of its associations with Britain's bloody past. The move away from Charles stems from its associations with Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 following the English Civil War, at the start of Oliver Cromwell's short-lived republic. The executed monarch's son, Charles II, spent 18 years in exile and returned to England in 1660 but was nicknamed "The Merry Monarch" because of his string of mistresses. Charles III is partially associated with the Catholic Jacobite pretender, Charles Edward Stuart (called Bonnie Prince Charlie), an enduring Scottish romantic figure, who claimed the throne as that style in the 18th century. The move would not be a first - three of the past six British monarchs chose a regnal style different from their first given name; for example, George VI was prior to his accession known as Prince Albert ('Bertie' to his family). The most discussed alternative style has been "George VII", in honour of Charles's grandfather.

Arms

The Prince's own coat of arms are those of the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom with a label for difference. The version used everywhere but Scotland is blazoned Quarterly (by quarters):

1st and 4th, Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Or (England). (The first and fourth quarters display the three lions, representing England).

2nd quarter is of a lion rampant within a Double Tressure floury counterflory Gules (Scotland). (The second quarter, displays a red lion in a yellow field with a double border coloured red, this represents Scotland).

3rd, Azure a Harp Or stringed Argent (Ireland). (The third quarter shows a harp against a blue background, this represents Ireland).

The whole differenced by a plain Label of three points Argent, as the eldest child of the sovereign, and an inescutcheon of the ancient arms of the Principality of Wales.

Popular culture

Charles wrote a children's book, The Old Man of Lochnagar, and even read it on the BBC's Jackanory programme.

He is the subject of the song "Charles Windsor" by McCarthy.

Charles has a keen interest in magic, and is a member of The Magic Circle. He passed his audition by performing the cups and balls effect.

In the late 1950s, Mad Magazine ran an article of "comic strips" in which there was a closeup of young Charles (then about ten years old). The drawing by cartoonist Wally Wood suggested a resemblance to the magazine's mascot Alfred E. Neuman. But what got unfortunate attention from the British was the dialogue in the strip, the last two part of which (in comic-strip balloons)-- was: Charles: Why can't I be an ordinary boy, Mother? Why can't I play with ordinary boys and have fun once in a while?
Elizabeth: Hold your tongue, Charlie! You're beginning to sound like your Father!
A London tabloid reproduced Wood's artwork under the bold headline "A Stupid Insult!" And years later, when the paperback The Voodoo Mad, which included the article, was shipped to Great Britain, the page with the Prince Charles strip had to be torn by hand out of 25,000 copies before they could be sold there. (Fittingly, the article on the other side was about Wernher von Braun, whose V-2 rockets had bombed London during World War II.)

A character based on Prince Charles appears in Tom Clancy's bestseller Patriot Games (1987) as the target of an assassination attempt. In the book, he is referred to only as "The Prince of Wales." In the later film version however, the character was extensively rewritten with his name and rank changed to Lord Nottingham.

He and Diana are the models for Mark Helprin's title characters in Freddy and Fredericka.

In 2000, he made an appearance in the UK soap, Coronation Street, to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary on ITV1.

An unnamed monarch, very similar to Charles, is the new King of the United Kingdom in Michael Dobbs's book To Play the King. In the TV adaptation, Michael Kitchen portrayed the monarch (still unnamed), as a very close approximation of Charles in voice and mannerism.

In 2005, Prince Charles appeared as himself in the New Zealand adult cartoon series Bro'Town. The episode aired on TV3 on Wednesday 26 October and was the final episode in the second series of the popular show. Prince Charles agreed to record some impromptu audio for Series Two while attending a performance from the show's creators during a visit to New Zealand. After some enthusiastic encouragement from Prime Minister Helen Clark (who also appears in the episode), the Prince gave a royal rendition of the Bro'Town catch-cry "Morningside 4 Life!"

In 2006, a court case was filed by Prince Charles against the Mail on Sunday after publication of his extracts from his personal journals. Lawyers for the Prince argued that he was as entitled to keep private documents as any other person. Various revelations were made including his opinions on the takeover of Hong Kong by the People's Republic of China in 1997, in which he described Chinese government officials as "appalling old waxworks". His ex-private secretary also alleged that the Prince considers himself a dissident, working against political opinion.

On Saturday 20 May 2006, ITV presented the 30th birthday of The Prince's Trust. It included songs from Embrace and their song World at our Feet and Annie Lennox with also an interview with Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Prince William from Ant and Dec.

Prince Charles is sometimes referred to in the popular press as "Chazza" (along the lines of "Gazza", "Hezza" and similar coinages of the 1990s).

Prince Charles has been criticised for publishing a memo on ambition and opportunity. This memo was widely understood to criticise meritocracy for creating a competitive society. In humorist Lynne Truss's critique of British manners entitled Talk to the Hand, Charles's memo is evaluated with respect to the putative impact of meritocracy on British boorishness. Truss came to the conclusion that the prince might have a point, that the positive motivational impact of meritocracy might be balanced against the negative impact of a competitive society.

In late 2006, The Queen arrived in theatres, depicting Prince Charles, played by Alex Jennings, shortly after the death of Diana. Jennings portrayed Charles as genuinely distraught over the death of his ex-wife, although still calculating in his role as a royal and, at times, cowardly in his fears of what the public might do to him.

In 2007, Charles is depicted as King in the controversial novel, 'Pieces of a paki' by British writer Yusuf Misdaq. Set around 15 years into the future, 'King Charles' is ruling the country and enjoys the popular support of the people. He is at odds with the right-wing government of the time who are intent on waging war against Brazil.