111-587: Highgrove House was the family residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla . It lies southwest of Tetbury in Gloucestershire , England. Built in the late 18th century, Highgrove and its estate were owned by various families until it was purchased in 1980 by the Duchy of Cornwall from Maurice Macmillan . Charles III remodelled the Georgian house with neo-classical additions in 1987. The duchy manages
222-579: A COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021. Charles attended the November 2021 ceremonies to mark Barbados's transition into a parliamentary republic , abolishing the position of monarch of Barbados . He was invited by Prime Minister Mia Mottley as the future Head of the Commonwealth; it was the first time that a member of the royal family attended the transition of a realm to a republic. In May of
333-507: A "significant moment for Anglo-Irish relations ". Commonwealth heads of government decided at their 2018 meeting that Charles would be the next Head of the Commonwealth after the Queen. The head is chosen and therefore not hereditary. In March 2019, at the request of the British government, Charles and Camilla went on an official tour of Cuba, making them the first British royals to visit
444-656: A bale of hay at a friend's barbecue in July, she mentioned that he had looked forlorn and in need of care at the funeral of his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten. Soon, according to Dimbleby, "without any apparent surge in feeling, he began to think seriously of her as a potential bride" and she accompanied him on visits to Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House . Charles's cousin Norton Knatchbull and his wife told Charles that Diana appeared awestruck by his position and that he did not seem to be in love with her. Meanwhile,
555-539: A book of botanical illustrations limited to 175 copies, was published on the flora of Highgrove in April 2008. Memoirs of Highgrove: 51°37′23″N 2°10′43″W / 51.62306°N 2.17861°W / 51.62306; -2.17861 Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms . Charles
666-404: A break for tea at 5:00 p.m. and eats dinner at 8:30 p.m., returning to work until midnight or after. Ahead of Christmas dinner in 2022, Charles confirmed to animal rights group PETA that foie gras would not be served at any royal residences; he had stopped the use of foie gras at his own properties for more than a decade before becoming king. During a September 2023 state banquet at
777-405: A civil ceremony at Windsor Castle , with a subsequent religious blessing at the castle's St George's Chapel . The wedding venue was changed to Windsor Guildhall after it was realised a civil marriage at Windsor Castle would oblige the venue to be available to anyone who wished to be married there. Four days before the event, it was postponed from the originally scheduled date of 8 April until
888-479: A courtship with a 16-year-old was premature. Four years later, Mountbatten arranged for Amanda and himself to accompany Charles on his 1980 visit to India. Both fathers, however, objected; Prince Philip feared that his famous uncle would eclipse Charles, while Lord Brabourne warned that a joint visit would concentrate media attention on the cousins before they could decide on becoming a couple. In August 1979, before Charles would depart alone for India, Mountbatten
999-416: A designated Grade I listed building. The listed building specification indicates that Richard Talboys built the house between 1628 and 1641, and it was restored in 1933. More recent research suggests Doughton Manor was built around the year 1590 by John Seed before Richard Talboys acquired the property in 1623. Talboys was long considered responsible for the original construction and he certainly worked on
1110-454: A helicopter pilot at RNAS Yeovilton and subsequently joined 845 Naval Air Squadron , operating from HMS Hermes . Charles spent his last 10 months of active service in the Navy commanding the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington , beginning on 9 February 1976. He took part in a parachute training course at RAF Brize Norton two years later, after being appointed colonel-in-chief of
1221-766: A history degree from the University of Cambridge , Charles served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer . They had two sons, William and Harry . Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, after they had each engaged in well-publicised extramarital affairs. Diana died as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash the following year. In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles . As heir apparent, Charles undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of his mother. He founded
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#17327912317791332-581: A lack of public enthusiasm, nothing came of the proposal. In reaction, Charles commented, "so, what are you supposed to think when you are prepared to do something to help and you are just told you're not wanted?" Charles served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy. During his second year at Cambridge, he received Royal Air Force training, learning to fly the Chipmunk aircraft with
1443-457: A nursery wing and staff quarters. In 1893 a fire caused severe damage to the house, and it was rebuilt to its former appearance in 1894 by the Bristol architect John Hart. The fire gutted the interior and damaged the west façade, where a window collapsed onto the terrace, bringing down the wall above. A porch was added to the south-east front in 1894. An office wing to the north west of the house
1554-593: A private meeting in 2013. The Charity Commission described the decision to accept donations as a "matter for trustees" and added that no investigation was required. Doughton Manor Doughton Manor is a country house in Doughton , in the civil parish of Tetbury Upton , in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire , England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as
1665-758: A private tutor. He did not receive preferential treatment from the school's founder and headmaster, Stuart Townend , who advised the Queen to have Charles train in football , because the boys were never deferential to anyone on the football field. Charles subsequently attended two of his father's former schools: Cheam School in Hampshire, from 1958, followed by Gordonstoun , in the north-east of Scotland, beginning classes there in April 1962. He later became patron of Gordonstoun in May 2024. In his 1994 authorised biography by Jonathan Dimbleby , Charles's parents were described as physically and emotionally distant and Philip
1776-413: A relationship with Major James Hewitt , the family's former riding instructor. Charles and Diana's evident discomfort in each other's company led to them being dubbed " The Glums " by the press. Diana exposed Charles's affair with Parker Bowles in a book by Andrew Morton, Diana: Her True Story . Audio tapes of her own extramarital flirtations also surfaced, as did persistent suggestions that Hewitt
1887-488: A shot with a .22 rifle at the Queen in 1981, attempted to escape a psychiatric hospital in order to assassinate Charles, who was visiting New Zealand with Diana and William. While Charles was visiting Australia on Australia Day in January 1994, David Kang fired two shots at him from a starting pistol in protest of the treatment of several hundred Cambodian asylum seekers held in detention camps. In 1995, Charles became
1998-561: A speech at the state banquet, he acknowledged "abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence", but did not formally apologise. In May 2024, the British prime minister Rishi Sunak asked the King to call a general election ; subsequently royal engagements which could divert attention from the election campaign were postponed. In June 2024, Charles and Camilla travelled to Normandy to attend the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day . The same month, he received Emperor Naruhito of Japan during
2109-440: A sustainable habitat for birds and wildlife. The gardens were designed by Charles in consultation with highly regarded gardeners like Rosemary Verey and naturalist Miriam Rothschild . The gardens receive more than 30,000 visitors a year. The house and gardens are run according to the King's environmental principles and have been the subject of several books and television programmes. The King frequently hosts charitable events at
2220-494: A total of 1,112 acres (450 ha) by 1993. In 1981 model maker Rosalind Hudson made a scale model of Highgrove as a wedding present for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Hudson later altered the model as Highgrove was altered. Highgrove was initially occupied at weekends by the Prince and Princess of Wales, after their 1981 marriage , and their two children, Prince William and Prince Harry , spent much of their childhoods at
2331-609: A week of engagements each summer, and attending important national occasions, such as opening the Senedd . The six trustees of the Royal Collection Trust met three times a year under his chairmanship. Charles also represented his mother at the independence celebrations in Fiji in 1970, The Bahamas in 1973, Papua New Guinea in 1975, Zimbabwe in 1980, and Brunei in 1984. In 1983 Christopher John Lewis , who had fired
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#17327912317792442-500: Is Prince Harry's father, based on a physical similarity between Hewitt and Harry. However, Harry had already been born by the time Diana's affair with Hewitt began. In December 1992, John Major announced the couple's legal separation in the House of Commons . Early the following year, the British press published transcripts of a passionate, bugged telephone conversation between Charles and Parker Bowles that had taken place in 1989, which
2553-423: Is disturbing for women to have experiences if they have to remain on a pedestal after marriage". Early in 1974, Mountbatten began corresponding with 25-year-old Charles about a potential marriage to Amanda Knatchbull , Mountbatten's granddaughter. Charles wrote to Amanda's mother, Lady Brabourne , who was also his godmother, expressing interest in her daughter. Lady Brabourne replied approvingly, but suggested that
2664-474: Is one of several sites designated under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 that are protected by law from criminal trespass, a high stone wall surrounds the estate, and in 1983 the duchy and the chief constable of Gloucestershire supported the moving, for security reasons, of two public footpaths that ran close to the house. Several people have been arrested near Highgrove since
2775-572: The Archbishop of Canterbury , Geoffrey Fisher . George VI died on 6 February 1952 and Charles's mother acceded to the throne as Elizabeth II; Charles immediately became the heir apparent . Under a charter of Edward III in 1337, and as the monarch's eldest son, he automatically assumed the traditional titles of Duke of Cornwall and, in the Scottish peerage, the titles Duke of Rothesay , Earl of Carrick , Baron of Renfrew , Lord of
2886-572: The Bishop of London , Richard Chartres . Other people honoured by busts in the garden include the former museum director and art historian who helped design the Highgrove gardens Sir Roy Strong , and Léon Krier , who created Poundbury , a village built to The Prince of Wales's architectural principles in Dorset. Busts of the former owner of Highgrove, Maurice Macmillan (sculpted by Angela Conner ),
2997-695: The Cambridge University Air Squadron , and was presented with his RAF wings in August 1971. After the passing-out parade that September, Charles embarked on a naval career and enrolled in a six-week course at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth . He then served from 1971 to 1972 on the guided-missile destroyer HMS Norfolk and the frigates HMS Minerva , from 1972 to 1973, and HMS Jupiter in 1974. That same year, he also qualified as
3108-556: The Metropolitan Police inquiry team as a part of Operation Paget , Charles told the authorities that he did not know about his former wife's note from 1995 and could not understand why she had those feelings. In 1999 Charles and Parker Bowles made their first public appearance as a couple at the Ritz London Hotel , and she moved into Charles's official residence, Clarence House , in 2003. Their engagement
3219-585: The Palace of Versailles , it was reported that he did not want foie gras or out-of-season asparagus on the menu. Instead he was served lobster. Since founding the Prince's Trust in 1976, using his £7,500 of severance pay from the Navy, Charles has established 16 more charitable organisations and now serves as president of each. Together, they form a loose alliance, the Prince's Charities , which describes itself as "the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in
3330-601: The Parachute Regiment in 1977. Charles gave up flying after crash-landing a BAe 146 in Islay in 1994, as a passenger who was invited to fly the aircraft; the crew was found negligent by a board of inquiry. In his youth, Charles was amorously linked to a number of women. His girlfriends included Georgiana Russell, the daughter of Sir John Russell , who was the British ambassador to Spain ; Lady Jane Wellesley ,
3441-633: The Prime Minister . However, the Prince never occupied the house and renounced his interest in Chevening in 1980. The Prince of Wales found the journey from Chevening to Buckingham Palace inconvenient as a result of traffic congestion in South London, and it was also far away from Wales and the Duchy of Cornwall. The estate was also run by a board of trustees, appointed by the government which
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3552-674: The Royal Maundy at Worcester Cathedral . He made his first major public appearance since his cancer diagnosis at the Easter service held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , on 31 March. In April 2024, it was announced that he would resume public-facing duties after making progress in his cancer treatment. As early as 1985, Charles was questioning meat consumption. In the 1985 Royal Special television programme , he told host Alastair Burnet that "I actually now don't eat as much meat as I used to. I eat more fish." He also pointed out
3663-657: The University College of Wales in Aberystwyth , studying Welsh history and the Welsh language for one term. Charles became the first British heir apparent to earn a university degree, graduating in June 1970 from the University of Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Following standard practice, in August 1975, his Bachelor of Arts was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree. Charles
3774-552: The "wider public good" rather than as extra funding for the monarchy. It was announced that the funding of the monarchy would be reduced to 12 per cent of the Crown Estate 's net profits. Charles and Camilla have engaged in three state visits and received three. In November 2022 they hosted the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa , during the first official state visit to Britain of Charles's reign. In March
3885-589: The 1998 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination . Charles was one of the first public figures to express strong concerns about the human rights record of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu , initiating objections in the international arena, and subsequently supported the FARA Foundation, a charity for Romanian orphans and abandoned children. Two of Charles's charities,
3996-401: The 200-year-old Highgrove Cedar of Lebanon to the west of the house. After the diseased tree had to be felled in 2007 for safety reasons, a new oak pavilion with church-like spire was constructed over the base of the tree. The organic design by Mark Hoare has a rustic cruck frame on Cotswold staddle stones . The Head Gardener is Debs Goodenough, who in July 2008 replaced David Howard. Charles
4107-427: The British throne, after having been the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales in British history. Significant events in his reign have included his coronation in 2023 and his cancer diagnosis the following year, the latter of which temporarily suspended planned public engagements. Charles was born at 21:14 ( GMT ) on 14 November 1948, during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI , as
4218-483: The British throne, at the age of 73. The previous record holder, William IV , was 64 when he became king in 1830. Charles gave his first speech to the nation at 6 pm on 9 September, in which he paid tribute to his mother and announced the appointment of his elder son, William, as Prince of Wales. The following day, the Accession Council publicly proclaimed Charles as king, the ceremony being televised for
4329-428: The Highgrove estate was purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall for a figure believed to be between £800,000 and £1,000,000 with funds raised for its purchase by the sale of three properties from the duchy's holdings, including part of the village of Daglingworth . The Duke of Cornwall, now Charles III, was subsequently appointed a tenant for life of Highgrove by the duchy. Upon its purchase, essential repairs were carried out,
4440-485: The Isles , and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland . The following year, Charles attended his mother's coronation at Westminster Abbey . When Charles turned five, Catherine Peebles was appointed as governess to oversee his education at Buckingham Palace. He then commenced classes at Hill House School in west London in November 1956. Charles was the first heir apparent to attend school, rather than be educated by
4551-497: The King and Queen toured Australia and Samoa; it was their first visit to a Commonwealth realm since his accession. In Samoa, Charles attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for the first time as head of the Commonwealth. The tour was significantly scaled back owing to his cancer diagnosis, a planned visit to New Zealand being among the cancelled events. Charles temporarily paused cancer treatment during
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4662-410: The King's occupation, including two French journalists and a photographer from The Sun . A 1.5-nautical-mile (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) aerial exclusion zone for civilian aircraft and microlights was imposed over Highgrove in 1991. Highgrove House was built in 1796 to 1798 by John Paul Paul, and believed to have been designed by architect Anthony Keck . The estate itself came to the family through
4773-466: The Prince's Foundation and the Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund (later renamed the King's Foundation and King Charles III Charitable Fund, respectively), came under scrutiny in 2021 and 2022 for accepting donations the media deemed inappropriate. In August 2021, it was announced that the Prince's Foundation was launching an investigation into the reports, with Charles's support. The Charity Commission also launched an investigation into allegations that
4884-446: The Prince's Trust in 1976, sponsored the Prince's Charities , and became patron or president of more than 800 other charities and organisations. He advocated for the conservation of historic buildings and the importance of traditional architecture in society. In that vein, he generated the experimental new town of Poundbury . An environmentalist, Charles supported organic farming and action to prevent climate change during his time as
4995-632: The Queen in December 1995 to end the marriage. The couple shared custody of their children. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. Charles flew to Paris with Diana's sisters to accompany her body back to Britain. In 2003 Diana's butler Paul Burrell published a note that he claimed had been written by Diana in 1995, in which there were allegations that Charles was "planning 'an accident' in [Diana's] car, brake failure and serious head injury", so that he could remarry. When questioned by
5106-559: The Republic of Ireland in May 2015. The British Embassy called the trip an important step in "promoting peace and reconciliation". During the trip, he shook hands in Galway with Gerry Adams , leader of Sinn Féin and widely believed to be the leader of the IRA , the militant group that had assassinated Lord Mountbatten in 1979. The event was described by the media as a "historic handshake" and
5217-401: The United Kingdom, raising over £100 million annually ... [and is] active across a broad range of areas including education and young people, environmental sustainability, the built environment, responsible business and enterprise, and international". As Prince of Wales, Charles became patron or president of over 800 other charities and organisations. The Prince's Charities Canada
5328-688: The Woods was first performed on the Prince's birthday in the Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House. Three further movements ensued to create the "Highgrove Suite" each depicting different areas of the gardens at Highgrove. The suite was premiered at Highgrove on 8 June 2010 with the royal harpist Claire Jones and the Philharmonia orchestra. The Highgrove Florilegium is a two-volume book series containing 124 watercolours of plants from
5439-402: The appalling short-sighted damage done to the soil, the landscape and our own souls" and has written that "Some may not like it, others may scoff that it is not in the 'real world' or it is merely an expensive indulgence. Whatever the case, my enduring hope is that those who visit the garden may find something to inspire, excite, fascinate or soothe them". In 1980 The King was especially drawn to
5550-645: The basis for a remodelling of the house in December 1987, undertaken by architect Peter Falconer. The remodelling saw the exterior embellished with a new balustrade , pediment , and classical pilasters . A new single-storey staff annexe was also added. The additions were praised by the Georgian Group . Other buildings built by The King at Highgrove include beehive pavilions and a beef-yard designed by Willie Bertram, built in traditional Cotswold stone. Four semi-detached cottages dubbed 'the council houses' by The Prince of Wales were also renovated. Highgrove House
5661-486: The building between 1628 and 1641, altering and aggrandising it. Although the house was restored in 1933 it remains one of the least altered Cotswold Manor houses. Doughton Manor is adjacent to Highgrove House , the family residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla . The house was offered for sale in 2022 at a price of £4 million. 51°37′19″N 2°10′31″W / 51.62190°N 2.17524°W / 51.62190; -2.17524 This article about
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#17327912317795772-508: The chintzy country-house look that was seen everywhere that year..." with a palette of clean fresh colours – plenty of lime green and aquamarine – he created a gentle relaxed mood with no flights of fancy other than the odd experiment with interesting textures". Following Diana's departure from Highgrove, Poplak's designs were replaced with those of Robert Kime at the behest of Camilla. The King’s environmental beliefs have been reflected in changes to Highgrove. Solar panels have been installed on
5883-402: The code name Operation Golden Orb . Reports before his accession suggested that Charles's coronation would be simpler than his mother's in 1953, with the ceremony expected to be "shorter, smaller, less expensive, and more representative of different faiths and community groups – falling in line with the King's wish to reflect the ethnic diversity of modern Britain". Nonetheless,
5994-530: The coronation was a Church of England rite, including the coronation oath , the anointment , delivery of the orb , and enthronement . In July that year, the royal couple attended a national service of thanksgiving where Charles was presented with the Honours of Scotland in St Giles' Cathedral . In July 2023, Charles asked for the profits from Britain's growing fleet of offshore windfarms to be used for
6105-420: The country residence of the King's sister, Anne, Princess Royal , is 6 miles (9.7 km) away, between the villages of Minchinhampton and Avening . In addition, the King's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent , bought nearby Nether Lypiatt Manor shortly after the duchy purchased Highgrove, although he sold it in 2006. As the country residence of the King, Highgrove House is well protected by security. The house
6216-546: The country. The tour was seen as an effort to form a closer relationship between Cuba and the United Kingdom. Charles contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic in March 2020. Several newspapers were critical that Charles and Camilla were tested promptly at a time when many NHS doctors, nurses and patients had been unable to be tested expeditiously. He tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time in February 2022. He and Camilla, who also tested positive, had received doses of
6327-514: The couple's continuing courtship attracted intense attention from the press and paparazzi. When Charles's father told him that the media speculation would injure Diana's reputation if Charles did not come to a decision about marrying her soon, and realising that she was a suitable royal bride (according to Mountbatten's criteria), Charles construed his father's advice as a warning to proceed without further delay. He proposed to Diana in February 1981, with their engagement becoming official on 24 February;
6438-624: The couple's incompatibility and near 13-year age difference. In 1986, Charles had fully resumed his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. In a videotape recorded by Peter Settelen in 1992, Diana admitted that, from 1985 to 1986, she had been "deeply in love with someone who worked in this environment." It was assumed that she was referring to Barry Mannakee , who had been transferred to the Diplomatic Protection Squad in 1986, after his managers determined his relationship with Diana had been inappropriate. Diana later commenced
6549-571: The current Zimbabwean regime abhorrent". Charles represented the Queen at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. In November 2010, he and Camilla were indirectly involved in student protests when their car was attacked by protesters. In November 2013, he represented the Queen for the first time at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting , in Colombo , Sri Lanka. Charles and Camilla made their first joint trip to
6660-427: The daughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington ; Davina Sheffield; Lady Sarah Spencer ; and Camilla Shand , who later became his second wife. Charles's great-uncle Lord Mountbatten advised him to "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
6771-1025: The donations meant for the Prince's Foundation had been instead sent to the Mahfouz Foundation. In February 2022, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the cash-for-honours allegations linked to the foundation, passing their evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for deliberation in October. In August 2023, the Metropolitan Police announced that they had concluded their investigations and no further actions would be taken. The Times reported in June 2022 that, between 2011 and 2015, Charles accepted €3 million in cash from Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani . There
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#17327912317796882-657: The duchy said, "It is coincidental that this estate has a house on it which is suitable for the Prince of Wales. The Royal Family are rather short of residences and the prince only has a set of rooms at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle that he can use...when you are 31 you want a place of your own". The Prince of Wales had looked at a number of properties in different counties before the duchy purchased Highgrove. The Prince of Wales rejected houses at Stoke Climsland in Cornwall and Orchardleigh in Somerset. The Prince of Wales
6993-405: The estate and the nearby Duchy Home Farm . The gardens at Highgrove have been open to the public since 1996. The gardens of the late-18th-century home were overgrown and untended when Charles first moved in but have since flourished and now include rare trees, flowers and heirloom seeds . Current organic gardening and organic lawn management techniques have allowed the gardens to serve also as
7104-496: The explorer and confidant of The Prince of Wales, Sir Laurens van der Post (sculptured by Frances Baruch), and pilot and psychiatrist Alan McGlashan are displayed in Highgrove's Cottage Garden, in recesses in a yew hedge. A path of stone cobbles leaves the Cottage Garden, before surrounding a stone obelisk inscribed with 'York, Weymouth and Bath', given to The King for his 60th birthday by stone-masonry colleges. In 1992,
7215-407: The farm and the house is heated by a wood chip boiler, in addition, waste from the house is filtered through a natural sewage system, and the use of aerosols was banned in the house in the 1980s. The lights at Highgrove were turned off for Earth Hour in 2008. The King has created a wild garden, a formal garden and a walled kitchen garden at Highgrove. He has also planted a large number of trees in
7326-460: The first child of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh . He was delivered by Caesarean section at Buckingham Palace. His parents had three more children, Anne (born 1950), Andrew (born 1960) and Edward (born 1964). He was christened Charles Philip Arthur George on 15 December 1948 in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by
7437-526: The first member of the royal family to visit the Republic of Ireland in an official capacity. In 1997, he represented the Queen at the Hong Kong handover ceremony . At the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, Charles caused controversy when he shook hands with the president of Zimbabwe , Robert Mugabe , who had been seated next to him. Charles's office subsequently released a statement saying that he could not avoid shaking Mugabe's hand and that he "finds
7548-474: The first royal to speak from the floor since the future Edward VII in 1884. He spoke again in 1975. Charles began to take on more public duties, founding the Prince's Trust in 1976 and travelling to the United States in 1981. In the mid-1970s, he expressed an interest in serving as governor-general of Australia , at the suggestion of Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser ; however, because of
7659-719: The first time. Attendees included Queen Camilla, Prince William, and the British prime minister, Liz Truss , along with her six living predecessors. The proclamation was also read out by local authorities around the United Kingdom. Other realms signed and read their own proclamations, as did Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories , the Crown Dependencies , Canadian provinces , and Australian states . Charles and Camilla's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. Plans had been made for many years, under
7770-528: The following day in order to allow Charles and some of the invited dignitaries to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II . Charles's parents did not attend the marriage ceremony; the Queen's reluctance to attend possibly arose from her position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England . However, his parents did attend the service of blessing and held a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle. The blessing by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams
7881-547: The following year, Charles attended the State Opening of the British Parliament , delivering the Queen's Speech on behalf of his mother, as a counsellor of state . Charles acceded to the British throne on his mother's death on 8 September 2022. He was the longest-serving British heir apparent , having surpassed Edward VII's record of 59 years on 20 April 2011. Charles was the oldest person to succeed to
7992-523: The following year, the King and Queen embarked on a state visit to Germany; Charles became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag . Similarly, in September, he became the first British monarch to give a speech from France's Senate chamber during his state visit to the country . The following month, Charles visited Kenya where he faced pressure to apologise for British colonial actions. In
8103-551: The gardens. The Sundial Garden was the first garden at Highgrove to be created by The King and had formerly been known as the South Garden. It is named for the stone sundial at its centre, sculpted by Walter Crang, a wedding present to The King and Princess of Wales from the Duke of Beaufort and outside staff and gardeners. The garden faces south and its layout has remained largely unchanged since its creation. The Sundial Garden
8214-659: The grounds, and holds the beech collection under the National Plant Collection scheme. Individual features in the gardens include the Carpet Garden, Southern Hemisphere Garden, Walled Garden, the Autumn Walk, Sundial Garden, and a Woodland Garden featuring two classical temples made from green oak and a stumpery created by Julian and Isabel Bannerman in 1996. The King has described his efforts as representing "...one very small attempt to heal
8325-462: The house features neo-classical decorations. In its 1985 listing for the house, English Heritage described its design as "Principal block, rectangular of five bays by three and of 3 storeys. Pilasters through the upper floors, cornice and parapet. The garden front (south-west) of 5 bays with a central canted bay of 2 storeys. Mid C19. 12-pane sashes. Sashes on south-east set in arched recesses." The house has four reception rooms, nine main bedrooms, with
8436-633: The house. As the property is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, control of the House was transferred to William, Prince of Wales , when his father acceded to the throne and he became Duke of Cornwall on 8 September 2022. The King rents the house from the Duchy to use as a country residence. Highgrove House is in Doughton in the civil parish of Tetbury Upton , near Tetbury in the county of Gloucestershire in South West England . Gatcombe Park ,
8547-409: The house. Two former members of Highgrove's staff, butler Paul Burrell and housekeeper Wendy Berry, have chronicled their time at the house. Burrell's book A Royal Duty was published in 2003 and covers his time at Highgrove from the purchase of the house until Burrell's departure with Diana in 1995. Berry's 1995 book, The Housekeeper's Diary , detailed her time at Highgrove from 1984 to 1993 and it
8658-563: The interior was stripped out, and the rooms were painted white, in preparation for their redecoration. The swimming pool at Highgrove was given to the Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales , as a wedding present from the British Army . From 1974, the previous residence of the Prince of Wales was due to be Chevening House in Kent, a house intended for use by a Cabinet member or descendant of King George VI who has been nominated by
8769-738: The interiors of the house. The house was rebuilt at a cost of £6,000 by Arthur Mitchell, whose son, Lt Col. Francis Mitchell, Commander of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, lived at nearby Doughton Manor . The Mitchells sold Highgrove after the Second World War to Lt Col. Gwyn Morgan. The estate had been bought by the Macmillan family in 1956 for £89,000 and was put up for sale by the Conservative Party politician and businessman Maurice Macmillan ,
8880-515: The latter's state visit to the United Kingdom. In July the annual Holyrood Week, which is usually spent in Scotland, was shortened so that Charles could return to London and appoint a new prime minister following the general election. After Sunak's Conservatives lost the election to the Labour Party led by Sir Keir Starmer , Charles appointed Starmer as prime minister. In October 2024,
8991-407: The manager of the Duchy of Cornwall estates, earning him awards and recognition as well as criticism; he is also a prominent critic of the adoption of genetically modified food , while his support for alternative medicine has been criticised. He has authored or co-authored 17 books . Charles became king upon his mother's death in 2022. At the age of 73, he was the oldest person to accede to
9102-403: The marriage in 1771 of Josiah Paul Tippetts later Paul (his mother's family name, which he adopted under the terms of the will of his uncle, her brother) with Mary Clark, whose father Robert was the local squire. It belonged to Paul's descendants until 1860. In 1850 his granddaughter Mary Elizabeth Paul died after her gown caught fire during a soiree held for her brother in the ballroom. The house
9213-461: The societal double standard whereby eating meat is not questioned but eating less meat means "all hell seems to break loose." In 2021, Charles spoke to the BBC about the environment and revealed that, two days per week, he eats no meat nor fish and, one day per week, he eats no dairy products. In 2022, it was reported that he eats a breakfast of fruit salad, seeds, and tea. He does not eat lunch, but takes
9324-416: The son of former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan , for £730,000 in 1980. Macmillan sold Highgrove so he could spend more time at Birch Grove , his father's West Sussex home. At the time of its sale Highgrove was described as a "distinguished Georgian house standing in superb parkland in the Duke of Beaufort's hunt " and possessing 347 acres (140 ha), with nine bedrooms and six bathrooms. In August 1980
9435-670: The then Prince of Wales opened the Highgrove retail shops which sell products, including Duchy Originals , for home and gardens. The shops are located in Tetbury and in London, where the products are available at Fortnum & Mason . A shop in Bath closed down in 2014. All profits from the sale of the products are paid to The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation . In 2014, the shops began selling products online. Books by Charles III on Highgrove and its gardens: The Highgrove Florilegium ,
9546-587: The tour. In March 1998, Charles had laser keyhole surgery on his right knee. In March 2003 he underwent surgery at King Edward VII's Hospital to treat a hernia injury. In 2008 a non-cancerous growth was removed from his nasal bridge . In January 2024, Charles underwent a "corrective procedure" at the London Clinic to treat benign prostate enlargement , which resulted in the postponement of some of his public engagements. In February, Buckingham Palace announced that cancer had been discovered during
9657-518: The treatment, but that it was not prostate cancer . Although his public duties were postponed, it was reported Charles would continue to fulfil his constitutional functions during his outpatient treatment. He released a statement espousing his support for cancer charities and that he "remain[ed] positive" on making a full recovery. In March, Camilla deputised for him in his absence at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey and at
9768-454: The wedding took place in St Paul's Cathedral on 29 July. Upon his marriage, Charles reduced his voluntary tax contribution from the profits of the Duchy of Cornwall from 50 per cent to 25 per cent. The couple lived at Kensington Palace and Highgrove House , near Tetbury , and had two children: William , in 1982, and Harry , in 1984. Within five years, the marriage was in trouble due to
9879-401: The whole estate was completed in 1994. Pre-booked tours of the gardens are available to individuals and groups, between April and mid-October. Over 30,000 people visit the gardens annually. The gardens were the source of inspiration for the British composer Patrick Hawes when he was asked to write a piece of music for The King's 60th birthday in 2008. The resultant piece entitled Goddess of
9990-832: Was "glad" he had attended Gordonstoun and that the "toughness of the place" was "much exaggerated". In 1966 Charles spent two terms at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia, during which time he visited Papua New Guinea on a school trip with his history tutor, Michael Collins Persse. In 1973 Charles described his time at Timbertop as the most enjoyable part of his whole education. Upon his return to Gordonstoun, he emulated his father in becoming head boy , and left in 1967 with six GCE O-levels and two A-levels in history and French, at grades B and C respectively. On his education, Charles later remarked, "I didn't enjoy school as much as I might have; but, that
10101-641: Was announced on 10 February 2005. The Queen's consent to the marriage – as required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772 – was recorded in a Privy Council meeting on 2 March. In Canada, the Department of Justice determined the consent of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada was not required, as the union would not produce any heirs to the Canadian throne . Charles
10212-582: Was assassinated by the Irish Republican Army . When Charles returned, he proposed to Amanda. But in addition to her grandfather, she had lost her paternal grandmother and younger brother in the bomb attack and was now reluctant to join the royal family. Charles first met Lady Diana Spencer in 1977, while he was visiting her home, Althorp . He was then the companion of her elder sister Sarah and did not consider Diana romantically until mid-1980. While Charles and Diana were sitting together on
10323-450: Was attracted to Gloucestershire as it was equidistant between London and Cornwall, and he had known the locality around Badminton since his childhood, often hunting with the Duke of Beaufort's Hunt. The duchy's local holdings were expanded after the purchase of Highgrove, with the addition of Broadfield Farm, a 420-acre (170 ha) farm on the opposite side of Tetbury and other holdings to
10434-403: Was blamed for his disregard of Charles's sensitive nature, including forcing him to attend Gordonstoun, where he was bullied. Though Charles reportedly described Gordonstoun, noted for its especially rigorous curriculum, as " Colditz in kilts ", he later praised the school, stating it had taught him "a great deal about myself and my own abilities and disabilities". He said in a 1975 interview he
10545-515: Was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI , and became heir apparent when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II , acceded to the throne in 1952. He was created Prince of Wales in 1958 and his investiture was held in 1969. He was educated at Cheam School and Gordonstoun , and later spent six months at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. After completing
10656-475: Was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on 26 July 1958, though his investiture was not held until 1 July 1969, when he was crowned by his mother in a televised ceremony held at Caernarfon Castle ; the investiture was controversial in Wales owing to growing Welsh nationalist sentiment. He took his seat in the House of Lords the following year and he delivered his maiden speech on 13 June 1974,
10767-474: Was demolished in 1966. At the behest of the King, the artist Felix Kelly created an artist's impression of a remodelled Highgrove with neo-classical additions. Kelly had previously painted a vision of Henbury Hall in Henbury, Cheshire based on Andrea Palladio 's Villa Rotonda . Kelly's artwork had formed the basis for the construction of Henbury Hall, and a similar painting of Highgrove subsequently formed
10878-485: Was dubbed " Camillagate " and "Tampongate". Charles subsequently sought public understanding in a television film with Dimbleby, Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role , broadcast in June 1994. In an interview in the film, Charles confirmed his own extramarital affair with Parker Bowles, saying that he had rekindled their association in 1986, only after his marriage to Diana had "irretrievably broken down". This
10989-650: Was established in 2010, in a similar fashion to its namesake in Britain. Charles uses his tours of Canada as a way to help draw attention to youth, the disabled, the environment, the arts, medicine, the elderly, heritage conservation, and education. He has also set up the Prince's Charities Australia , based in Melbourne , to provide a coordinating presence for his Australian and international charitable endeavours. Charles has supported humanitarian projects; for example, he and his sons took part in ceremonies that marked
11100-483: Was followed by Diana's own admission of marital troubles in an interview on the BBC current affairs show Panorama , broadcast in November 1995. Referring to Charles's relationship with Parker Bowles, she said, "well, there were three of us in this marriage. So, it was a bit crowded." She also expressed doubt about her husband's suitability for kingship. Charles and Diana divorced on 28 August 1996, after being advised by
11211-631: Was given Grade II listed status in March 1985. In addition to the main house, the Coach House to the north west, and Lodge and Gate Piers to the east, were also given Grade II listed status. After the marriage of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981 rooms at Highgrove were decorated by Dudley Poplak who regarded the commission as the "most important assignment I have ever had." Poplak's obituary in The Times later described his decorations for Highgrove as "...a youthful variant of
11322-402: Was initially assisted in his creation of Highgrove's gardens by Miriam Rothschild . He was further assisted by Lady Salisbury, who had restored the gardens of Hatfield House , and Rosemary Verey . In 1985, organic farming was introduced on three blocks of land as part of a move to what has been called biologically sustainable farming linked to conservation. The step to full organic status on
11433-684: Was no evidence that the payments were illegal or that it was not intended for the money to go to the charity, although, the Charity Commission stated it would review the information and announced in July 2022 that there would be no further investigation. In the same month, The Times reported that the Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund received a donation of £1 million from Bakr bin Laden and Shafiq bin Laden ;– both half-brothers of Osama bin Laden – during
11544-565: Was only because I'm happier at home than anywhere else". Charles broke royal tradition when he proceeded straight to university after his A-levels, rather than joining the British Armed Forces . In October 1967, he was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge , where he studied archaeology and anthropology for the first part of the Tripos and then switched to history for the second part. During his second year, he attended
11655-461: Was originally planted with roses, and was briefly planted as a 'black-and-white garden'. The garden is presently planted with herbaceous plants in pinks, blues, and purples, and surrounded by a large yew hedge planted in the winter of 1982. A section of the garden contains busts of people admired by The King, including Debo Devonshire , composer John Tavener , naturalist Dame Miriam Rothschild , poet Kathleen Raine , activist Vandana Shiva , and
11766-458: Was seen as a disadvantage to any future changes the Prince of Wales wished to make. As £1 million of renovations had been made to Chevening before the Prince of Wales's occupancy, the purchase of Highgrove was criticised by Labour MP Reg Race , who said that it was "...bloody outrageous on a day that the Government are cutting social security benefits for millions of people". A spokesperson for
11877-435: Was set up to tackle loneliness and isolation in cold weather by providing warm spaces . On 6 May 2023 the newly crowned King and Queen returned to Highgrove House after their coronation. Highgrove House was built between 1796 and 1798; it was believed to have been designed by architect Anthony Keck . The house is a rectangular detached three-storey building made from ashlar blocks with a stone and slate roof. The exterior of
11988-410: Was sold again in 1864 to a barrister, William Yatman . During his time at Highgrove, Yatman was described as one of the "chief preservers of foxes" in an 1872 discussion on the Duke of Beaufort's hounds . Yatman rebuilt the medieval spire of Tetbury Church in memory of his son, and paid for the rehanging of the church bells in 1891. Yatman left Highgrove following a fire in 1893 which destroyed much of
12099-417: Was televised. In 1965 Charles undertook his first public engagement by attending a student garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse . During his time as Prince of Wales, he undertook official duties on behalf of the Queen, completing 10,934 engagements between 2002 and 2022. He officiated at investitures and attended the funerals of foreign dignitaries. Charles made regular tours of Wales, fulfilling
12210-546: Was the only member of the royal family to have a civil , rather than a church, wedding in England. British government documents from the 1950s and 1960s, published by the BBC, stated that such a marriage was illegal; these claims were dismissed by Charles's spokesman and explained by the sitting government to have been repealed by the Registration Service Act 1953. The union was scheduled to take place in
12321-698: Was the subject of an injunction from the High Court. After publishing her book in the United States, Berry left the UK to avoid contempt-of-court charges. In 2021, the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall spent the COVID-19 lockdown at Highgrove. In January 2023, it was reported that the Orchard Tearooms at Highgrove House would be open to the public every Tuesday as a part of the Prince's Foundation Gloucestershire Winter Warmers initiative, which
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