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{{Infobox royalty
#REDIRECT [[Charles the Great]]
| name          = Charles III
| title          =
| image          = Charles III Improved.jpg
 
| image_size    = Medium
 
| succession  =
{{longitem |col1style=padding-top:0.2em
  |
{{Collapsible list |title={{wp|Queen of the United Kingdom|King of the United Kingdom}} and the other {{wp|Commonwealth Realms}}|titlestyle=background:transparent;text-align:center;padding-center:1.0em;
    |
----
      {{Aligned table |fullwidth=on |cols=2 |class=nowrap |style=line-height:1.2em;
        |col1style=padding-right:0.5em;
        |{{wp|Canada}}                                        | 1951-1985
|{{wp|Australia}}                                        | 1951-1985
|{{wp|New Zealand}}                                        | 1951-1985
|{{wp|Jamaica}}                                        | 1962-1985
|{{wp|Barbados}}                                        | 1966-1985
|{{wp|The Bahamas}}                                        | 1973-1985
|{{wp|Grenada}}                                        | 1974-1985
|{{wp|Papua New Guinea}}                                        | 1975-1985
|{{wp|Puerto Rico}}                                        | 1977-1985
|{{wp|Solomon Islands}}                                        | 1978-1985
|{{wp|Tuvalu}}                                        | 1978-1985
|{{wp|St. Lucia}}                                        | 1979-1985
|{{wp|St. Vincent and the Grenadines}}                                      | 1979-1985
|{{wp|Belize}}                                      | 1981-1985
|{{wp|Antigua and Barbuda}}                                        | 1981-1985
|{{wp|St. Kitts and Nevis}}                                        | 1983-1985
|{{wp|Mauritius}}                                        | 1968-1985
|{{wp|Fiji}}                                        | 1970-1985
|{{wp|Pakistan}}                                        | 1952-1956
|{{wp|South Africa}}                                        | 1952-1961
|{{wp|Ceylon}}                                        | 1952-1972
|{{wp|Ghana}}                                        | 1957-1960
|{{wp|Nigeria}}                                        | 1960-1963
|{{wp|Sierra Leone}}                                        | 1961-1971
|{{wp|Tanganyika}}                                        | 1961-1962
|{{wp|Trinidad and Tobago}}                                        | 1962-1976
|{{wp|Uganda}}                                        | 1962-1963
|{{wp|Kenya}}                                        | 1963-1964
|{{wp|Malawi}}                                        | 1964-1966
|{{wp|Malta}}                                        | 1964-1974
|{{wp|The Gambia}}                                        | 1965-1970
|{{wp|Guyana}}                                        | 1966-1970
}} }} }}
| moretext    =
| reign        = 7 July, 1951 - 15 January, 1997
| reign-type  = Reign
| coronation  = 25 October, 1951
| cor-type    = Coronation
| predecessor  = [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]]
| pre-type    = Predecessor
| regent      =
| reg-type    =
| successor    = [[William VI of the United Kingdom|William VI]]
| suc-type    =
| succession1  =
| moretext1    =
| reign1      =
| reign-type1  =
| coronation1  =
| cor-type1    =
| predecessor1 =
| pre-type1    =
| regent1      =
| reg-type1    =
| successor1  =
| suc-type1    =
| succession2  =
| moretext2    =
| reign2      =
| reign-type2  =
| coronation2  =
| cor-type2    =
| predecessor2 =
| pre-type2    =
| regent2      =
| reg-type2    =
| successor2  =
| suc-type2    =
| succession3  =
| moretext3    =
| reign3      =
| reign-type3  =
| coronation3  =
| cor-type3    =
| predecessor3 =
| pre-type3    =
| regent3      =
| reg-type3    =
| successor3  =
| suc-type3    =
 
| birth_name    = Charles Frederick William Louis
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1917|1|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Haga Palace}}, {{wp|Sweden}}
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2011|3|2|1917|1|15|df=yes}}
| death_place  = {{wp|Edinburgh Palace}}, {{wp|Scotland}}
| burial_date  = 5 March 2011
| burial_place = {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}, {{wp|London}}
| spouse      = {{marriage|{{wp|Lauren Bacall}}|15 March 1947}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[William VI of the United Kingdom|William VI]]
* [[Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews|William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews]]
* [[Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway]]
* [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany|Alexandra, Duchess of Albany]]}}
| issue-link  = #Issue
| full name      = Charles Frederick William Louis
| house          = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}
| father        = [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]]
| mother        = {{wp|Victoria Louise of Prussia}}
| religion      = {{wp|Protestantism|Protestant}}
| module      = {{Infobox officeholder | embed=yes
  | branch        = {{air force|United States}}
  | serviceyears  = 1942-1945 (active service)
  | servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
  | unit          = {{wp|34th Fighter Squadron}}
  | commands      =
  | rank          = {{wp|Air Commodore}}
  | battles_label =
  | battles      = {{wp|Pacific War}}}}
}}
 
'''Charles III''' (Charles Frederick William Louis; 15 January, 1917 - 3 March, 2011) was {{wp|King of the United Kingdom}} from 1951 to 1997. Known for his controversial marriage to the {{wp|Jewish}} {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}, Charles was also known for his somewhat outspoken support for {{wp|decolonisation}}, political and social {{wp|liberalism}}, and his personal opposition against what he termed as ''{{wp|American}} {{wp|neocolonialism}}''. His reign, which spanned throughout most of the second half of the 20th century saw a series of wide-ranging and dramatic reforms that effectively transformed {{wp|Britain}}'s political and social climate, all of which were either personally directed and orchestrated by Charles himself or his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}}.
 
On January 15, 1997, following his 80th birthday, Charles formally abdicated his throne in favour of his son [[William VI of the United Kingdom|William VI]] on the grounds of ''"ill health"'' and ''"personal issues"'', becoming the first {{wp|British}} monarch to do so. With both government and public approval, Charles was allowed to retain his title of King which lasted until his death in 2011. Following his death, he was posthumously given the epithet ''the Great'', the second and first monarch in both {{wp|English}} and {{wp|British}} histories to be bestowed with the epithet, after his 9th century predecessor, {{wp|Alfred the Great}}.
 
==Early Life==
{{multiple image
| align    = right
| direction = vertical
| header    =
| header_align =
| header_background =
| footer    = The two {{wp|German Emperor|German Emperors}}, {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Frederick III}} and {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II}}, Charles's respective paternal and maternal ancestors
| footer_align = left
| footer_background =
| width    =
| image1    = Friedrich Wilhelm von Preußen.JPG
| width1    =
| caption1  =
| image2    = Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902.jpg
| width2    =
| caption2  =
}}
Charles was born on the 15th of January, 1917 to the then [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward, Prince of Wales]] and {{wp|German}} princess {{wp|Victoria Louise of Prussia|Victoria Louise}}. A member of the ruling {{wp|House of Hanover}} of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, he was also a prince of both {{wp|Britain}} and {{wp|German Empire|Germany}} by virtue of both his patrilineal descent from [[George V of the United Kingdom]] and {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|German Emperor Frederick III}} and alternatively, his matrilineal descent from the last {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|German Emperor Wilhelm II}}. However, as a result of the ''Royal Titles Revocation Act 1924'' in the aftermath of the {{wp|First World War}}, Charles's {{wp|German}} titles were accordingly deprived by his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]]'s verdict as to placate {{wp|British}} nationalist sentiments. While his given name had been of his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]]'s choice, his middlenames and surname however had been that of his {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}}'s, whom had based the names off her {{wp|Prussian}} ancestors, {{wp|German Emperor|German Emperors}} {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Frederick III}}, whose given names bore exact similiarities to Charles's own middle names, and {{wp|William I, German Emperor|Wilhelm I}}, whose surname was shared by Charles himself.
 
In 1913, Charles's parents had chose to reluctantly move into exile in {{wp|Sweden}}, a neutral country as a consequence of heightening tensions between the major superpowers of {{wp|Europe}} which had produced a {{wp|First World War|World War}}. Thus, he was born in the {{wp|Swedish}} royal residence of {{wp|Haga Palace}} in the presence of the {{wp|Swedish royal family}}. Despite his foreign background, Charles was warmly received by the family of {{wp|Gustaf V|King Gustaf V}} who took an instant liking to the princely family, and were quick to assist them in the young Charles's upbringing.
 
In his early years, Charles was given a form of private education, with both {{wp|English}} and {{wp|Swedish}} tutors employed to educate him and later his [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|brother]] in the general subjects. Having been brought up in a mixed cultural environment, the young prince was able to become gradually fluent in both his mother language and the {{wp|Swedish}} language itself, evidenced by his fluent daily conversations with the {{wp|Swedish}} royal family in their native language. Charles was also said to had been particularly close to that of the king's granddaughter {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} whom, as a result of being seven years his senior was often considered as his "sister figure" as {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} herself had actively supported Charles in his upbringing, resulting in a close bond and even possible rumours of marriage once Charles himself had came of age, though this was never realised.
 
==Prince of Wales==
At the age of six, Charles's grandfather [[George V of the United Kingdom|George V]] passed away, leading him to be subsequently created {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of Wales''}} as {{wp|heir apparent}} to his father, the new [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]]. Despite being mostly confined to the interior of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} alongside his brother [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|William]] and his adopted sister {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}, Charles's development as a young prince was relatively undeterred, with {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} in particular being a major figure behind his childhood development. While the young prince excelled in his academic subjects, Charles also proved to be adept in horseback riding, and was considerably versed in the arts of hunting, having at times accompanied his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]] on private hunting trips in both the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and {{wp|Canada}} on several occasions.
 
Upon reaching the age of majority, Charles chose to pursue a career in the {{wp|British Army}}, much to the subtle disapproval of his pacifist-minded [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]]. However, {{wp|Britain}}'s financial situation at the time dimmed prospects of the prince in ever seeing military action. Nevertheless, he was made a {{wp|Counsellor of State}} and was subsequently tasked with several state visits to the {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth}} realms and {{wp|British}}-allied countries. In the following July, Charles performed his first state visit to {{wp|Imperial State of Iran|Iran}} under {{wp|Reza Shah}} of the {{wp|House of Pahlavi|Pahlavi}} dynasty. Having said to had enjoyed a warm friendship with the {{wp|Reza Shah|Shah}}, he soon followed up with a visit to {{wp|Kabul}} in {{wp|Kingdom of Afghanistan|Afghanistan}}, where he met the young {{wp|Afghan}} king {{wp|Mohammed Zahir Shah}}. A planned follow-up visit to {{wp|British Raj|British India}} however was unexpectedly dropped following rumours of Charles's alleged sympathy with the {{wp|Indian}} masses.
 
Nevertheless, along with his father [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]], the young Charles quickly became an outspoken opponent of {{wp|Nazism}}, an ideology founded and popularised by the {{wp|NSDAP|Nazi Party}} in neighbouring {{wp|Nazi Germany|Germany}}. However, in contrast to his father whom was slightly more passive in his opposition, the young prince, upon reaching the age of eighteen was said to had travelled to the {{wp|German}}-majority {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}} on multiple occasions where in the presence of the largely supportive public, he would then make fiery speeches condemning {{wp|Nazism}} while emphasising the need for unity between the largely {{wp|German}} state with the rest of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. As a consequence, Charles was rumoured to had been a high-priority target by the {{wp|Abwehr|''Abwehr''}}, the {{wp|German}} military intelligence unit established by the {{wp|NSDAP|Nazi Party}}, though it was unclear regarding the {{wp|''Abwehr''}}'s actual intentions towards the prince, with suggestions claiming that the agency had been ordered to initially coerce the prince into secrecy, before ultimately engineering a fatal accident as a last resort.
 
===Life in the United States===
[[File:Wales House.jpg|thumb|left|[[Wales House]], the primary residence of Charles III and his wife {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} in the {{wp|United States}}]]
In early 1938, hoping to escape the distressing anti-{{wp|German}} sentiment back home, Charles voluntarily withdrew incognito to the {{wp|United States}}, which he entered via {{wp|Canada}} alongside a few trusted escorts of his own. Though the situation, in terms of anti-{{wp|German}} sentiment proved somewhat indifferent, Charles, who had been travelling under the alias of ''Robert Clarke'' chose to acquire a residence of his own in the north-eastern state of {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}. At the same time, he chose to take up acting instead as a means of making additional money. To that end, he took lessons at the {{wp|American Academy of Dramatic Arts}}, where he considerably excelled in his lessons despite his distinctive accent, before gradually establishing himself as a rising actor in the {{wp|Hollywood}} scene. As an actor, he was recognised for his distinguished "upper-class" persona and his unique {{wp|Anglo}}-{{wp|German}} accent.
 
[[File:William Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|right|[[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh]], Charles's brother whom was killed in action during the {{wp|Second World War}}]]
===Second World War: Pacific===
In 1941, Charles received the news of his brother, the [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] whom had been killed in service during a naval confrontation in the {{wp|Denmark Strait}}. This incident would ultimately prevent Charles from ever enlisting for the {{wp|Second World War}}, as he was required to live in order to properly succeed his father [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]]. Nevertheless, Charles himself remained heavily involved in the {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} war effort, as he would often address both the {{wp|American}} and {{wp|British}} public over {{wp|NBC}}. Furthermore, the prince was said to had held almost daily discussions with the then {{wp|United States}} {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Franklin D. Roosevelt}} and several other {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} leaders whom had taken refuge in the {{wp|United States}}. On March 1942, despite an existing unofficial order preventing him from ever directly seeing combat in the war, Charles nevertheless enlisted as an officer in the {{wp|United States Air Force}}, a decision which was made due to the prince's own personal desire to fly both civilian and military aircrafts during his own lifetime. Subsequently, for the next two years, as a result of the preexisting limitations surrounding the prince, coupled with his own desire to see some military service during the war as to honor his deceased [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|brother]], Charles was intentionally diverted from ever participating in the major battles in the {{wp|Pacific Ocean|Pacific}}, namely the battles of {{wp|Battle of Midway|Midway}} and others, and was instead relegated to a defensive post in northern {{wp|Australia}} where he partook in the defence of {{wp|Australia}} alongside fellow {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} servicemen against {{wp|Japanese}} air raids. Before being ultimately recalled back to the {{wp|United States}} in February 1944, Charles was promoted to the rank of {{wp|Colonel (United States)|Colonel}} for his wartime efforts by his superiors before being subsequently promoted to the ranks of {{wp|Major General (United Kingdom)|Major General}} and {{wp|Air commodore}} in the {{wp|British Army}} and  {{wp|Royal Air Force}} respectively.
 
Prior to his military service, having built both a relatively modest acting career of his own, the prince had came into contact with a new and upcoming actress, by the name of {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}. Due to the glaring difference in their social classes, the two began a private off-screen relationship until it was formalised into a marriage in 1947 when Charles's [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]] granted his consent for the union amidst much controversy and mixed reactions from {{wp|Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament}} {{wp|Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP}}'s, with even {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} herself expressing initial skepticism and concern over the royal {{wp|German}} background of Charles's {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}} and her future duties and responsibilities as queen consort.
 
==King of the United Kingdom==
Despite their return to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, it was at first deemed unlikely for Charles to succeed his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]] in the vicinity though at times, he would occasionally serve as a stand-in for the latter at public events. However, following a hunting incident which left the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King]] with minor and non-worrisome injuries, Charles began to take up his role as {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of Wales''}} more frequently, with himself taking a more active role in further strengthening the {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations}} with several visits to {{wp|Canada}}, {{wp|Australia}}, {{wp|New Zealand}}, {{wp|Union of South Africa|South Africa}}, and the {{wp|Caribbean}} states including {{wp|Jamaica}}, {{wp|Puerto Rico}}, and {{wp|The Bahamas}}. Exactly two months before his ascension to the throne, Charles and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}} hosted a visit to {{wp|India}}, where they exchanged brief and friendly dialogues with the {{wp|Indian}} {{wp|Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jawaharlal Nehru}}, whom Charles greatly admired due to his previous sympathies with Nehru's cause.
 
On July 7th 1951, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] died in his sleep. The princely couple, who were in the midst of a hunting trip at the {{wp|Scottish Highlands}} were consequently informed of the king's death, leading them to immediately abort the hunting trip, followed by a return back to {{wp|Edinburgh Palace}} before subsequently departing for {{wp|London}} onboard the {{wp|British Royal Train|Royal Train}}. When asked by his private secretary [[Lord Davies]] regarding his regnal name, Charles immediately told the former that he would be using his own given name which, when relayed to the government officials and ultimately to the public incurred a degree of controversy, largely due to the name's association with its two previous holders. In response, just a few hours after his arrival in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, Charles publicly declared in a televised speech his right to choose his own regnal name and his own contrasting image to the two previous holders, ''"I am neither an enemy to my own country like the {{wp|Charles I of England|first}}, and neither I am a philanderer like the {{wp|Charles II of England|second}}"''.
 
On October 25th 1951, Charles's coronation was held at the traditional site of {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}. The ceremony, which saw the expected amount of various foreign dignitaries of multiple backgrounds was also the first to be televised by Charles's strict insistence though with the exception of the {{wp|anointing}} and the {{wp|communion}} processes. Prior to the coronation, upon discovering from the list of attendees that his mother-in-law Natalie Bacall was to be excluded from the list as to not upstage the other attendees whom were mostly of nobility and royalty background led a reportedly outraged Charles to successfully pressure the then {{wp|Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk|Duke of Norfolk}}, who simultaneously holds the position of {{wp|Earl Marshal}} into whitelisting {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s mother instead. Subsequently, the older Bacall herself attended the coronation ceremony, where she was accompanied by the [[Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale|Duke]] and {{wp|Astrid of Sweden|Duchess of Clarence and Avondale}}, and was then promptly granted her own apartment in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, where she primarily resided in until her death in 1972.
 
===Reign===
With his ascension as {{wp|King of the United Kingdom}}, Charles was simultaneously the ceremonial head of the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and various other member states of the {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations}}, which had arose from the gradual decolonisation process undertook by the {{wp|British}} government. In 1952, Charles resumed his {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth}}-oriented tour by hosting state visits to {{wp|Pakistan}}, {{wp|Union of South Africa|South Africa}}, {{wp|Nigeria}}, and several other {{wp|African}} countries with the likes of {{wp|Sudan}} and {{wp|Tanganyika}}. He also paid brief visits to {{wp|Federation of Malaya|Malaya}}, the island city of {{wp|Singapore}}, and {{wp|Brunei}}, becoming the second {{wp|British}} monarch to do so after his great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]] whom had first visited the peninsula in 1875 by the invitation of the {{wp|Abu Bakar of Johor|Sultan of Johor}}. During his visit to the peninsula, he held several exclusive, private dialogue sessions with local nationalist leaders, and purportedly escaped at least two assassination attempts by radical dissenters.
 
[[File:Kingfarouk1948.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk of Egypt}}, whom Charles famously evicted from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} after just several weeks of the latter staying in the palace]]
In light of the {{wp|Egyptian revolution of 1952|revolution}} which overthrew the {{wp|Egyptian}} {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk}}, Charles, on the advice of the then {{wp|Foreign Secretary}} {{wp|Anthony Eden}} initially offered asylum to the former {{wp|Egyptian}} monarch in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, under the premise of a possible restoration of the latter to the throne. However, Charles himself was reportedly reluctant, albeit partially towards such a decision over his concern for {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}}'s known promiscuity. Nevertheless, despite a previously warm acceptance of the former king, {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}} himself was promptly evicted from the {{wp|Buckingham Palace|palace}} just three days later by the insistence of {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} who reportedly found the former king a ''"strikingly repulsive, dangerous and unruly"'' person. When Farouk later passed away almost a decade later in 1965 while staying at his own residence in {{wp|England}}, Charles himself was said to had immediately abstained and to an extent, drastically forbade his own family members from attending the former king's funeral, with {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Lauren}} herself having reportedly said, ''"he {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|[King Farouk]}} deserves no rights to our sympathy"''. In 1956, a tripartite invasion by {{wp|United Kingdom|Britain}}, {{wp|France}} and {{wp|Israel}} sought to topple popular {{wp|Egyptian}} leader, {{wp|Gamal Abdel Nasser}} under the pretext of Nasser's seizure of the {{wp|Suez Canal}} held by the {{wp|British}} and {{wp|French}} governments. Despite {{wp|Anthony Eden|Eden}}'s claim that the King had been "considerably" in favour of the {{wp|Suez Crisis|invasion}}, it was later revealed that the latter had instead been somewhat critical of the decision due to his own prior lack of knowledge regarding the invasion itself and his own opposition to what he saw as a ''"preservation of imperialism"'', though Charles himself reportedly chose to concede as to not cause a dangerous division between the monarchy and government.
 
===Relations with left-wing leaders===
As {{wp|King of the United Kingdom}}, one of Charles's main obligations was hosting various state visits from foreign leaders and at the same time, Charles himself would undertake his own series of state visits to other countries aswell,  with the most notable ones being that of his {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth}} tour.
 
Nevertheless, Charles would occasionally face intense scrutiny following his mostly private meetings with foreign leaders, particularly those of the {{wp|Left-wing politics|left-wing}} political spectrum, with one particular example being that of his private meeting with {{wp|Cuban}} revolutionary leader {{wp|Fidel Castro}} in {{wp|Canada}}, which took place shortly after the latter had assumed power in {{wp|Cuba}}. Reportedly, while Charles had commended Castro's anti-imperialist rhetoric, he urged however for the {{wp|Cuban}} strongman to "democratise" his approach in the fallout of his successful coup, though this was never realised. Moreover, his working relationship with the ideologically socialist {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Harold Wilson}}, whom Charles once referred to as ''"my greatest right hand man"'' brought much ire and skepticism, mostly from {{wp|Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative}} politicians egged on by the then ongoing {{wp|Cold War}} conflict. Despite this, Charles himself was said to have had cordial relationships with foreign leaders of the right-wing political spectrum, such as {{wp|United States}} {{wp|President of the United States of America|President}} {{wp|Dwight D. Eisenhower}}, {{wp|Faisal of Saudi Arabia|King Faisal}} of {{wp|Saudi Arabia}}, and the {{wp|General Secretary of the Communist Party of China|General Secretary}} of {{wp|China}}, {{wp|Hu Yaobang}}.
 
==Marriage==
[[File:Ingrid2queenconsortofdenmark.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Princess Ingrid of Sweden}}, Charles's adoptive sister and longtime childhood friend]]
In contrast to his father [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]], following the death of his great-grandfather [[William V of the United Kingdom|William V]], Charles's future marital prospects were left entirely to his own parents by his grandfather [[George V of the United Kingdom|George V]] whom, due to the complications surrounding the aftermath of the {{wp|First World War}} desired for the young Charles to be married off to a {{wp|Scandinavian}} princess instead as to exhibit a more neutral image surrounding the future king. Initially, such prospects were deemed likely following rumours of a possible engagement between Charles and the much older {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Princess Ingrid}} whom, following the death of her mother {{wp|Princess Margaret of Connaught|Princess Margaret}} when she was only ten years old was adopted by the princely couple through a private arrangement with {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}'s father {{wp|Gustaf VI Adolf|Prince Gustaf Adolf}} and was entrusted in looking after the young Charles and his brother [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|William]] who were in turn taught with a strong sense of self-discipline and various household skills by {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} herself. Consequently, Charles himself proved quick to grow fond of the {{wp|Swedish}} princess whom he generally came to saw as his principal sister figure, as he would often spend much of his daily time with the latter while occasionally seeking assistance from the much older {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} regarding household chores and at times, his daily loads of homework given to him by his private tutors. Furthermore, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} herself is related to the ''Prince of Wales'' as his fourth cousin, since they both shared a common third great grandfather, namely the late {{wp|George III|King George III}}.
 
In 1921, when his parents obligingly returned to the {{wp|United Kingdom}} due to his grandfather [[George V of the United Kingdom|George V]]'s worsening condition, an initially hesitated Charles was said to had been immensely overjoyed upon learning that {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}, with her {{wp|Gustaf V|grandfather}}'s permission was allowed to accompany him, a decision supported by Charles's own parents who both saw the princess as a vital companion of the young ''Prince of Wales''. Thus, throughout the succeeding years until Ingrid's own marriage to {{wp|Frederick IX of Denmark|Crown Prince Frederick}} of {{wp|Denmark}} in 1935, both Charles and Ingrid continued to grow up together at the royal family's primary residence of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}. When Ingrid herself turned eighteen years old, an adolescent Charles was often seen accompanying the princess on her usual drive around {{wp|London}}, where the two would occasionally stop at the local shops to run their respective errands. Occasionally, Charles and {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} would also compete against each other in various sports, with tennis in particular being a favourite of the two. Reportedly, around a year prior to {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}'s marriage to {{wp|Frederick IX of Denmark|Crown Prince Frederick}} of {{wp|Denmark}}, both Charles and Ingrid were said to had unanimously brushed off proposals of a marriage between them, stating that the two felt more like ''"a brother and a sister, rather than a husband and a wife"''. Ultimately, for reasons most likely due to {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}'s own departure, aside from the rampant {{wp|Germanophobia}} at the time compelled a twenty-one year old Charles to secrelty withdraw to the {{wp|United States}} alongside a small entourage, after having decided against initially exiling himself to {{wp|Denmark}} instead as to not burden his adoptive sister. Nevertheless, in early 1939, just a few months prior to the {{wp|Second World War}}, Charles himself was briefly reunited with {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} when the latter visited the {{wp|United States}}, to which she then subsequently chose to reside alongside the prince in his private residence for her month-long visit.
 
[[File:Lauren Bacall 1945 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Lauren Bacall}} in 1945]]
Following his retreat to the {{wp|United States}}, Charles did not initially chose on immediately seeking a love interest of his own, having instead chosen on building an acting career under the guise of his pseudonym. While posing as a {{wp|British}}-{{wp|American}} actor under the alias of ''Robert Clarke'', he met and subsequently fell in love with an upcoming {{wp|actress}}, namely {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} whom prior to their relationship, had starred together with the prince in several films of considerable success, some of which were directed by Charles himself under his pseudonym. The two's off-screen relationship gradually amassed attention from the {{wp|American}} media and was later consistently compared to that of Charles's own [[Prince Charles, Duke of Clarence and Avondale|cousin]]'s relationship with fellow {{wp|Jewish}} {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Hedy Lamarr}} that developed several years later. At the same time, just prior to his deployment for the {{wp|Pacific War}}, {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} herself moved in together with the prince at the latter's estate in {{wp|New York City|New York}}, which had been built years prior with financing from both of Charles's earnings in the {{wp|United States}} and royal funds shipped from {{wp|London}}.
 
In late 1945, Charles personally telegraphed his father [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward]] for the latter's permission to marry Bacall, in which he wrote: ''"For {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} is my beloved sister, and this {{wp|Lauren Bacall|woman}} is my dearest wife"''. While the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|king]] and {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|queen}} unanimously chose not to oppose their son's decision out of fear of disappointing the latter, prospects of the prince's marriage with an {{wp|American}} commoner however became the subject of a heated debate among {{wp|Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament}} members, with several of them arguing that such a marriage would be "wholly unacceptable" to the {{wp|British}} public, then compounded by anti-{{wp|British}} {{wp|Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine|riots}} led by {{wp|Zionist}} militias in {{wp|Mandatory Palestine}}. Nevertheless, since moving in together a year earlier, the couple made their first formal public appearance together at a state dinner on April 20th hosted by the then newly inaugurated {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Harry S. Truman|Harry Truman}}.
 
Consequently, a private emissary was sent to {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} by the {{wp|British}} {{wp|Anthony Eden|Foreign Secretary}} in order to convince the couple to abandon any pretext of a marriage, while citing "irreconcilable differences" as a cover-up. However, neither side were able to reach a common agreement, with Charles himself adamantly refusing to give up his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|romantic interest}} and concede to the proposed alternatives. In an immediate follow-up to the event, Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} then promptly embarked on a four country trip to the four {{wp|Dominion}} countries, namely {{wp|Canada}}, {{wp|Australia}}, {{wp|Dominion of New Zealand|New Zealand}} and {{wp|Union of South Africa|South Africa}} where the approval of their respective Prime Ministers' were fundamental in securing legitimacy for Charles's proposed marriage. Ultimately, all four of the Prime Ministers that the royal couple personally sought for approval from agreed to support their marriage, with the {{wp|New Zealand}} {{wp|Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Peter Fraser}} being the last to do so due to his country being the most distant from the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. 
 
{{multiple image
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| footer    = {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Clement Attlee}} and {{wp|Archbishop of Canterbury}} {{wp|Geoffrey Fisher}}, both of whom were influential in securing the final approval for Charles's and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s marriage
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In light of {{wp|Winston Churchill|Churchill}}'s electoral defeat that year, the succeeding {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Clement Attlee}} promptly declared his support for the marriage while arguing that {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s status as a non-divorcee would not conflict with the {{wp|Church of England|Church}}'s laws though he admitted that the latter's {{wp|Jewish}} faith was "politically compromising". Unfounded rumours of {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} allegedly serving as a spy for {{wp|Zionist}} militant groups in {{wp|Mandatory Palestine}} were also disproven and personally rebuked by Charles himself. A private meeting with the {{wp|Geoffrey Fisher|Archbishop of Canterbury}} in September that year brought the {{wp|Church of England|Church}}'s support for the union which susbsequently led to an engagement in February 1946, though the couple was advised to wait for at least a year until a formal marriage ceremony could be done. During the months leading up to their marriage, by [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]]'s advice, the couple embarked on a series of international tours meant to better their image among both the {{wp|British}} and global populace. Beginning with a state visit to {{wp|Turkey}} where the couple briefly discussed with {{wp|Turkish}} {{wp|President of the Republic of Turkey|President}} {{wp|İsmet İnönü}} regarding the {{wp|Soviet Union|Soviet}} threat, the couple then furthered their tour to the {{wp|Kingdom of Iraq|Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq}} before travelling next to {{wp|Sheikhdom of Kuwait|Kuwait}}, where they were hosted by the {{wp|Kuwaiti}} ruler {{wp|Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah}}. Approximately a week later, the couple departed from {{wp|Sheikhdom of Kuwait|Kuwait}} for a five months long tour comprising {{wp|Australia}}, {{wp|New Zealand}}, and the {{wp|Oceanian}} island countries, where they were said to had particularly enjoyed immense popularity among the locals, specifically in {{wp|Tonga}} where they were said to had struck a cordial friendship with the {{wp|Tongan}} {{wp|Sālote Tupou III|Queen Sālote Tupou III}}. Before returning back to the {{wp|United States}}, the couple briefly met with Charles's family at their residence in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} though the meeting itself was initially discouraged due to public disaffection against the {{wp|Lauren Bacall|''Princess of Wales''}} in particular. In a follow-up to the tense meeting, the couple also paid an unscheduled visit to {{wp|Denmark}}, which was done so by Charles's own insistence in surprising his longtime adopted sister, the now {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Crown Princess Ingrid}} of {{wp|Denmark}}.
 
On March 1947, the couple were married in an {{wp|Anglican}} ceremony in {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}. The  ceremony saw the attendance of members of the {{wp|United States}} government led by {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Harry S. Truman|Truman}}, alongside members of foreign royalties, including the {{wp|British}} royal family, led by {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Queen Louise}}, Charles's own mother. The then incumbent {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Clement Attlee}} whom had been unable to attend the event was instead represented by {{wp|Ernest Bevin}}, the {{wp|Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs|Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs}} whom attended the event alongside some of {{wp|Clement Attlee|Attlee}}'s cabinet members. The newlywed couple were then treated to a state tour, where they were joined by {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Harry S. Truman|Truman}} and the {{wp|Bess Truman|First Lady}}. Upon concluding a follow-up state dinner at the {{wp|White House}}, the royal couple was initially coerced into returning back to {{wp|Britain}} as to accustom themselves, particularly that of {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s to their future life in the {{wp|United Kingdom|country}}. Nevertheless, the couple chose to remain at their {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} residence until 1949 though this was mixed with periodical visits to the {{wp|United Kingdom}} itself. 
 
==Personal Information==
 
==Titles & Honours==
*'''15 January 1917 - 5 January 1923''' ''His Royal Highness'' Prince Charles of Cambridge
*'''5 January 1923 - 7 July 1951''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince of Wales
*'''7 July 1951 - 3 March 2011''' ''His Majesty'' The King
 
==Honours==
 
== Ancestry ==
{{ahnentafel
|width=100%|align=center|collapsed=yes
| boxstyle_1 = background-color: #fcc;
| boxstyle_2 = background-color: #fb9;
| boxstyle_3 = background-color: #ffc;
| boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc;
| 1 = 1. '''Charles III of the United Kingdom'''
| 2 = 2. [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Victoria Louise of Prussia}}
| 4 = 4. [[George V of the United Kingdom]]
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Sophia of Prussia}}
| 6 = 6. {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor}}
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein|Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg}}
| 8 = 8. [[William V of the United Kingdom]]
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Charlotte of Belgium}}
| 10 = 10. {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor}}
| 11 = 11. {{wp|Victoria, Princess Royal|Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom}}
| 12 = 12. {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor}}
| 13 = 13. {{wp|Victoria, Princess Royal|Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom}}
| 14 = 14. {{wp|Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein}}
| 15 = 15. {{wp|Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg}}
}}

Latest revision as of 10:09, 14 August 2021

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