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{{Infobox royalty
| name          = Thomas
| title          = [[Duke of Hanover|Duke of Hanover]]<br/>{{wp|Grand Duke Emeritus of the Luxembourgers}}<br/>{{wp|Prince of the Netherlands}}
| image          = ThomasNewer.jpg


| image_size    = Medium
| succession  = {{wp|Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King of the British}} and of the People of his other {{wp|Commonwealth Realms|Realms}}
| moretext    =
| reign        = 15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017
| reign-type  = Reign
| coronation  = 20 March 1997
| cor-type    = Coronation
| predecessor  = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]
| pre-type    = Predecessor
| regent      = {{list collapsed|title=''See list''|1={{wp|John Major}}<br>{{wp|Tony Blair}}<br>{{wp|Gordon Brown}}<br>{{wp|David Cameron}}}}
| reg-type    = {{nowrap|{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Ministers}}}}
| successor    = [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]
| suc-type    = Successor
| succession1  = {{wp|Monarchy of the Netherlands|King of the Dutch}}
| moretext1    =
| reign1      = 15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017
| reign-type1  = Reign
| coronation1  = 1 January 1998
| cor-type1    = Inauguration
| predecessor1 = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]
| pre-type1    = Predecessor
| regent1      =
| reg-type1    =
| successor1  = [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]
| suc-type1    =
| succession2  = {{wp|Monarchy of Luxembourg|Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers}}
| moretext2    =
| reign2      = 15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017
| reign-type2  = Reign
| coronation2  = 1 January 1952
| cor-type2    = Coronation
| predecessor2 = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]
| pre-type2    = Predecessor
| regent2      =
| reg-type2    =
| successor2  = [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]
| suc-type2    =
| succession3  =
| moretext3    =
| reign3      =
| reign-type3  =
| coronation3  =
| cor-type3    =
| predecessor3 =
| pre-type3    =
| regent3      =
| reg-type3    =
| successor3  =
| suc-type3    =
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1955|12|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Balmoral Castle}}, {{wp|Scotland}}
| death_date  =
| death_place  =
| burial_date  =
| burial_place =
| spouse              = {{marriage|{{wp|Christy Turlington}}|14 December 1995}}
| issue                = {{plainlist|* [[William Smith]]
* [[Jacqueline Smith]]
* [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]]
* [[Prince Richard of Hanover|Prince Richard]]
* [[Princess Nicole of Hanover|Princess Nicole]]
* [[Princess Elle of Hanover|Princess Elle]]
* [[Princess Vivian of Hanover|Princess Vivian]]}}
| full name      = Thomas Frederick Francis Albert Charles
| house          = {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor|Amsterdam-Windsor}} (until 2007)<br/>{{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}-{{wp|House of Stuart|Stuart}}-{{wp|House of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau}} (from 2007)
| father        = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]
| mother        = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
| religion      = {{wp|Protestantism|Protestant}}
| alma_mater = {{wp|Yale University}} ({{wp|Bachelor of International Relations|BIR}})
| module      = {{Infobox officeholder | embed=yes
  | branch        = {{plainlist|
*{{navy|United Kingdom}}}}
  | serviceyears  = 1979-1997 (active service)
  | servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
  | unit          =
  | commands      =
  | rank          = {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}
  | battles_label =
  | battles      = {{wp|The Troubles}}<br/>{{wp|Falklands War}}<br/>{{wp|Multinational Force in Lebanon}}<br/>{{wp|Gulf War}}}}
}}
'''Thomas''' ({{wp|English}}: ''Thomas William Frederick Francis Albert Charles''; {{wp|German}}: ''Thomas Wilhelm Friedrich Franz Albrecht Carl''; {{wp|Dutch}}: ''Thomas Willem Frederik Frans Albert Karel''; {{wp|French}}: ''Thomas Guillaume Frédéric François Albert Charles''; born 17 December 1955) was {{wp|King of the United Kingdom|King of the British}}, {{wp|Monarchy of the Netherlands|King of the Dutch}}, and {{wp|Monarchy of Luxembourg|Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers}} from 15 January 1997 to 13 October 2017.
A decorated {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer and naval aviator in his youth, Thomas initially served in the country's naval forces for an almost two-decades-long period during which he saw involvement in several notable conflicts, namely the {{wp|Falklands War}}, {{wp|The Troubles}} conflict in {{wp|Northern Ireland}}, and the {{wp|Gulf War}} in which a {{wp|US}}-led coalition successfully repelled {{wp|Iraqi}} forces under {{wp|Saddam Hussein}} from neighbouring {{wp|Kuwait}}. Besides this, Thomas also enjoyed a roughly two-decades-long successful career as a "charming" and "suave" {{wp|Hollywood}} action star, having starred in several critically acclaimed films including ''{{wp|Saving Private Ryan}}'', ''{{wp|Top Gun}}'', {{wp|The Hunt for Red October (film)|''The Hunt for Red October''}}, {{wp|The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|''The Last Tycoon''}}, ''{{wp|Tucker: The Man and His Dream}}'', ''{{wp|Three Days of the Condor}}'', ''{{wp|Four Weddings and a Funeral}}'', {{wp|Marathon Man (film)|''Marathon Man''}}, {{wp|Excalibur (film)|''Excalibur''}}, ''{{wp|A Few Good Men}}'', and ''{{wp|Love Actually}}''. Throughout his nearly two-decades-long career, he won the {{wp|Academy Awards}} five times, the {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}} four times, and the {{wp|Golden Globe Awards}} thrice. In addition to acting, Thomas also has a growing career as a filmmaker, having so far directed and produced the critically acclaimed heist thriller ''{{wp|The Golden Trail}}'' and its follow-up prequel  ''{{wp|The Founding Trail}}'', both of which were made under {{wp|Regal Legacy}}, a {{wp|media company}} founded jointly by Thomas and his younger brother [[Prince Nelson of the United Kingdom|Nelson]].
In January 1997, Thomas ascended to the throne upon his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s abdication. In his early years, he came to acquire a reputation as a vocal figure for reform in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} with his most notable success in that regard being the passage of the {{wp|Succession to the Crown Act 2013|Succession to the Crown Act 1995}} which lifted restrictions on marriages to {{wp|Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholics}}, instituted absolute primogeniture, and abolished the requirement for the first six persons in line to the throne to seek the monarch's permission to marry. In addition, Thomas was also an instrumental figure behind the independence of {{wp|East Timor}} and the unification of the island of {{wp|New Guinea}} under {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}, both of which saw him receive the 2000 {{wp|Nobel Peace Prize}} award together with {{wp|Indonesian}} {{wp|President of Indonesia|President}} {{wp|B. J. Habibie}}. In October 2017, following a health crisis in the final year of his reign, an aging Thomas ultimately abdicated the throne in favour of his daughter who subsequently ascended to the throne as [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]] while otherwise styling himself as [[Duke of Hanover]] as well as being given the title {{wp|Grand Duke Emeritus}} in {{wp|Luxembourg}}. Following his abdication, Thomas has since come to devote himself to both philanthropic and entrepreneurial causes.
Prior to his marriage, Thomas was involved in a long-term relationship with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}}, with whom he had two children that included a [[William Smith|professional footballer]] and [[Jacqueline Smith|journalist]]. In December 1995, he married the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, with whom he had five children including the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]].
As one of the major shareholders of the multi-billion dollar holding company {{wp|Atlantic Connection}} and also the sole shareholder of the {{wp|Luxembourgish}} holding company {{wp|LC Holdings}}, Thomas is estimated to be worth around $53 billion, making him one of the richest monarchs in the world.
==Early Life==
On 17 December 1955, roughly a year into his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s reign as monarch, Thomas was born as the eldest child of [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]] and the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}.
Christened Thomas William Frederick Francis Albert Charles upon his birth, his given name was derived from the {{wp|Republican Party (United States)|Republican}} politician and {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} governor {{wp|Thomas E. Dewey}}, a two-time presidential nominee and who is both his godfather and a close friend of his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s. On the other hand, his middle names were reportedly chosen in honour of his maternal grandfather {{wp|William Perske}}, the {{wp|American}} singer {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, and his own [[Charles the Great|father]] himself.
==Heir Apparent==
Soon after his birth, Thomas, being his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s heir apparent to the throne was immediately made {{wp|Duke of Cornwall}}, which lasted until January 1st the following year, when he was then formally {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of the Welsh''}} by his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s behest. Notably, Thomas became the first heir apparent in {{wp|British}} history to have ever used the princely title's much older styling, as his predecessors have all used the more common styling of ''Prince of Wales'' as opposed to ''Prince of the Welsh''.
Mirroring that of his own [[Charles the Great|father]]'s upbringing, Thomas's upbringing in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} was reportedly said to have been somewhat restrictive in the early years, as a consequence of fringe rumours espousing harmful plots targeting the royal family. Nevertheless, the prince was able to benefit from the more modern and liberal parenting style of his parents, with his [[Charles the Great|father]] in particular emphasising qualities of "individuality, self-dependent, and survivability" in the young prince, while his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} generally added onto the efforts of Thomas's father in "liberalising" the young heir to the throne.
===The American Prince===
As his parents had previously been involved in the {{wp|Hollywood}} industry as actors themselves, Thomas also grew up with a firm passion for {{wp|American}} movies and films, an interest helped by his parents' convenient associations with various {{wp|Hollywood}} celebrities. At the same time, he also became fond of locally-made {{wp|British}} films as well, with the famed {{wp|English}} actress {{wp|Audrey Hepburn}}, being a personal favourite and later a close friend of his.
Owing to his parents' close association with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}} who had consistently been a close friend of the royal couple and also the prince's own godmother, Thomas would also occasionally spend some time living under the actress's care at her family residence in {{wp|Fenwick, Connecticut|Fenwick}}, {{wp|Connecticut}}. Later on, in his memoirs, Thomas himself described his time of living in {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s family home as a "wholly wild and fascinating experience". He also generally described the actress in a wholly positive light, having written in one instance, ''"While there were some minor, and understandable blunders from her, I could feel that we generally appreciated and cared for one another"''. Moreover, when living at the actress's {{wp|Connecticut}} family home, Thomas was said to have generally fancied "dipping his toes every morning on the shores of the cold water", whilst also having much interest in sports such as golf and tennis, an interest made convenient with the presence of nearby golf courses and alike.
Interestingly, the supposed state of their "mother and son" relationship proved quick to gain a sizable degree of notoriety among the local community, so much so that Thomas was initially mistaken to be an alleged secret lovechild between {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} and her known romantic partner at the time, namely the actor {{wp|Spencer Tracy}}, although these were quickly refuted by {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s own family members who were already aware of the royal family's connections to the actress. Nevertheless, when the two were mostly apart, both Thomas and {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} maintained their lifelong friendship through the extensive use of telephones, and to a certain extent, an exchange of gifts, particularly during {{wp|Christmas}} or during their own respective birthday celebrations. In later years, Thomas himself would often refer to {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} as "my mother on the other side of the pond" and sometimes as "my great Aunt Kate".
Moreover, while pursuing his university studies in the {{wp|United States}}, Thomas himself largely lived together with the {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|actress}} who essentially acted as the prince's ''de facto'' guardian overseeing his welfare and security while the latter was preoccupied with his academic studies, with Thomas himself having enrolled at the prestigious {{wp|Yale University}}. Eventually, in 1975, Thomas graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in {{wp|international relations}}, making him the first royal to ever earn an academic degree. Since then, one former educator of his at the university later recounted Thomas as a "bright and energetic young student always on the verge of asking important questions whenever possible". Similarly, a former friend of Thomas's at the university described the royal as a "very unassuming, talkative, and intelligent young man".
===Military Career===
In 1979, Thomas attended the {{wp|Britannia Royal Navy College}} in {{wp|Dartmouth, Devon|Dartmouth}}, after which he was subsequently commissioned as a {{wp|midshipman}} in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}. However, with the exception of a few months or so, during which he played a largely minor role in {{wp|The Troubles}} conflict in the neighbouring {{wp|Republic of Ireland}}, the prince would largely see minimal combat throughout most of his career in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}. At the same time, in benefiting from the fact that he was less likely in general to ever see active combat, the prince, who in his capacity as a {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer opted to otherwise embark on a long naval trip aboard, which he later did so onboard the {{wp|Royal Navy}} flagship {{wp|HMS Lauren|''HMS Lauren''}}, thereby allowing him to personally visit a number of countries located east of the {{wp|European}} continent, namely {{wp|Saudi Arabia}}, the {{wp|United Arab Emirates}}, {{wp|Singapore}}, {{wp|Australia}}, and {{wp|Japan}}.
Eventually, in 1982, with the onset of the {{wp|Falklands War}} between the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and {{wp|Argentina}}, an opportunity for the prince to see his first active combat in the years since he was commissioned in the {{wp|Royal Navy}} finally came about. However, the controversial decision to have Thomas on board the {{wp|British}} task force sent to the {{wp|Falkland Islands}} was initially met with considerable opposition by both the prince's father, [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]] and then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Edward Heath}}, both of whom were said to have opposed the prince's involvement in the conflict out of the need to protect the heir to the {{wp|British}} throne. However, after a brief, but overall contentious argument between Thomas himself and the {{wp|Edward Heath|prime minister}}, it was ultimately decided that the prince would be allowed to set sail on board the task force headed for the {{wp|Falkland Islands}}, in exchange for the prince agreeing to be under strict supervision by a fellow {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer who in a later interview claimed that the prime minister ordered him to "protect the prince at all costs" and "have him be the first to be evacuated in case the ship sinks by enemy fire". Regardless of this, with the conclusion of the war, Thomas was subsequently granted his first promotion as an officer in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, having been promoted to the rank of {{wp|Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant}}. Then, he subsequently joined an international peacekeeping force in {{wp|Lebanon}}, which earned him another promotion, this time to the rank of {{wp|Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander}}.
From 1990 to 1991, Thomas would see his final active combat experience as a {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer, when he was deployed to the {{wp|Middle East}} as part of an international coalition force, which in the span of a few months, managed to successfully push {{wp|Iraqi}} forces under {{wp|Saddam Hussein}} out of neighbouring {{wp|Kuwait}}. For his actions during the conflict, he was promoted to the rank of {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}. Later on, shortly after his ascension to the throne, he promptly resigned his commission in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, although he was nonetheless made an {{wp|Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom}} as the ceremonial head of the {{wp|Royal Navy}} itself.
In a 2018 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas publicly revealed that while serving in the {{wp|British Armed Forces}} during the {{wp|Gulf War}} in which a {{wp|US}}-led coalition successfully repelled {{wp|Iraqi}} forces under {{wp|Saddam Hussein}} from occupied {{wp|Kuwait}}, he once suggested to then-{{wp|US}} {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|George H. W. Bush}} to oust {{wp|Saddam Hussein|Hussein}} completely rather than simply repelling {{wp|Iraqi}} forces from {{wp|Kuwait}}. Citing the later controversy that surrounded the {{wp|Iraq War}}, Thomas said, ''"Of course, at the time, no one including myself would have known that we would invade {{wp|Iraq}} once again albeit on a rather dubious and questionable basis but at that time, some part of me just felt that we should have kept going and remove {{wp|Saddam Hussein|Saddam}} right at that moment. At least from our perspective, the fact that he invaded another country unprovoked meant that there was a genuine reason to take military action against him and therefore the {{wp|United Nations}} wouldn't really be pestering us that much about some sort of justification for the war"''. In line with this, Thomas also sensationally revealed that in the months preceding the {{wp|Iraq War}}, behind closed doors, he constantly asked and pressured then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Tony Blair}} about the conflict's actual justification until the very end, stating, ''"To simply put it, we all knew that {{wp|Saddam Hussein|Saddam}} was a ruthless and authoritarian dictator but weapons of mass destruction? As history would show, we never even saw one with our own two eyes and by the looks of it he couldn't even build a proper army that can fight well"''. Aside from this, Thomas also revealed that his [[Charles the Great|late father]], whose reign was to be marked by, among others, the disastrous {{wp|Suez Crisis}} in 1956, was so disturbed and angered by {{wp|Tony Blair|Blair}}'s participation in the conflict that he once threatened to "hang" the latter in public if he could.
===Acting Career===
Having been exposed to the acting industry from an early age by his parents, both of whom were former actors, and also by the influential and successful {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, in preparation for adulthood, Thomas took up private acting lessons with the eventual hope of becoming a successful actor in his own right with his early inspirations and idols being {{wp|Cary Grant}}, {{wp|Laurence Olivier}}, {{wp|Clark Gable}}, and {{wp|Gary Cooper}}. Meanwhile, in order to hone his acting skills, Thomas went to the recently established {{wp|Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute}}  in {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}, {{wp|United States}} where he was taught in {{wp|method acting}} in which actors seek to bring out expressive performances by connecting with their characters' emotions and purposes in a story. Meanwhile, it was also during this period that, in order to conceal his true identity, he adopted the alias of "Charles T. Lawrence" in which the given name refers to his own [[Charles the Great|father]] while the surname refers to {{wp|British}} actor {{wp|Laurence Olivier}} who is highly regarded by Thomas as one of the most talented {{wp|British}} actors alive.
 
In 1975, at just twenty years old, Thomas made his acting debut in the political thriller ''{{wp|Three Days of the Condor}}'', starring as Joseph "Joe" Turner, a bookish {{wp|CIA}} analyst, opposite {{wp|Faye Dunaway}}. Portraying a character set on finding an assassin who had murdered his co-workers, his portrayal of the role was met with critical acclaim as the {{wp|Three Days of the Condor|film}} itself proved to be a massive commercial success in its own right. Rightfully so, at the ensuing {{wp|48th Academy Awards}}, his aforementioned role won Thomas his first award for {{wp|Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor}}, beating out the likes of more established stars including {{wp|Jack Nicholson}} and {{wp|Al Pacino}}. Encouraged by this immediate success, Thomas then starred in {{wp|The Last Tycoon (1976 film)|''The Last Tycoon''}}, which also included his recent opponent {{wp|Jack Nicholson}}, but the film itself proved rather disappointing among critics, thereby presenting a brief setback to his burgeoning acting career. However, in that same year, Thomas was cast as the lead actor in {{wp|Marathon Man (film)|Marathon Man}} alongside his idol {{wp|Laurence Olivier}}, a move that proved to be a net positive as he soon won his first award for {{wp|BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor}} at the {{wp|30th British Academy Film Awards}}, once again beating out {{wp|Jack Nicholson}} and fellow actor {{wp|Dustin Hoffman}}. In 1977, Thomas was cast as the {{wp|French}} aristocrat Armand d'Huber in the {{wp|British}} period drama ''{{wp|The Duellists}}''. The role, which saw him undergo intense sword fighting lessons in order to achieve the desired sense of authenticity, was met with wide acclaim from critics and also proved to be one of the biggest successes of his career as it later saw him win his first {{wp|Golden Globe Award for Best Actor|Best Actor}} award at the {{wp|35th Golden Globe Awards}} as well as his second for the aforementioned category at both the {{wp|Academy Awards}} and {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}} too, thereby immediately making him a well-known name at the rather young age of twenty-four. In the following year, Thomas took center stage in the epic war drama ''{{wp|The Deer Hunter}}'' as Staff Sergeant Michael Vronsky, a role that, despite the film's overall success, failed to yield him any new immediate awards despite being nominated each time.
Following a three-year-long hiatus due to the birth of his [[William Smith|son]], Thomas returned to portray the legendary {{wp|King Arthur}} in the 1981's epic medieval fantasy {{wp|Excalibur (film)|''Excalibur''}}. Then, in the following year, he was chosen by {{wp|Richard Attenborough}}, who reportedly knew his true identity, to portray his late grandfather [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|King Frederick]] in the critically acclaimed biographical film {{wp|Gandhi (film)|''Gandhi''}} in which {{wp|Ben Kingsley}} portrays the eponymous {{wp|Indian}} independence leader {{wp|Mahatma Gandhi}}. For this, while {{wp|Ben Kingsley|Kingsley}} won {{wp|Best Actor}} at both the {{wp|Academy Awards}} and the {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}}, Thomas himself won the award for {{wp|Best Supporting Actor}} on both occasions and also a third at the {{wp|Golden Globe Awards}}, a feat that saw him replicate the previous success that he had with ''{{wp|The Duellists}}'' just several years prior. Then, in 1984, Thomas was reunited once again with {{wp|Laurence Olivier}}, this time in the historical drama film {{wp|The Bounty (1984 film)|''The Bounty''}} where his portrayal of {{wp|English}} sailor {{wp|Fletcher Christian}}, who famously seized the {{wp|Royal Navy}}'s {{wp|HMS Bounty|HMS ''Bounty''}}, was both widely acclaimed and also won him his third {{wp|Best Actor}} award at the {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}} as well. In 1986, alongside a young {{wp|Tom Cruise}}, Thomas was cast in the action film ''{{wp|Top Gun}}'' in which he portrays {{wp|Lieutenant commander (United States)|LCDR}} Rick "Jester" Heatherly, a naval aviator and instructor. Meanwhile, two years later, Thomas portrayed the {{wp|American}} inventor {{wp|Preston Tucker}} in ''{{wp|Tucker: The Man and His Dream}}'', a film that, while only a mild success with critics, nonetheless yielded him yet another {{wp|Best Actor}} award at both the {{wp|Academy Awards}} and the {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}}.
Entering the 90s, Thomas publicly indicated his willingness to transition away from his traditionally "tough" and "gritty" roles in action films to more "lighthearted" ones in the coming years. To that end, after starring in 1990's {{wp|The Hunt for Red October (film)|''The Hunt for Red October''}} and 1992's ''{{wp|A Few Good Men}}'', the latter in which he was reunited with both {{wp|Jack Nicholson}} and {{wp|Tom Cruise}}, Thomas, as intended, made his first step into the romantic comedy genre as the lead actor in ''{{wp|Sleepless in Seattle}}'' opposite {{wp|Meg Ryan}} in which he plays Sam Baldwin, a widowed architect fancied by {{wp|Meg Ryan}} who portrays Annie Reed. The film, a massive commercial success with around $200 million made at the box office, saw Thomas garner critical acclaim for his role in the film while also winning his last {{wp|Best Actor}} award at the ensuing {{wp|Academy Awards}} ceremony. Then, just a year later, Smith was cast by {{wp|Richard Curtis}} in ''{{wp|Four Weddings and a Funeral}}'', thereby further winning him his final awards at both the {{wp|BAFTA Film Awards}} and the {{wp|Golden Globe Awards}} respectively. At around this time, as his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s reign was nearing its end ahead of an expected abdication that was due to take place in January 1997, Thomas publicly indicated that he would only star in "one or two more films", signifying an apparent end to his acting career. To that end, Thomas was later cast as the {{wp|DC Comics}} superhero {{wp|Batman}} in the 1995 superhero film ''{{wp|Batman Forever}}'', a role that he reportedly chose for the sake of his future children whom he hoped "would one day be able to proudly see their own father on the movie screen dressing up as the iconic {{wp|Batman}}". Following this, for his final movie, Thomas starred alongside {{wp|Sandra Bullock}} and {{wp|Samuel L. Jackson}} in the 1996 legal drama film {{wp|A Time to Kill (1996 film)|''A Time to Kill''}}, which proved to be a modest success. However, despite having announced the end of his acting career, while still a monarch, Thomas made a brief return to the acting industry to star in the 2003 romantic comedy film ''{{wp|Love Actually}}'' alongside the likes of fellow {{wp|British}} movie stars including {{wp|Hugh Grant}}, {{wp|Liam Neeson}}, {{wp|Rowan Atkinson}}, {{wp|Emma Thompson}}, and {{wp|Keira Knightley}}. In addition, Thomas's sister-in-law and {{wp|German}} model {{wp|Claudia Schiffer}} also appeared in the {{wp|Love Actually|film}} in a semi-cameo capacity.
Despite his royal status and background, both of which only came to light late into his career, Thomas has since been regarded by most critics to be a highly talented actor deserving of his accolades and awards with his ''{{wp|Sleepless in Seattle}}'' co-star {{wp|Meg Ryan}} regarding him as "a complete natural who can carry himself easily through situations". In addition, despite his {{wp|British}} ancestry, Thomas has been met with much praise from critics for his ability to portray {{wp|American}} characters with little to no fault, a feat which the royal himself attributed to years of mastering {{wp|code-switching}} which thereby allows him to speak in an almost perfect {{wp|American}} accent while masking his traditional {{wp|British}} accent when necessary. Meanwhile, during a 2018 appearance on ''{{wp|The Graham Norton Show}}'', Thomas revealed that at some point in 1987, when he was then a well-established actor, he was approached by the {{wp|English}} director {{wp|John Glen (director)|John Glen}} to portray the famous {{wp|British}} spy character {{wp|James Bond (literary character)|James Bond}} following the retirement of {{wp|Roger Moore}} from playing the character throughout seven films. However, despite being well favoured by {{wp|John Glen (director)|Glen}} to assume the character's mantle, Thomas, who later starred in {{wp|The Hunt for Red October (film)|''The Hunt for Red October''}} alongside the inaugural {{wp|James Bond (literary character)|James Bond}} actor {{wp|Sean Connery}}, opted to turn down the role, the reason for which he later cited to be a desire to gradually move on from the action genre which therefore came with a desire not to be associated with the {{wp|James Bond (literary character)|character}} for fear of "accidentally playing it for too long".
In 2015, in honour of his 60th birthday, Thomas was given his personal star on the {{wp|Hollywood}} walk of fame, becoming the second royal to receive such an honour after his father, the late [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]], who received his star in 1997 in honour of his 80th birthday given that he was previously an actor prior to becoming his country's monarch. Likewise, his mother, the late {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}}, received her star around the same time as her [[Charles the Great|husband]] did. In the ensuing unveiling ceremony, Thomas himself gave a brief speech reminiscing on his "glorious" acting days while also expressing his personal pride in "having made the great actors and actresses who taught me proud", namely his parents, both of whom were former actors, his "late aunt" {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, and the late {{wp|Laurence Olivier}}, his self-professed idol in the acting industry.
==Reign==
===Reforms & Projects===
Upon his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s abdication in January 1997, Thomas automatically ascended to the throne. Despite his longstanding ceremonial status, Thomas, in a manner similar to that of his father and predecessor [[Charles the Great|Charles III]], also partook to some degree in the country's political affairs whilst adhering to his position as a constitutional monarch.
Among others, the most notable instance was the passing of the {{wp|Succession to the Crown Act 2013|Succession to the Crown Act 1995}}, a law that was actually passed roughly two years prior to his ascension to the throne, but in which Thomas himself had a rather prominent role in shaping it. Spurred by the opposition against his marriage to his {{wp|Catholic}}-born {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, Thomas, in conjunction with a number of sympathetic politicians, campaigned for the removal of the longstanding restrictions on marriages between members of the royal family and {{wp|Roman Catholic}} individuals, which he famously called an "immoral relic of the past" while also arguing that it would clash with the modernising image of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, particularly one that will host an ever-increasing number of religious minorities. Meanwhile, in addressing concerns over the potential of having a {{wp|Catholic}} monarch due to the lifting of the restrictions, Thomas asserted that the {{wp|British}} monarch, as per longstanding convention, will generally remain an {{wp|Anglican}} {{wp|Protestant}} regardless of marriage to a {{wp|Roman Catholic}} spouse, stating, ''"There's a clear and implicit difference between marrying a {{wp|Catholic}} and being a {{wp|Catholic}}, which I hope the {{wp|Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament}} will soon realise and therefore take it upon themselves to correct this grievous injustice in a modern and increasingly tolerant country"''. Eventually, via votes from both {{wp|Conservative Party (United Kingdom)|Conservative}} and {{wp|Labour Party (United Kingdom)|Labour}} parliamentarians, the bill proposed, which also included ending {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}}'s longstanding {{wp|semi-Salic}} succession laws, was successfully passed into law, thereby ensuring that Thomas would be allowed to marry his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}} for as long as he remained a {{wp|Protestant}} and that {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}}, in the event of the birth of a female heir, would not come to separate from the {{wp|United Kingdom}} once again, hence securing a firm continuation of the union for the foreseeable future.
In his advocacy for the basic principles of separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judiciary, Thomas was also a vocal figure calling for the establishment of a "supreme court", having once said, ''"As fine as everyone seems to be with it right now, does it not feel a little weird that all the supreme judicial stuff is being done by one half of the legislative branch rather than by the judicial branch itself"''. In this, Thomas proposed that each of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s five constituent countries, namely {{wp|England}}, {{wp|Scotland}}, {{wp|Wales}}, {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}}, and {{wp|Northern Ireland}} be represented by one justice on the country's apex court while the chief justice would normally be from {{wp|England}}. In addition, having learned from the politicisation of the {{wp|United States Supreme Court}}, Thomas also proposed that the process of nominating justices should not involve elected parliamentarians, stating, ''"Undoubtedly, every politician, man or woman, in the {{wp|House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons}} have their own vested interest which might or might not be good for the nation and the people as a whole. To even let them have a say in how the country's highest court should be run or how it should look ideologically is therefore absolutely dangerous and would only serve to weaken the country's democracy rather than bolstering it"''. Eventually, on 1 October 2009, via the {{wp|Constitutional Reform Act 2005}}, the {{wp|United Kingdom Supreme Court}} was formally established and, despite not adopting the King's "one country, one justice" proposal, did make it that rather than being elected by lawmakers such as in the {{wp|United States}} whose senators vote to confirm a new justice nominated by the president, an incoming justice would instead be nominated by an independent commission, followed by the {{wp|Secretary of State for Justice|Justice Secretary}} accepting or rejecting the nomination (which can only be done once), before later being officially appointed by the issuing of letters patent. Moreover, unlike their {{wp|American}} counterparts who are appointed for life, {{wp|British}} justices are required to retire upon reaching the current mandated age of seventy-five as a countermeasure against deliberate appointments of young justices for potentially political purposes.
A proponent of aggressive economic spending, Thomas has also actively called for the construction of "smart" and "useful" megaprojects via the [[Crown Heritage Investment Fund]] (CHIF), the country's sovereign wealth fund, having once famously remarked during a 1993 {{wp|BBC}} interview, ''"The overall wealth of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s sovereign wealth fund is currently in the hundreds of billions which could only rise to even a trillion in the near future. With the {{wp|Cold War}} now essentially over, this level of wealth should be fully unleashed and not for building more nukes or superweapons but rather infrastructure that will benefit the entire {{wp|British}} people regardless of where they are from or where they currently live"''. In this, despite unsuccessfully advocating for a bridge connecting {{wp|Great Britain}} to the island of {{wp|Ireland}}, Thomas, taking inspiration from the construction of the {{wp|Channel Tunnel}} linking {{wp|Great Britain}} to {{wp|France}}, was successful in proposing for the eventual construction of the high-speed railway lines of {{wp|High Speed 1}} and {{wp|High Speed 2}}, both of which serve to considerably reduce travel time between the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s major cities. In addition, Thomas was a vocal supporter of the {{wp|London Crossrail Project}} which was later completed in the form of the {{wp|Elizabeth line|Alexandra line}} in May 2022 during the reign of his successor (and whom it was named after) [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]]. Consequently, Thomas has come to be nicknamed by some as the "Builder King" or "Tom the Builder", a play on the name of the famous {{wp|British}} children's television series ''{{wp|Bob the Builder}}'', while critics of his megaprojects proposals reportedly refer to him as "Big Money Tommy".
In a rare 2000 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas publicly expressed his opposition towards calls for abolishing the {{wp|House of Lords}}, the upper house of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s parliament, while asserting that he is personally open to "thoughtful reforms", citing the {{wp|Tilgner Report}} and the ensuing {{wp|House of Lords Reform Act 1980}}. In this, Thomas cited his firsthand experience of "intense political polarisation" in the {{wp|United States}} whose upper house, the {{wp|United States Senate|Senate}}, is a purely elected body but whose effectiveness has been an occasional source of doubt due to the practice of {{wp|filibustering}} where one or more members prolong on a debate to either delay or oppose it from being decided on by lawmakers. Calling it "the number one killer of democracy", Thomas asserts that the {{wp|House of Lords}}, as it currently stands, "must not be entirely filled or dominated by self-interested politicians who prefer upholding their name and reputation more than the democratic process itself".
Amidst the intense debate over declaring an official national day for the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, one of the few countries alongside {{wp|Denmark}} to not have one in the world, Thomas once suggested that, in its current incarnation, the {{wp|United Kingdom}} should celebrate November 20th as the country's national day given that it is the date when in 1924 the {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover}} formally united with the {{wp|United Kingdom}} to become one of its five constituent countries and therefore give the country its current form. In addition, as an avid football fan, Thomas also suggested that the date of July 30th where in 1966 {{wp|England}} won its first {{wp|FIFA World Cup}} trophy, becoming the first and only constituent country of the {{wp|United Kingdom}} to win the tournament. However, the proposal was criticised by non-{{wp|English}} politicians who deem it to be "too {{wp|Anglo}}-centric". Nonetheless, in the absence of one, the {{wp|Queen's Official Birthday}}, traditionally celebrated sometime between the end of May and the start of June, has served this purpose somewhat.
===Hong Kong handover & End of The Troubles===
On 1 July 1997, just several months into his reign as king, Thomas would personally be at the forefront of a monumental event in history with the {{wp|British}} colony of {{wp|Hong Kong}}, as per a 99-year lease agreed upon between the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and {{wp|Qing dynasty|Qing China}}, was to be officially handed back to {{wp|China}} which is now currently administered by the {{wp|Chinese Communist Party}}. To that end, a handover ceremony took place at the {{wp|Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre}} where, in a move that surprised many observers, Thomas himself attended the ceremony as the {{wp|British}} monarch while accompanied by his brother [[Prince Nelson of the United Kingdom|Prince Nelson]], newly-elected {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Tony Blair}}, outgoing {{wp|Governor of Hong Kong}} {{wp|Chris Patten}}, and {{wp|Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff}} {{wp|General (United Kingdom)|General}} {{wp|Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank|Sir Charles Guthrie}}. In a major highlight of the ceremony, Thomas himself read out a prepared speech bidding farewell to the native {{wp|Hong Kong}} population while also wishing them well under the new administration of the {{wp|Chinese}} government via the "{{wp|one country, two systems}}" policy. Later, in recent times, amidst increasing tensions between the two countries, anonymous sources have claimed that Thomas "detested" the whole occasion and instead preferred a fully democratic and fledgling capitalistic {{wp|Hong Kong}} independent of any sovereign nation's control in any shape or form. Adding further, the sources also claimed that Thomas "breathed a huge sigh of relief" and "immediately drank a bottle of whiskey" right after the aircraft carrying the {{wp|British}} monarch and his entourage left {{wp|Hong Kong}}'s airspace, adding, ''"The King was very relieved to be on his way back home after having to sit through an excruciating boastful display of communist pride and power right in front of his own two eyes"''.
Meanwhile, on 10 April 1998, Thomas also oversaw the ratification of the {{wp|Good Friday Agreement}} which officially brought the conflict known as {{wp|The Troubles}} to an end as self-government was restored to {{wp|Northern Ireland}} albeit on the principle of power-sharing. In addition, the {{wp|British-Irish Council}} was established around a year later in a major step toward improving collaboration and relations between the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and the {{wp|Republic of Ireland}}. Meanwhile, on a personal level, given the somewhat sectarian nature of the conflict and the fact that he recently wedded a {{wp|Roman Catholic}}, Thomas later hailed the {{wp|Good Friday Agreement}} as "the treaty to end all wars and avoid further suffering between the {{wp|Irish}} people", adding, ''"As history would tell, there have been too many instances of unnecessary cruelty and violence between the two sides, each with their own agenda and means of achieving it. Without a doubt, to finally bring such dark episodes to an end after so long is a positive step forward and one that will hopefully last for eternity for the good of everyone"''.
===East Timor & Papua New Guinea===
A passionate supporter and advocate of decolonisation, Thomas, together with {{wp|Archbishop of Cape Town|Archbishop}} {{wp|Desmond Tutu}}, was an instrumental figure in the unification of the island of {{wp|New Guinea}} under one single entity, namely {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}. In this, Thomas, who supported {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}'s independence from {{wp|Britain}} while otherwise being critical of {{wp|Indonesia}}'s controversial {{wp|Act of Free Choice}} referendum in which citizens of {{wp|Indonesia}}'s {{wp|Western New Guinea}} region handpicked by the military voted unanimously in favour of {{wp|Indonesian}} control, first publicly pressed for a second referendum following the fall of {{wp|Suharto}}'s "New Order" regime, an event that was followed by gradual democratisation in Indonesia, firstly under {{wp|Suharto}}'s own deputy {{wp|B. J. Habibie}}. To that end, just several months into {{wp|B. J. Habibie|Habibie}}'s presidency, Thomas personally traveled to {{wp|Indonesia}} to directly meet the {{wp|Indonesian}} president where, after a week-long meeting behind closed doors, he ultimately proved successful in convincing the {{wp|Indonesian}} leader to agree to a free and fair referendum concerning {{wp|Western New Guinea}} as well as {{wp|East Timor}}, both of which are former {{wp|European}} colonies that came under {{wp|Indonesian}} control.
Eventually, on 30 August 1999, under the sponsorship of the {{wp|United Nations}}, joint referendums were simultaneously held in both {{wp|East Timor}} and {{wp|Western New Guinea}} asking voters to choose between greater autonomy within {{wp|Indonesia}} or complete independence. In the end, the population in both areas voted decisively for independence, thereby resulting in {{wp|East Timor}} becoming an independent nation several years later while {{wp|Western New Guinea}} subsequently united with the independent {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}, thereby uniting the island of {{wp|New Guinea}} for the first time under a single political entity. Since then, for his role in directly meeting with {{wp|President of Indonesia|President}} {{wp|B. J. Habibie}} and successfully convincing the latter to grant independence to both areas respectively, Thomas has come to be well-regarded in both {{wp|East Timor}} and {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}, with the latter country, where he also reigns as monarch, later commissioning a statue of the king in the center of the capital of {{wp|Port Moresby}}. Likewise, {{wp|Bill Skate}}, whose premiership saw the {{wp|Papua New Guinea|country}} unite with the neighbouring {{wp|Indonesian}} region, hailed Thomas as an "instrumental figure who publicly fought and advocated for the freedom and rights of {{wp|Papuan}} islanders, be it those in {{wp|Papua New Guinea}} itself or in the former {{wp|Indonesian}} occupation region of {{wp|Western New Guinea}}". Even more, both Thomas and {{wp|B. J. Habibie|Habibie}} were later nominated and jointly received the 2000 {{wp|Nobel Peace Prize}} award for their successful diplomatic efforts regarding {{wp|East Timor}} and {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}, making the former the only monarch in history to ever receive the award. Meanwhile, {{wp|B. J. Habibie|Habibie}} himself left the presidency not long afterward in October 1999 while {{wp|Indonesian}} nationalists have come to resent the independence of both {{wp|East Timor}} and {{wp|Western New Guinea}}, both of which they considered to be fundamentally {{wp|Indonesian}}, a factor that reportedly led Thomas to avoid visiting {{wp|Indonesia}} afterward for the entirety of his reign over fears of an assassination attempt by hardline {{wp|Indonesian}} nationalists who allegedly blamed the royal for his role in precipitating both the independence of {{wp|East Timor}} and the unification of the island of {{wp|New Guinea}}. However, his daughter and successor [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] did otherwise visit the {{wp|Southeast Asian}} country albeit with a heavy security presence due to security concerns.
===9/11 & Iraq War===
In the immediate aftermath of the {{wp|September 11 attacks}}, he publicly expressed his "greatest sympathies with the {{wp|American}} people", stating that "innocent citizens should never be the target of such a heinous act of terror intended to promote a malicious goal". That same year, as head of state, he oversaw the {{wp|Tony Blair|Blair}} administration's participation in the {{wp|US}}-led {{wp|United States invasion of Afghanistan|invasion of Afghanistan}}, which effectively toppled the predominant {{wp|Taliban}} regime in the {{wp|Afghanistan|country}}. Just a couple of years later, the {{wp|United Kingdom}} would also participate in the controversial {{wp|2003 invasion of Iraq}}, which in addition to sparking nationwide protests over the perceived justification for the invasion, also proved to be a source of controversy for the royal family themselves, when the King's sister, [[Catherine, Princess Royal]] infamously posed nude on the cover of a {{wp|British Vogue|''British Vogue''}} magazine, in an act of personal protest against the {{wp|2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion}} itself. The princess's manner of protest, which included draping herself with a {{wp|Union Jack}} flag, as well as having herself leaning against a {{wp|British}} {{wp|Challenger 2}} battle tank promptly became the source of condemnation and rebuke by some military officials who dubbed her manner to be "treasonous" while some sectors of the public dubbed the princess's manner of protest to be "shameful" and "unpatriotic". In response, the King himself was said to have afterward reluctantly rebuked his [[Catherine, Princess Royal|sister]] himself in order to preserve the royal family's prestige and standing among the {{wp|British}} public, while rumours allege that he had otherwise been privately supportive and approving of his sister's act of protest against the invasion.
===End of the Amsterdam-Windsor Monarchy===
On 1 May 2007, a date that was deliberately chosen given that it marks the three hundredth anniversary of the former {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}-{{wp|House of Stuart|Stuart}}-{{wp|House of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau}} dynasty, Thomas, by way of a royal proclamation, announced that the current royal family name of the "{{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor}}" would be officially reverted back to the "{{wp|House of Hanover}}", thereby effectively ending what was then the eighty three-year-long reign of the {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor|Amsterdam-Windsor}} monarchy, which began in 1924 with [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|King Frederick]]'s decision to change the family name in order to appease nationalist and anti-{{wp|German}} sentiments in the aftermath of the {{wp|First World War}}.
In implementing the change, Thomas remarked, ''"As of now, it has roughly been ninety years long since the {{wp|First World War}} had begun, the very conflict that led to my [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|grandfather]] changing the family name to an entirely new one in order to appease the nationalist few. Since then, and until now, my family has been effectively robbed of its own true identity and is instead being forced to assume an entirely new identity for reasons that are not necessarily my family's fault. Therefore, from this point on, my family will effectively and officially reclaim the true and pure identity that it once held dear as the {{wp|House of Hanover}}, not the {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor}}"''.
===Final Years===
With the onset of the {{wp|financial crisis of 2007-2008}}, a global recession that was considered to be the most serious recession since the {{wp|Great Depression}} Thomas personally had the tax rate for himself as the {{wp|British}} monarch raised to a slightly higher amount as a way to contribute more financially to efforts in mending the recession's immediate effects. Evidently, in an interview with the {{wp|BBC}} around that same time, he remarked, ''"When the {{wp|Second World War}} happened, my father broke royal convention and decided to go to war against {{wp|Imperial Japan|Japan}} in the Pacific while my grandparents chose to bravely face the {{wp|German}} bombings head-on, thus putting them both in grave danger just as the average soldier and citizen"''. He promptly declared that "while I would not be the King of England to face an armed invasion of our country, I would also not be the one to sit back and watch my own people face the hardships alone, for that is what {{wp|Louis XVI|Louis XVI}} of {{wp|Kingdom of France|France}} did, and in the end, as we all know it, he ultimately lost his head". At the same time, in a manner deemed unconventional by many as the country's head of state, Thomas also openly encouraged the government under then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Gordon Brown}} to pursue aggressive economic policies meant to combat the recession's immediate effects, declaring that "if {{wp|God}} wills it, the {{wp|United Kingdom}} would be the first country in the world to escape this burgeoning recession". Nonetheless, {{wp|Gordon Brown|Brown}} himself was subsequently voted out of office in the {{wp|2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election}}, which saw him being replaced with the current {{wp|Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative}} prime minister {{wp|David Cameron}}, with whom he was said to have later developed a close working relationship, one that continued well under his successor, the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]].
Later on, Thomas openly praised the historic legalisation of same-sex marriage in {{wp|England}} and {{wp|Wales}}, as well as the {{wp|Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative}} government's healthcare and welfare reforms. Meanwhile, the last few years of his reign would come to be marked by three separate and notable referendums, with the first being a referendum on the method of electing Members of Parliaments at future general elections, the second concerning potential {{wp|Scottish}} independence, while the third one otherwise revolved around the status of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s continued membership of the {{wp|European Union}}. All three referendums went in the government's favour each time while Thomas himself, in contrast to the demeanor shown during his previous years, largely kept silent on the respective outcomes of each of the three separate referendums. At around the same time, both his [[Charles the Great|father]] and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} would each respectively pass away in March 2011 and August 2014. In one interview conducted sometime after his abdication, he went on to describe the last few years of his reign as "both eventful and also emotional in nature".
On 1 January 2016, following intense political debate and longstanding concerns over the {{wp|Palace of Westminster}}'s deteriorating condition, the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s {{wp|Parliament of the United Kingdom|parliament}} was officially relocated from the {{wp|Palace of Westminster}}, which was subsequently converted into a paid national museum, to the nearby {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|King Charles III Centre}}, a building opened by the late [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]] in 1986 which boasts a capacity of up to 2,500, making it twice as large than the {{wp|Palace of Westminster}} in terms of overall capacity. The relocation, which symbolically took place on the 1000th anniversary of the {{wp|Palace of Westminster}}'s construction in 1016, saw Thomas deliver a farewell speech as parliamentarians were set to depart the building before later delivering a welcoming speech at the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|King Charles III Centre}} in honour of its new role as the country's parliamentary complex. In line with this, after a spontaneous vote among parliamentarians, the building was renamed to "Parliament Complex". A personal proponent of the decision to relocate the country's parliament, Thomas later declared in his welcoming speech, ''"At this precise moment, exactly a thousand years since the building that defined this country's legislature was first built, a new era begins for one of the country's three important branches. With a more modern-looking building to call home, perhaps the country's politics will emulate this relocation itself, namely in the direction of better and healthier dialogue between parties that benefits the people"''.
==Abdication==
In the final year of his reign, despite already being sixty-seven years of age, Thomas was consistently described as being a "generally healthy, and well-conditioned man", as he was notably credited for almost regularly playing a game of polo with the palace staff and his close associates during his free time, leading him to be known as the "Polo King" among his close circles. However, on October 6th, having just gone back to his chambers alongside his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, the King unexpectedly collapsed onto his bed while the latter had gone inside the chambers' bathroom. Around a minute later, royal doctors were immediately summoned following signs of a weakened pulse, leading him to be transferred instead to a special room for an operation. At the same time, by his own {{wp|Christy Turlingtony|wife}}'s insistence, any knowledge of the incident was kept secret from spreading outside of the palace itself, as to not force an immediate return for their daughter [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] from her university. Following an initially successful operation, he was declared to be in a "mildly stable" condition but soon afterward, subsequent operations were also conducted which lasted until just hours before his daughter [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]'s return from her university, during which he was declared to had fully recovered from his illness, which was subsequently noted to have been a stroke but was otherwise kept secret from public knowledge. 
In light of the incident, Thomas began seriously contemplating an abdication, during which he made it known to the then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|David Cameron}} who he had specifically invited to {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} for the matter. Discussions between the two would continue until December 10th when in a coordinated manner, Thomas first declared his abdication at 10:30 AM in a {{wp|BBC}} broadcast from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} before an {{wp|Act of Parliament}} was granted {{wp|royal assent}} by the King himself, thereby effectively formalising his abdication. In his abdication speech, Thomas chose not to publicly disclose the details of his illness leading to his abdication, having instead chosen to cite ''"ill-health and inability to sustain the continuation of royal duties"'' as his primary reasons for abdication. He subsequently attended the coronation of his daughter and successor, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]] who then granted her father the title of [[Duke of Hanover|''Duke of Hanover'']] following his abdication.
==Post-Abdication==
===Atlantic Connection===
Following his abdication, Thomas began taking a more active role in overseeing the interests of the {{wp|American}}-{{wp|British}} multibillion-dollar holding company {{wp|Atlantic Connection}} which holds considerable stakes in various industries through its many subsidiary companies. Having inherited his [[Charles the Great|late father]]'s shares in the company upon the latter's passing in March 2011 to become one of the company's select few biggest shareholders, Thomas has overseen some further expansion of the company's portfolio since assuming his position on the board of directors, with his particular interest being in sports. To that end, the company established the {{wp|Major League Soccer}} side {{wp|Los Angeles FC}} in 2014, and {{wp|National Hockey League}}'s {{wp|Vegas Golden Knights}} in 2017.
As one of {{wp|Atlantic Connection}}'s biggest shareholders, Thomas has at times advocated for the company to pursue a "green and sustainable" strategy regarding its long-term future, stating, ''"Above all, there is the undeniable issue of climate change that regardless of everyone's opinions on it will ultimately bring only bad luck and terrible fortunes for all of humanity. At the same time, a solution rooted in both compromise and sustainability must and can be achieved to ensure that the company, in its current position, will be one of the foremost leaders in traversing a new and inclusive era where both consumers and companies can co-exist in peace while also providing mutual benefit for each other"''.
Around early 2024, amidst rumours of a plan for a new stadium concerning the {{wp|English}} football club {{wp|Manchester United}}, a project that was dubbed "Wembley of the North", Thomas publicly expressed in a {{wp|BBC Sport}} interview his readiness to financially contribute to the construction of a new stadium if necessary and in conjunction with {{wp|Manchester United}}'s two major shareholders, namely the {{wp|Glazer family}} and {{wp|Jim Ratcliffe|Sir Jim Ratcliffe}}, the latter having recently acquired a minority stake in the club via his own company {{wp|INEOS}}. In this, when asked if he was seeking anything in return as a major contributor to the stadium's design, Thomas replied by stating that he personally seeks no more than just 15% of the stadium's annual revenue upon completion, the majority of which he plans to reinvest into the stadium itself, while adding that his main motivation was to "see the football club that I supported for decades and counting to regain its lost status as {{wp|England}}'s greatest football club of all time".
===Return to Hollywood===
In January 2019, having abdicated the throne roughly two years prior, Thomas made his directorial debut with the heist thriller film ''{{wp|The Golden Trail}}'' which starred {{wp|Gary Oldman}} as Michael Pearce, a retired master thief who recruits a group of individuals, each with their own expertise, led by Lawrence Spencer, portrayed by {{wp|Henry Cavill}}, to recover a seemingly untraceable €100 million lost during an infamous 1970s bank robbery led by the notorious {{wp|German}} thief Martin Ritschel ({{wp|Christoph Waltz}}). Largely inspired by his past experience of watching the ''{{wp|Ocean's}}'' heist films, the film, primarily shot in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} as well as other countries including {{wp|France}}, {{wp|Switzerland}}, and {{wp|Germany}}, proved to be both a critical and commercial success with praises directed towards the film's attention to detail, its ending twist, "witty" dialogue, and the particular performances of {{wp|Henry Cavill}}, {{wp|Daniel Kaluuya}}, and {{wp|Lashana Lynch}}. Following this success, Thomas announced that a prequel exploring the past life of Michael Pearce is "under consideration" before later confirming its development sometime in June 2019 during an interview with ''{{wp|The Guardian}}'' in which he offered a brief glimpse into the movie by summarising it as "a story where a man seemingly set for life suddenly finds himself extremely down on his luck and therefore decides to use his natural instincts to uplift himself by any means necessary while sticking to his own set of morals". Later, during an interview in March 2020, Thomas revealed that production had wrapped in January and the film, titled ''{{wp|The Founding Trail}}'', was slated for a November release like its predecessor but the onset of the {{wp|COVID-19 pandemic}} has led to reconsiderations about its release. Eventually, in November 2022, the film, starring {{wp|Tom Hardy}} as the younger version of {{wp|Gary Oldman}}'s character, finally made its highly-anticipated premiere to generally positive reviews with praises for {{wp|Tom Hardy|Hardy}}'s acting, its exploration of the {{wp|English}} underclass, and its attention to detail for the robbery scenes, a trait carried over from the {{wp|The Golden Trail|first film}}.
However, despite the relative success enjoyed by both films, Thomas announced that he would not be producing a third one, stating, ''"Ultimately, it's a fun pet project for me that I, as someone who grew up and loved watching great heist movies, just wanted to bring to the big screen once and for all. Now that I've finally done it and the people and also the critics seemed to love it, it's fair to say that my job here is done"''. Despite this, Thomas did not rule out producing films of other genres with the sole condition that it is done "at the right place and the right time".
In 2022, Thomas served as one of the producers for the widely-acclaimed {{wp|German}} anti-war film {{wp|All Quiet on the Western Front (2022 film)|''All Quiet on the Western Front''}}, a movie that he later described as "undoubtedly intriguing" and a "great depiction of the ever obvious realities of war", citing the death of his own uncle in the {{wp|Second World War}}. The following year, Thomas took center stage in realising the 2023 sports documentary ''{{wp|Pax Anglicus: The Rise of Football's First Empire}}''. Consisting of three seasons (one for the men's team, another for the women's team, and a third for the conclusion) and nine episodes, the series chronicles the beginning of both men's and women's football in {{wp|England}}, their respective highs and lows, and their contemporary success as the national team for both genders currently remain unbeaten in international tournaments and are both presently ranked #1 in their respective global rankings.
Meanwhile, in January 2024, Thomas revealed his entry into the historical genre by announcing plans for a biopic of the 16th-century {{wp|Dutch}} hero {{wp|William the Silent}} who famously led a roughly eight-decades-long revolt against the {{wp|Spanish Empire}} that later resulted in the independence of contemporary {{wp|Netherlands}}. Describing the {{wp|William the Silent|latter}}, from whom he is directly descended, as "the greatest rebel hero of {{wp|Europe}}", Thomas explained that he initially tried pitching an idea for such a film back during his acting years but which was not accepted by any major producers who were reportedly less familiar with {{wp|William the Silent}} than the likes of {{wp|Napoleon}} and {{wp|Alexander the Great}}. Consequently, with his newfound passion for directing, Thomas opted to make such a film himself in order to "uplift the legacy of {{wp|Europe}}'s greatest revolutionary before {{wp|Napoleon}}" and also to honour his own direct ancestor for whom he held much personal pride. For this, initial casting announcements include {{wp|Tom Hardy}} as the {{wp|Dutch}} rebel hero, {{wp|Benicio del Toro}} as {{wp|Philip II of Spain|King Philip II of Spain}}, {{wp|Javier Bardem}} as {{wp|Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba}}, and {{wp|Tilda Swinton}} as {{wp|Elizabeth I|Queen Elizabeth I of England}}.
==Personal Life==
A noted collector of cars, Thomas is known to have possessed a modest collection of both vintage and luxury vehicles, some of which include the iconic {{wp|Jaguar E-Type}}, along with several others such as an {{wp|Aston Martin Vantage}}, a second-generation {{wp|Dodge Challenger}}, a {{wp|Ferrari F40}}, and a {{wp|Nissan Skyline GT-R|Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R}}. Despite this, for leisurely purposes, Thomas would usually ride his longtime {{wp|Harley-Davidson}} motorcycle, which he first acquired back in 1971, especially around the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s less populous regions where he would enjoy better peace and otherwise less disturbance.
In a 2006 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas revealed that had it not been for his royal background, he would have preferred to play professional football in his youth, a career he ultimately never pursued owing to an inherent sense of nervousness originating from him likely being the only royal in a football team filled mostly by individuals of commoner background coupled with the sport's considerable physicality at the time which was deemed to be a safety risk for an heir to the throne although he has nonetheless described himself as "fairly adept in it but perhaps not enough to necessarily play for a big football club", adding that during his teenage years, his son [[William Smith]], who later went on to become an extremely successful professional footballer, often held leisure football practices with him in the family's backyard. Regardless, in a 1998 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas revealed himself to be a lifelong fan of {{wp|Premier League}} club {{wp|Manchester United}} whose legendary {{wp|Northern Irish}} former player {{wp|George Best}} was named by Thomas as his favourite player of all time.
Known for his physically active lifestyle, in addition to {{wp|football}}, Thomas is known to have enjoyed a variety of other sports including {{wp|swimming}}, {{wp|polo}}, {{wp|golf}}, and {{wp|tennis}}. Moreover, since its introduction in 1981, save for only a few instances, Thomas has consistently run in almost every edition of the {{wp|London Marathon}}, often alongside his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, a fellow marathon enthusiast, since the couple's marriage in 1995. Aside from this, while previously a habitual smoker, since becoming a father and especially following the death of his {{wp|Dwain Turlington|father-in-law}} from smoking-induced {{wp|lung cancer}}, Thomas has long abstained from smoking and, in turn, has been a vocal advocate against the habit himself. In November 2017, while addressing a stroke that briefly paralysed him the previous month, Thomas jokingly claimed that he would have been "dead for good" if not for his decision to quit smoking beforehand, adding, ''"Since at least 1979, I have had a very solid purpose to live for a long time which is to see my children grow up and have their own children afterward. Because of that, I'm doing everything possible so that like my [[Charles the Great|father]], who passed away while in his 90s, I'll live long enough to see my family grow and enjoy what life has to offer me next"''. Aside from this, in an interview shortly after he turned seventy, Thomas has also credited his active lifestyle in "making me the fittest man in his 70s in the world", adding, ''"Among the things that I admired about my [[Charles the Great|late father]] the most was that even when he was in his 90s and until the day he passed away, he never really lost his senses or could not speak and walk at all. If anything, he was quite healthy and tough for his age, always a fighter until the very end"''.
Owing to his previous career as a navy pilot in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, when he was signed onto the 1986 action film ''{{wp|Top Gun}}'', Thomas was therefore the only cast member with an actual military background and capability to fly a fighter jet. Because of this, as was later revealed during an appearance on ''{{wp|The Graham Norton Show}}'', Thomas explicitly demanded a role where his character would be seen piloting a fighter jet in the film. To that end, he initially sought the lead role of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell which eventually went to the much younger {{wp|Tom Cruise}}, whom producers had largely favoured for the role, whereas Thomas himself received the role of Rick "Jester" Heatherly as compensation. Nonetheless, after some negotiations with director {{wp|Tony Scott}}, in scenes where his character flies a fighter jet, Thomas himself was really piloting one in actuality, thereby leading to a filming experience which he later described as "one of the best I have ever had in my entire life".
Known to be a close friend of the {{wp|Iranian}} royal and religious leader {{wp|Aga Khan IV}}, Thomas is said to have played a part in setting the latter up with {{wp|British}} supermodel {{wp|Naomi Campbell}}, which he reportedly did at his own 1995 wedding that was attended by both {{wp|Naomi Campbell|Campbell}} and the {{wp|Aga Khan IV}}. Subsequently, despite the age gap of almost three decades, the two went on to marry in May 1998 and had a {{wp|Aly Muhammad Aga Khan|son}} together in March 2000 before later divorcing in June 2007. As of current, {{wp|Naomi Campbell|Campbell}} has been married to the {{wp|Italian}} businessman {{wp|Flavio Briatore}}, who is twenty years her senior and who formerly owned the {{wp|English}} football club {{wp|Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers}} alongside {{wp|British}} businessman {{wp|Bernie Ecclestone}}, himself married to the five-decades-younger {{wp|Israeli}} model {{wp|Bar Refaeli}}, whereas the {{wp|Aga Khan IV}} later remarried for a fourth time to fellow {{wp|English}} model {{wp|Rosie Huntington-Whiteley}}, who is roughly five decades younger, after previously being married to the thirty-eight years younger {{wp|English}} journalist {{wp|Jemima Goldsmith}}, the former wife of {{wp|Pakistani}} cricketer and premier {{wp|Imran Khan}}. Later, when the {{wp|Aga Khan IV|Aga Khan}}'s two sons by his {{wp|Salimah Aga Khan|first wife}}, also a former model, {{wp|Rahim Aga Khan|Rahim}} and {{wp|Hussain Aga Khan|Hussain}} remarried to fashion models {{wp|Alexina Graham}} and {{wp|Lily Donaldson}}, also {{wp|English}} models, the family has been dubbed the media as "the world's preetiest and hottest", owing to the fact that its recent male members have all married beautiful fashion models, all of whom have specifically been of {{wp|English}} nationality.
In addition to his royal status, his good looks in his youth made him a popular and widely photographed figure of the 1970s and 1980s with various media outlets often dubbing him "the world's most eligible bachelor". For several years, he was named as {{wp|International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List|one of the best-dressed men in the world}}. Meanwhile, as an actor, Thomas was often compared by media outlets to fellow {{wp|English}} actor {{wp|Hugh Grant}} owing to their common nationalities and good looks. In fact, the two actually starred together in two films, namely ''{{wp|Four Weddings and a Funeral}}'' and ''{{wp|Love Actually}}'', both of which involved the noted {{wp|British}} screenwriter {{wp|Richard Curtis}} who once described the two men as "{{wp|Britain}}'s two greatest heartthrobs of all-time". However, in this context, Thomas himself instead mostly idolised the likes of {{wp|Sean Connery}} (whose first name is also coincidentally Thomas as well), whom he became aware of through the latter's widely-acclaimed role as {{wp|James Bond (literary character)|James Bond}}, and {{wp|Laurence Olivier}} whose versatility and physicality as an actor was greatly idolised by Thomas.
While initially seen by observers and media outlets in his youth as the stereotypical "playboy prince", owing to his good looks and the fact that he later married a well-known {{wp|American}} supermodel, since ascending to the throne and even after abdicating afterward, ''{{wp|The Guardian}}'' claimed that Thomas has successfully reinvented his image and persona from that of a "playboy prince", a label that he has since contested, to more of an attentive and mindful monarch, owing to his role in the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s mid-2000s constitutional reforms, and also that of a loving father and family man, particularly to his seven children, each of whom have mostly described their father in relatively glowing terms. In this, regarding the past public perception of him, Thomas said, ''"Sure, I was fairly good-looking, rich, and knew a lot of women, some famous and some not so, but to call me a playboy or the sort is stretching the truth a little. Like any other normal person, I had my fair share of romantic crushes but for around a decade long I was solely and loyally committed to a single woman. Now, I'm very much prouder than ever to have my wife as the only woman in my life for three decades and counting"''. During his bachelorhood, Thomas was often compared to {{wp|Monaco}}'s {{wp|Albert II, Prince of Monaco|Prince Albert II}}, both of whom are well-known {{wp|European}} royals and are the sons of {{wp|American}} actresses, namely {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} and {{wp|Grace Kelly}} respectively.
===Romances===
{{Main|Personal Life (Thomas): Romances}}
Considered to be one of the world's most eligible bachelors, in his youth, Thomas was variously linked to many different famous women, both of royal and non-royal lineages. However, since his marriage to the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, Thomas has only ever acknowledged two other prior relationships, namely one with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}} and the other with the {{wp|American}} politician {{wp|Caroline Kennedy}}. Otherwise, since 1996, Thomas has been married to the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, with whom he has five children in total.
From 1978 to 1992, a period of almost two decades long, Thomas engaged in a long-term relationship with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}}. In this, the two had first met each other while {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}} was in the midst of starring in the popular crime drama television series ''{{wp|Charlie's Angels}}'' which also starred the likes of {{wp|Kate Jackson}} and {{wp|Farrah Fawcett}}. Subsequently, in 1979, the couple welcomed their first child together, namely a son named [[William Smith|William]], and in 1982, a daughter named [[Jacqueline Smith|Jacqueline]]. However, despite the births of their two children, {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}'s status as a divorcee, coupled with her ex-husband still being alive at the time, meant that the two could not practically marry without triggering a constitutional crisis back home in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} where Thomas, being next in line to the throne, was expected to marry a {{wp|Protestant}} woman who is neither married nor divorced in line with his eventual status as the supreme head of the {{wp|Church of England}}. Eventually, by 1992, the couple decided to part ways on mutual terms, thereby leading to a brief period of separation before they were later reunited around a decade later due to their [[William Smith|son]]'s decision to further his career as a professional footballer in {{wp|England}}.
In addition to {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}, for a brief period from 1975 to 1976, Thomas was also briefly romantically involved with the {{wp|American}} politician {{wp|Caroline Kennedy}}, the daughter and only surviving child of the late {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|John F. Kennedy}}. However, despite some encouraging signs, coupled with traditionally close relations between the {{wp|British royal family}} and the {{wp|Kennedy family}}, the latter family's {{wp|Roman Catholic}} identity, coupled with {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Kennedy}}'s intention to avoid the spotlight of being a queen consort, resulted in the two ending their short-lived romance although they have since remained friends on rather warm terms. Later on, it was even reported that their respective child, namely {{wp|Jack Schlossberg}} and the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]], even began a romantic relationship of their own although this too was short-lived, reportedly due to geographical distance and work commitments rather than sectarian differences or a desire to avoid the spotlight.
Beginning in 1993, following a chance meeting at an exclusive gala in {{wp|Paris}}, {{wp|France}}, Thomas began a romantic relationship with the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, to whom he was initially introduced by his sister, namely the [[Catherine, Princess Royal|Princess Royal]]. In this, despite a slight age gap of thirteen years, coupled with issues over {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}}'s {{wp|Roman Catholic}} belief and her suitability as a queen consort, the couple enjoyed a firm and strong relationship which eventually translated into an official wedding on 14 December 1995, an event that saw the {{wp|American}} supermodel become the first {{wp|British}} royal consort of the {{wp|Roman Catholic}} faith, a feat made possible by the passage of the {{wp|Succession to the Crown Act 2013|Succession to the Crown Act 1995}} which, among others, replaced male-preference primogeniture in favour of absolute primogeniture while also lifting the longstanding restrictions on {{wp|British}} royals marrying a {{wp|Roman Catholic}} spouse, something that was previously forbidden by the {{wp|Royal Marriages Act 1772}}. Following this, in 1996, the couple then welcomed their first child together, namely the future [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]], followed by their only son [[Prince Richard of Hanover|Richard]] in 1999, and three further daughters in 2003 and 2004, namely princesses [[Princess Nicole of Hanover|Nicole]] as well as twins [[Princess Elle of Hanover|Elle]] and [[Princess Vivian of Hanover|Vivian]], who are named after the ''{{wp|Legally Blonde}}'' characters {{wp|Elle Woods}} and [https://legallyblonde.fandom.com/wiki/Vivian_Kensington Vivian Kensington], played by actresses {{wp|Reese Witherspoon}} and {{wp|Selma Blair}} respectively.
==Titles & Honours==
*'''1 January 1955 - 15 January 1997''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince of the Welsh, Prince of Orange, and Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
*'''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''' ''His Majesty'' The King of the British, King of the Dutch, and Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers
*'''14 October 2017 - Present''' ''His Royal Highness''  The Duke of Hanover, Prince of the Netherlands, and Grand Duke Emeritus of Luxembourg
==Honours==
====National & Commonwealth====
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Williamite Order
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Family Order of King Thomas
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Recipient of the Royal Family Order of King Charles III
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Charles III
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Guelphic Order
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Order of St. George
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle​
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath​
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Distinguished Service Order
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Grand Master of the Military William Order
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Grand Master of the Order of the Crown
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Grand Master of the Order for Loyalty and Merit
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Ark
*{{flag|Netherlands}} - Honorary Commander of the Order of Saint John in the Netherlands
*{{flag|Luxembourg}} - Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
*{{flag|Luxembourg}} - Grand Master of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
*{{flag|Canada}} - Sovereign of the Order of Canada
*{{flag|Australia}} - Sovereign of the Order of Australia
*{{flag|New Zealand}} - Sovereign of the Order of New Zealand
*{{flag|West Indies}} - Sovereign of the Order of West Indies
*{{flag|Solomon Islands}} - Sovereign of the Order of Solomon Islands
*{{flag|Belize}} - Sovereign of the Order of Belize
*{{flag|Tuvalu}} - Sovereign of the Order of Tuvalu
*{{flag|Puerto Rico}} - Sovereign of the Order of Puerto Rico
====Foreign====
*{{flag|Spain}} - Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
*{{flag|Norway}} - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St Olav
*{{flag|Norway}} - ​Recipient of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Olav V
*{{flag|Norway}} - Recipient of the Royal House Centenary Medal
*{{flag|Norway}} - ​Recipient of the King Harald V Silver Jubilee Medal
*{{flag|Sweden}} - Member of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
*{{flag|Sweden}} - Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Sword
*{{flag|Denmark}} - Knight of the Order of the Elephant
*{{flag|Denmark}} - Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog
*{{flag|Germany}} - Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
*{{flag|Japan}} - Collar and Grand Order of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
*{{flag|Japan}} - Golden Medal of Merit Japanese Red Cross
*{{flag|Japan}} - Golden Medal of Honorary Member of Japanese Red Cross
*{{flag|France}} - Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour
*{{flag|Malaysia}} - Honorary Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm
*{{flag|China}} - Recipient of the Order of Friendship
*{{flag|Republic of China}} - Recipient of the Order of Brilliant Jade
====Military Appointments====
{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''3 June 1979 - 28 May 1980''': {{wp|Officer Cadet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''28 May 1980 -  25 June 1982''': {{wp|Midshipman}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}}  '''25 June 1982 - 11 January 1984''': {{wp|Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''11 January 1984 - 5 May 1985''': {{wp|Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''5 May 1985 - 15 June 1991''': {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''15 June 1991 - 14 December 1995''': {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''14 December 1995 - 15 January 1997''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': {{wp|Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom|Lord High Admiral}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''13 October 2017 - Present''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''25 June 1982 - 3 June 1986''': {{wp|Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''3 June 1986 -  12 November 1990''': {{wp|Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''3 June 1986 -  15 January 1997''': {{wp|Major General (United Kingdom)|Major General}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': {{wp|Head of the British Armed Forces|Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''13 October 2017 - Present''': {{wp|Field Marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''5 June 1986 -  15 January 1997''': {{wp|Air Marshal}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - Present''': {{wp|Marshal of the Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|Canada}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Canadian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|Australia}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Australian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|New Zealand}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|New Zealand Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Air Force}}<br/>
== 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. '''Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands'''
| 2 = 2. [[Charles the Great|Charles III of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
| 4 = 4. [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia}}
| 6 = 6. {{wp|William Perske}}
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Natalie Bacall}}
| 8 = 8. [[George IV and V of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Sophia of Prussia}}
| 10 = 10. {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor}}
| 11 = 11. {{wp|Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein|Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg}}
| 12 = 12. {{wp|Zalman Perski}}
| 13 = 13. {{wp|Sheyna Yofa}}
| 14 = 14. {{wp|Max Weinstein}}
| 15 = 15. {{wp|Sophia Bacall}}
}}

Latest revision as of 09:53, 3 May 2024

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