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{{Infobox royalty
#REDIRECT [[Charles the Great]]
| name          = Charles III
| title          =
| image          = Charles III Coloured.jpg
 
| image_size    = Medium
 
| succession  =
{{longitem |col1style=padding-top:0.2em
  |
{{Collapsible list |title={{wp|Queen of the United Kingdom|King of the British}} 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}}                                        | 1951-1997
|{{wp|Australia}}                                        | 1951-1997
|{{wp|New Zealand}}                                        | 1951-1997
|{{wp|Jamaica}}                                        | 1962-1997
|{{wp|Barbados}}                                        | 1966-1997
|{{wp|The Bahamas}}                                        | 1973-1997
|{{wp|Grenada}}                                        | 1974-1997
|{{wp|Papua New Guinea}}                                        | 1975-1997
|{{wp|Puerto Rico}}                                        | 1977-1997
|{{wp|Solomon Islands}}                                        | 1978-1997
|{{wp|Tuvalu}}                                        | 1978-1997
|{{wp|St. Lucia}}                                        | 1979-1997
|{{wp|St. Vincent and the Grenadines}}                                      | 1979-1997
|{{wp|Belize}}                                      | 1981-1997
|{{wp|Antigua and Barbuda}}                                        | 1981-1997
|{{wp|St. Kitts and Nevis}}                                        | 1983-1997
|{{wp|Mauritius}}                                        | 1968-1992
|{{wp|Fiji}}                                        | 1970-1987
|{{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  = 20 September, 1951
| cor-type    = Coronation
| predecessor  = [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]]
| pre-type    = Predecessor
| regent      = {{list collapsed|title=''See list''|1={{wp|Clement Attlee}}<br>{{wp|Winston Churchill}}<br>{{wp|Anthony Eden}}<br>{{wp|Harold Macmillan}}<br>{{wp|Alec Douglas-Home}}<br>{{wp|Harold Wilson}}<br>{{wp|Edward Heath}}<br>{{wp|James Callaghan}}<br>{{wp|Margaret Thatcher}}<br>{{wp|John Major}}}}
| reg-type    = {{nowrap|{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Ministers}}}}
| 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  =
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| succession2  =
| moretext2    =
| reign2      =
| reign-type2  =
| coronation2  =
| cor-type2    =
| predecessor2 =
| pre-type2    =
| regent2      =
| reg-type2    =
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| moretext3    =
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| 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 Castle}}, {{wp|Scotland}}
| burial_date  = 5 March 2011
| burial_place = {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}, {{wp|London}}
| spouse      = {{marriage|{{wp|Lauren Bacall}}|15 March 1946}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[William VI of the United Kingdom|William VI]]
* [[Prince William, Duke of York|William, Duke of York]]
* [[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  = 1942-1951 (active service)
  | servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
  | unit          = {{wp|6th Air Intelligence Squadron}}
  | commands      =
  | rank          = {{wp|Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General}}
  | battles_label =
  | battles      = {{wp|Pacific War}}}}
}}
 
'''Charles III''' (Charles Frederick William Louis; 15 January, 1917 - 3 March, 2011) was {{wp|Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King of the British}} 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}}. Prior to and during the {{wp|Second World War}}, Charles respectively worked first as an actor in {{wp|Cinema of the United States|Hollywood}} before subsequently enlisting in the {{wp|United States Air Force}} for the {{wp|Pacific War}}.
 
A prolific tennis player, Charles competed several times in the {{wp|The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon}} championships, mostly alongside his adoptive sister, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Princess Ingrid}}, with whom he won the championships several times in the year 1934, 1936, 1946, and the year 1947.
 
On January 15th 1997, following his 80th birthday, Charles formally abdicated the 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 second {{wp|British}} monarch to do so after {{wp|Queen Victoria}}, his first cousin thrice removed in the year 1837, almost 160 years prior. Then, with unanimous approval, Charles retained his title of King which lasted until his death. Following his death, he was posthumously given the epithet ''the Great'', thus becoming 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}}.
 
At the time of his death, aged 94 years old, Charles is the longest-lived {{wp|British}} monarch, and was also the oldest living former sovereign monarch. Upon his death, the designation passed to the former and last {{wp|List of sultans of Zanzibar|Sultan of Zanzibar}}, {{wp|Jamshid bin Abdullah of Zanzibar|Jamshid bin Abdullah}}. On 1 June 2021, he was surpassed by the former {{wp|Pope Benedict XVI}} of the {{wp|Vatican City}}. Additionally, had he not chose to abdicate, the total length of his reign would have made him the second longest reigning {{wp|British}} monarch after {{wp|George III|King George III}}, and behind his great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]], whom is also the longest reigning {{wp|British}} monarch to date. In a 2017 poll by the {{wp|BBC}}, Charles was decisively voted "Greatest British Monarch" after his great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|William V]], and his father, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]].
 
==Early Life==
[[File:Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902.jpg|thumb|left|{{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II}}, the last {{wp|German Emperor}}, and Charles's maternal grandfather]]
Charles was born on January 15th 1917 to [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|''Edward, Prince of Wales'']] and {{wp|Victoria Louise of Prussia|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia}}. A member of the ruling {{wp|House of Hanover}}, he was also closely related to the {{wp|House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern}} royal family due to his {{wp|Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}}'s standing as the only daughter of {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Kaiser Wilhelm II}}. However, following the implementation of the ''Royal Titles Revocation Act 1924'' in the years following the {{wp|First World War}}, Charles's exclusive {{wp|Prussian}} title of ''Prince of {{wp|Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia}}'', which was prior bestowed upon him by {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II}} himself, was ultimately revoked by his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]] as to placate {{wp|British}} nationalists whom had been critical of the royal family's heavily {{wp|German|Germanised}} background.
 
While his given name had been of his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]]'s choice, his middle names and surname however were that of his {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}}'s, as {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Victoria Louise}}, with her husband's approval, had named the young Charles after his {{wp|Prussian}} ancestors, {{wp|German Emperor|German Emperors}} {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Frederick III}}, and {{wp|William I, German Emperor|Wilhelm I}}.
 
On January 5th 1913, around four years prior to his birth, Charles's parents, whom had then been recently married were forced to return to {{wp|Sweden}}, thereby prolonging their initial exile to the country due to the rising political and social tensions in {{wp|Europe}}. Thus, unlike his predecessors, Charles was born instead in the {{wp|Swedish}} royal residence of {{wp|Haga Palace}} in {{wp|Stockholm}}. Events surrounding his birth, when relayed to the {{wp|British}} wartime government of {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|David Lloyd George}}, initially became a subject of controversy as it had taken place within a foreign territory, prompting assumptions regarding Charles's potential inability to succeed to the throne as the heir apparent to his father, the then [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|''Prince of Wales'']]. Ultimately, Charles's eligibility to succeed to the throne remained unaffected due to {{wp|Sweden}}'s application of the {{wp|jus sanguinis|''jus sanguinis''}} principle, which did not automatically confirmed Charles as a {{wp|Swedish}} citizen, though he was instead given a {{wp|British}} citizenship by virtue of his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]]'s undisputed nationality, thereby allowing him to naturally succeed to the throne. 
 
For the first couple of years, Charles and his family lived under the protection of {{wp|Gustaf V|King Gustaf V}} and members of the {{wp|Swedish}} royal family. In particular, his godparents, {{wp|Gustaf V|King Gustaf V}} and {{wp|Victoria of Baden|Queen Victoria}} of {{wp|Sweden}} doted greatly on the infant Charles. At the same time, as a relatively young infant, Charles was occasionally looked after by the {{wp|Gustaf V|King}}'s own granddaughter, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Princess Ingrid}}, the daughter of the later {{wp|Gustaf VI adolf|King Gustaf VI Adolf}} and {{wp|Princess Margaret of Connaught}}.
 
==Prince of Wales==
At the age of six, the death of Charles's grandfather, [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] led 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]]. Upon their arrival in the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, despite being mostly confined to the interiors 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 performed moderately well in his academic studies, Charles also proved to be particularly 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.
 
===Arts & Music===
Concurrently, an adolescent Charles took great interest aswell in the arts of music, an interest that was immediately fulfilled when an exquisitely made piano was gifted to him by his parents for his seventh birthday. For the next several years, with the guidance of a personal tutor, Charles was said to had regularly played the piano, during which he would often attempt to replicate songs composed by the likes of the famous {{wp|German}} composer, {{wp|Ludwig van Beethoven}}, notable 17th century {{wp|English}} composer, {{wp|Henry Purcell}}, and with the additional intent of charming his adopted sister {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}, the {{wp|Swedish}} composer, {{wp|Dieterich Buxtehude}}. Despite an initially indifferent performance, Charles was able to gradually better himself overtime, eventually becoming a skilled pianist at the age of twelve.
 
===The two Crown Princes===
From around October 1935 to April 1936, Charles became momentarily acquainted with the then {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Crown Prince Farouk of Egypt}}, whom had prior departed from his home country for {{wp|England}} in order to attend the {{wp|Royal Military Academy, Woolwich|Royal Military Academy}} in {{wp|Woolwich}}. Initially, neither of the two crown princes were able to meet each other on a frequent basis as the ''Prince of Wales'', whom in stark contrast to the {{wp|Egyptian}} crown prince, took his military officer education seriously. Nevertheless, the two royals would sometimes reportedly meet one another at local restaurants around {{wp|London}} where both Charles and {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}} were said to had at times bond with one another over the grievances in their lives, with the latter having a generally restrictive childhood back home while on the other hand, Charles, despite being not generally restricted in his movements, suffered a great deal of being socially ostracised himself. 
 
Ultimately, despite their perceived cordial friendship, the ''Prince of Wales'' generally rebuked his {{wp|Egyptian}} counterpart, whilst citing {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}}'s lax approach towards his educational commitments as the primary reason in him doing so. In the later years, Charles would also become generally bitter of the now {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk of Egypt}}'s sexual promiscuity, which was of public knowledge in {{wp|Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt}}, thus culminating in his infamous eviction of his former friend from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} in the year 1952, around the same time when {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}} himself had been overthrown from his {{wp|Egyptian}} throne.
 
===Military Career===
Upon reaching the age of majority, Charles was made a {{wp|Counsellor of State}} by his father, thereby allowing him to fully exercise his royal functions. Initially, the prince sought a career in the {{wp|British Army}}. However, despite being successfully commissioned as an officer himself, Charles nevertheless abandoned any prospects of a prolonged military career, thereby denying himself of any sort of prior military experience when a {{wp|1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine|revolt}} in the {{wp|British}} {{wp|Mandatory Palestine}} broke out the following year.
 
===The Flying Prince===
In the span of three years leading up to his eventual withdrawal to the {{wp|United States}}, Charles, despite having publicly refused to actively serve in the military himself, was nevertheless able to benefit from both his status as a royal prince and a member of the {{wp|British}} armed forces to pursue his newly sparked interest in aviation. To that end, in the early months of 1937, he first attended a civilian pilot training school in {{wp|England}} before furthering his aviation training at the {{wp|Royal Air Force|RAF}}'s {{wp|No. 1 Flying Training School RAF|No. 1 Flying Training School}} in {{wp|RAF Shawbury|Shawbury}}, where he attended as as a {{wp|Flying lieutenant}}. Subsequently, in almost daily reports sent by the training school administrator at that time to Charles's father, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]], the prince was thoroughly noted, such as in one of the reports, for being an "almost naturally talented pilot with bright hopes in the future".
 
At the end of his training, presumably due to his own personal request, Charles was personally gifted by his tutors with a specifically designed {{wp|de Havilland Tiger Moth}} biplane, which notably bore the inscription ''Prince of Wales'' on the right side of its tailplane, signifying Charles's personal ownership of the aircraft. The aircraft, nicknamed ''Charlie'' by Charles himself, would go on to serve as the prince's personal vehicle for his exile to the {{wp|United States}}, and later on, his main choice of aircraft for leisure flights by Charles himself and his later successors. Currently, the plane is said to be in a "generally well" condition, and is estimated to be roughly around eighty four years old since the year it was first manufactured for the prince.
 
====Eastern Tour====
Following his departure from the military, Charles undertook his first diplomatic tour when on December 1935, he travelled to the {{wp|Malay}} state of {{wp|Johor}}, where he met the ''Tunku Mahkota'', or Crown Prince of {{wp|Johor}}, {{wp|Ismail of Johor|Prince Ismail}} whom had then been entrusted with state affairs by his father, {{wp|Ibrahim of Johor|Sultan Ibrahim}}, whom frequently travelled abroad and was also a known friend of the {{wp|British}} royal family. While there, he visited several local cities and villages alongside the crown prince, a trend that was repeated when he subsequently visited {{wp|Singapore}}, then a part of the {{wp|Straits Settlements}}, which he did so alongside its governor, {{wp|Shenton Thomas|Sir Thomas Shenton}}. In his memoirs, Charles repeatedly expressed much amazement and pride of the local scenery, whilst consistently referring to the island city as the ''"Venice of the East"'', alluding to its geographical importance and its harbour-like nature. Then, the prince went on a successive tour of {{wp|Raj of Sarawak|Sarawak}}, {{wp|Brunei}} and {{wp|North Borneo}}, where he met their respective rulers.
 
In the following months, the prince subsequently ventured on a land trip beginning from {{wp|Kingdom of Afghanistan|Afghanistan}}, before further continuing to neighbouring {{wp|Imperial State of Iran|Iran}} and {{wp|Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq}}, and finally ending up in {{wp|Turkey}} where he met the famed {{wp|Turkish}} statesman, {{wp|Mustafa Kemal Atatürk}} whom had prior met the prince's uncle, the [[Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale|Duke of Clarence and Avondale]] around a decade prior. Upon a week long stay, he ultimately departed back for the {{wp|United Kingdom}} from a harbour in {{wp|Istanbul}}.
 
====United States====
On September 1936, Charles was sent on a highly publicised trip to the {{wp|United States}}, meeting the then {{wp|President of the United States|President}}, {{wp|Franklin D. Roosevelt}}, whom Charles reportedly admired on a personal level, which was said to had been mostly due to {{wp|Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt}}'s non-interventionist approach, specifically towards {{wp|Latin America}}. The prince, then accompanied by some members of the {{wp|United States}} government proceeded to tour first the {{wp|Northeastern United States|northeastern}} region of the {{wp|United States}}, during which he reportedly first met his soon-to-be close friend, actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, before moving on westwards, where he met several other respected {{wp|Hollywood}} figures of the time. The overall success of his tour around the country, coupled with the generally warm reception he received were said to had later been the driving factors behind his monumental decision to voluntarily exile himself to the {{wp|United States}}.
 
====The Netherlands====
Around a year after his visit to the {{wp|United States}}, the prince courted some controversy when during a visit to the {{wp|Netherlands}}, Charles, upon meeting with his great uncle, [[Alexander, Prince Consort of the Netherlands|Prince Consort Alexander of the Netherlands]] and his wife, {{wp|Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina}}, he then proceeded to privately visit his maternal grandfather, the deposed {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Kaiser Wilhelm II}}, whom had been living in exile at his personal {{wp|Huis Doorn}} residence in the country. Reportedly, despite their familial ties, neither Charles nor his own grandfather were said to had displayed "even a tiny bit of care or respect for one another", with Charles's outwardly liberal character being a personal issue for the former {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Kaiser}}, while the latter's own starkly contrasting character, and his past record surrounding the {{wp|First World War}} being of Charles's own points of contempt towards his grandfather. Sometime later, he had supposedly proclaimed, ''"I am proud enough to be the descendant of someone as noble as the {{wp|German Emperor}}, {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Frederick III}}, my great-grandfather but not so as the descendant of someone as wretched and despicable as my grandfather, the {{wp|German Emperor}}, {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II}}"''. Furthermore, his apparent rejection of his {{wp|House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern}} ties was made prominent when with the exception of his own beloved {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}}, a member of the {{wp|House of Hohenzollern}} herself, Charles invited no other members of the formerly ruling {{wp|German}} royal house to either his subsequent wedding, or even his own coronation, as he largely believed in disassociating himself from their own past activities and association with {{wp|Nazi}} leader, {{wp|Adolf Hitler}} in particular and the {{wp|Nazi}} leadership as a whole.
 
===Trials & Tribulations===
At the same time, as Charles began to mature significantly in terms of appearance, his apparent likeness to the last {{wp|Emperor of all the Russias|Tsar of Russia}}, {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II}} earned him mixed responses from his contemporaries, as some of them praised his ''"good looking, and captivating"'' appearance, while others, particularly those among nationalist circles, largely used his likeness to the former {{wp|Russian}} monarch as means of ridicule. However, perhaps the most notable consequence of his likeness to the last {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar of Russia}}, was when he  became the subject of a brief, but intense [[Prince of Wales Identity Committee|investigation]] by the {{wp|MI5}} agency, following a rumour purportedly labelling the prince as a supposedly escaped {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar Nicholas II}}, though this was promptly disproven soon afterwards.
 
Furthermore, Charles's heavily {{wp|German}} background, compounded by his familial ties to the {{wp|German}} {{wp|House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern}} royal family also made him a frequent target of anti-{{wp|German}} jibes by his overwhelmingly {{wp|British}}-born aristocratic peers. Consequently, like his father, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]], he would at times be referred to as ''Kaiser Charles'', or alternatively, ''Tsar Charles'' aswell by some of his contemporary critics, with the nicknames alluding first to his {{wp|German}} background, and secondly to the similarity of his appearance to the last {{wp|Emperor of all the Russias|Tsar of Russia}}, {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II}}. Later on, in his memoirs, Charles reportedly summarised his childhood years by describing it as a "rather cold and gruesome period with only the dimmest lights of hope nearby", with the latter part alluding to his close relationship with his {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|mother}} and {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|adoptive sister}}.
 
===The Anti-Nazi Prince===
[[File:Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Prince Wilhelm August of Prussia}}, Charles's maternal uncle and member of the {{wp|NSDAP}}]]
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, Charles, upon reaching the age of eighteen was said to had travelled back and forth to the {{wp|German}}-majority state of {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}} on multiple occasions where in the presence of the {{wp|German}} majority public there, he would then make fiery speeches condemning {{wp|Nazism}} while emphasising the need for unity between the largely {{wp|German}} {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|state}} with the rest of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. To that end, while Charles's speeches were generally well-received by the {{wp|German}}-speaking public, while on the other hand, the prince's public speeches were instead seen with much skepticism by the {{wp|British}} government, with then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|Neville Chamberlain}} in particular expressing concern surrounding the prince's much provocative approach towards the {{wp|Nazis}}, during which he proclaimed, ''"The only thing that I do understandably fear from the Prince of Wales's words is that we might be fighting an unnecessarily aggravated war too soon for it to be in our favour"''.
 
Nevertheless, as a consequence, Charles was also rumoured to had been a high-priority target by the {{wp|Abwehr|''Abwehr''}}, the {{wp|German}} military intelligence unit of the {{wp|NSDAP|Nazi Party}}, though it was unclear regarding the {{wp|''Abwehr''}}'s actual approach in confronting the prince's criticisms, with rumours claiming that the agency had been ordered to initially coerce the prince into secrecy, before ultimately engineering a fatal accident as a last resort, while others suggest that the ''Prince of Wales'' was to be coerced into silence by one of his own {{wp|German}} uncles, {{wp|Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia}}, a member of the {{wp|NSDAP}} himself. Reportedly, sometime on December 1935, the two privately met one another at the city of {{wp|Wiltz}} in {{wp|Luxembourg}}, where the {{wp|Prussian}} prince ultimately failed to convince his nephew, the ''Prince of Wales'' to abandon his anti-{{wp|Nazi}} rhetoric.
 
On March 13th 1938, just a day after the peaceful {{wp|German}} annexation of {{wp|Austria}}, Charles famously declared in one of his regular speeches at the time, ''"The {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover}} is forever part of the {{wp|United Kingdom}} since the days of the {{wp|German}}-born {{wp|George I of Great Britain|King George the First}} and his descendants. The {{wp|NSDAP|National Socialists}}, in the eyes of the Hanoverian people, are as treacherous as those of the {{wp|Paris Commune}} fighting against their own brethren almost seventy years ago. Both are undeniably extremists and malicious radicals against their own fellow kind"''.
 
===The Polyglot Prince===
Having been born to both a naturally {{wp|English}} father and a {{wp|German}} mother, a young Charles proved quick to master said languages by the age of nine, thereby fulfilling expectations arising from his mixed {{wp|Anglo}}-{{wp|German}} ancestry. At the same time, in order to better familiarise himself with his {{wp|Swedish}}-born {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|adoptive sister}}, Charles also took up a solid interest in mastering the language aswell, in which by the age of thirteen, he was reportedly able to have almost daily conversations with his {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|adoptive sister}} in her native language, albeit with an apparent {{wp|English}} accent.
 
When Charles was around eighteen years old, he, with the encouragement of his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]], had initially accepted an offer by the {{wp|British}} government to help educate him in the {{wp|Russian}} language, although unbeknownst to both father and son, the effort had merely been a ruse to shield the government's real intent on supposedly proving a theory alleging that the prince had been the last {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar of Russia}} all along. When this clandestine effort subsequently fell apart, a then reportedly humiliated Charles initially had the government-sponsored agents sent away from the palace, though he would then soon after reinvite the said agents to the palace, as a means to genuinely learn the {{wp|Russian}} language itself, which he reportedly achieved within a span of one and a half year long.
 
At the same time, as with his appointment as {{wp|Counsellor of State}}, Charles began to first take up a series of international visits around the globe meant to better the standings between his country and the international community. Thus, following his maiden visit to the {{wp|Malay}} state of {{wp|Johor}}, Charles's interest in the language was quick to spark, although his subsequent desire to immediately learn the language was cut short by a lack of experienced {{wp|European}} tutors.
 
Nevertheless, in addition to his interest in other {{wp|European}} languages, namely {{wp|French}}, {{wp|Italian}}, and {{wp|Danish}}, his other interests in non-{{wp|European}} languages, such as the {{wp|Hindustani language|Hindustani}}, {{wp|Modern Standard Arabic|Arabic}}, {{wp|Turkish language|Turkish}}, and {{wp|Persian}} languages, persisted throughout his lifetime, with Charles himself utilising his interest in said languages to a great degree, thereby allowing him, in his own words, ''"to speak to those people so different from myself with as much humility as possible"''.
 
===Tennis Career===
Beginning from the age of five, Charles's interest in sports began to cultivate, primarily from the influence of his sports enthusiastic sister, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Princess Ingrid}}, and later, his own [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|father]], with the latter being an initially avid hockey player up until his own accesion as sovereign, having been initially exposed to it while residing in {{wp|Canada}}, where the sport is immensely popular. Furthermore, in addition to hockey, Charles also grew up playing other types of sports such as horse riding, polo, and tennis, with {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} being his principal coaching figure and at times, his competitor in their friendly matches.
 
Eventually, having initially deliberated over pursuing a career in either tennis or hockey, a sixteen year old Charles opted for the former when on June 1933, he, alongside {{wp|Ingrid}} competed at {{wp|The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon}} for the first time in the mixed doubles tournament, in which the pair came out as runner-ups following a loss to the victorious {{wp|German}} pair, {{wp|Gottfried von Cramm}} and {{wp|Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling}}. A year later, the two competed together again, and this time, they were able to successfully become champions in that year's tournament although in the subsequent year, Charles himself competed alone as {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} opted to first settle into her new marriage, in which he narrowly won the runner up spot against his {{wp|German}} rival, {{wp|Gottfried von Cramm}}, but lost against fellow {{wp|British}} tennis player, {{wp|Fred Perry}} for the champion spot. In 1936, the two reunited once more to successfully win that year's championships.
 
However, following the 1936 championships, neither Charles nor {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} participated in the subsequent {{wp|The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon}} championships as the former in particular, chose to concentrate more on his princely duties, although for a brief moment in the year 1939, while living in the {{wp|United States}}, Charles competed in the {{wp|US Open (Tennis)|US Open}} championships, which he won alongside the {{wp|American}} actress, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}. Nevertheless, in what would be both their last two participations in {{wp|The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon}}, the two paired up together once more to successively win the 1946 and 1947 championships, before subsequently declaring their simultaneous retirement from professional tennis.
 
===The Left-Wing Prince of Wales===
While the prince had been obviously born a royal and mostly grew up in a generally right-wing environment, with the upper {{wp|British}} nobility being an integral part of his upbringing due to his royal status, Charles's drift towards left-wing politics was initially considered to had been caused by his past relationship with {{wp|Jessica Mitford}}, a {{wp|British}} noblewoman whom, despite her status, later became a devout {{wp|communist}} herself. However, it was believed that the prince's frequent enduring of racial prejudice during his childhood may have contributed his drift into left-wing ideologies, namely {{wp|socialism}}. Thus, Charles's childhood grievances, coupled with his own remarkably liberal character, which was further solidified throughout the years, were considered as being the most likely reasons for the eventual perceptions alluding to the king as being that of a socialist, although in his memoirs, he frequently labelled himself to be more of a liberal rather than a socialist.
 
Throughout his reign, despite it being done in a generally private manner, Charles reportedly enjoyed several warm, though complicated relationships with several left-wing political leaders of the time, such as {{wp|Fidel Castro}} of {{wp|Cuba}}, {{wp|Yugoslavian}} leader, {{wp|Josip Broz Tito}} (whom Charles was said to had favoured the most), his own then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|Harold Wilson}}, and {{wp|Vietnamese}} guerilla leader, {{wp|Ho Chi Minh}}, whom the prince never physically met with, but rather interacted with solely through the use of letters.
 
==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}}]]
Sometime in the middle of 1938, hoping to escape the distressing anti-{{wp|German}} sentiment back home, Charles, upon receiving a much reluctantly handed approval from his parents, promptly arranged for a silent retreat to the {{wp|United States}}, whereby the prince and a group of selectively chosen confidantes would enter the country via air under the cover of night. Thus, under the basis of the respective {{wp|British}} and {{wp|American}} timezones, the group, consisting of approximately ten people including Charles himself departed from {{wp|Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove|RAF Aldergrove}} in {{wp|Northern Ireland}} at approximately 5:00 A.M., as it would provide the group with at least a six hours long window for their arrival in the {{wp|United States}}, which was five hours behind {{wp|Britain}}. After a lengthy flight, at exactly 5:20 A.M. local time,  the group touched down at the {{wp|McGuire Air Force Base}} in {{wp|Burlington County}}, {{wp|New Jersey}}, where they were privately welcomed by the then {{wp|United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War}}, {{wp|Harry Hines Woodring}}.
 
Immediately following his arrival, a series of confidential agreements was struck with the {{wp|United States}} government whereby the knowledge of Charles's actual identity was to be strictly restricted to among cabinet officials while in public, or at least, in official terms, he would be registered as a citizen under his assumed alias. His cover, which was solidly preserved through cosmetic modifications and through the government's own intervention, remained undiscovered until sometime in early 1940, albeit by Charles's own initiative, when he began publicly appearing on local televisions and radios as himself, offering and encouraging support for the {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} war effort.
 
Although the situation, in terms of anti-{{wp|German}} sentiment proved somewhat indifferent, this was alleviated by the prince's decision to assume an entirely different identity altogether. Then, Charles, whom 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 as a means of making additional money. To that end, he promptly 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 distinguishable upper-class persona and his unique {{wp|Anglo}}-{{wp|German}} accent, alongside his {{wp|Mid-Atlantic}} accent aswell, which he perfected overtime.
 
==Second World War: The Pacific==
===Death of a Prince===
[[File:William Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|right|[[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh]], Charles's only brother and sibling]]
On May 24th 1941, at around midnight, while residing at the house of his close friend, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, the prince, upon being hastily awakened by the actress, was first informed via one of his own entourage members of the death of his brother, the [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]], whom had been killed in service during a naval confrontation at the {{wp|Battle of the Denmark Strait|Denmark Strait}}. The news of his brother's death, which was described as being ''"profoundly mood-changing, and devastating"'', initially led Charles to strongly abstain from ever enlisting for the {{wp|Second World War}}, as it was deemed necessary for him to live in order to properly succeed his father, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]]. Nevertheless, after a brief period of "personal exile", Charles went on to become heavily invested 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}}, and would hold 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}}, with later rumours suggesting that the prince had been covertly involved in several espionage activities for the {{wp|American}} government due to his natural proficiency in {{wp|German}}. Furthermore, despite the difficulties, he also consistently maintained contact with his parents, the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King]] and {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Queen}} back home, with the royal couple having refused to leave the country amidst constant aerial {{wp|German}} bombardment.
 
===USAF Service===
[[File:Charles Flying.png|thumb|right|The ''Prince of Wales'' alongside fellow airmen at a {{wp|United States Air Force|USAF}} air base in {{wp|Australia}}]]
Eventually, around March 1942, despite having initially abstained from enlisting for the {{wp|Second World War}}, Charles chose to ultimately enlist as an officer in the {{wp|United States Air Force}}, a decision that reportedly arose from the prince's own personal desire to fly both civilian and military aircrafts in his own lifetime, and his additional desire to honour his late [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|brother]]. Concurrently, his enlistment into the military was done so under his assumed alias, as both the prince and the {{wp|United States}} government sought to avoid knowledge of such an important royal being in the frontlines from being leaked to either the {{wp|German}} or {{wp|Japanese}} intelligence agencies, lest risking an assassination attempt on his life.
 
Nevertheless, for the next two years, due to the overwhelming concerns surrounding his likelihood of survival when in direct combat, 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 {{wp|Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa}}, and was instead relegated to a defensive post in northern {{wp|Australia}}, albeit after a much bitter compromise, where he partook in the defence of {{wp|Australia}} alongside fellow {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} servicemen against {{wp|Japanese}} air raids. While in {{wp|Australia}}, as he piloted a {{wp|Lockheed P-38 Lightning}} aircraft, Charles  partook extensively in his {{wp|6th Air Intelligence Squadron|squadron}}'s reconaissance activities around the area of the {{wp|Southwest Pacific}}, photographing enemy logistics and bases during which he  amassed a confirmed total amount of five downed {{wp|Japanese}} fighter aircrafts, with each one of them having been first intercepted during patrols before being subsequently shot down, thus earning him an {{wp|Air Medal}} award, alongside several other decorations. At the same time, whilst remaining under his assumed alias in the general public, Charles also secretly met with members of the {{wp|Australian}}, and later {{wp|New Zealand}} governments. 
 
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|Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General}} and {{wp|Air commodore}} in the {{wp|British Army}} and {{wp|Royal Air Force}} respectively. On the day of his marriage, he was last promoted to {{wp|Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General}} by {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Harry S. Truman|Truman}}, making him the only {{wp|British}} royal to achieve such a distinction in the {{wp|United States}} military. On the day of his ascension to the throne, Charles ultimately retired from the {{wp|United States Air Force}}.
 
===War's End===
Following his return to the {{wp|United States}}, his active involvement in wartime matters nevertheless remained consistent and interrupted. For instance, aside from the usual speeches on public radios, Charles himself, on October 3rd 1944, visited {{wp|Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt}}, which had then saw the major battle of {{wp|Second Battle of El Alamein|El-Alamein}} between {{wp|German}} and {{wp|Fremch}} forces around two years prior, where under much closed circumstances, he held several private meetings with the kingdom's {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk}}.
 
A couple of weeks later, having presumably learned of a supposed plot by {{wp|Jewish}} militant groups to assasinate him, Charles promptly headed up north to the {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}}-occupied island of {{wp|Sicily}}, where apart from reportedly keeping himself busy with wartime briefings by local {{wp|Allies of World War II|Allied}} soldiers, he was said to had also frequented local {{wp|Sicilian}} towns, offering voluntary assistance in rebuilding efforts whenever he would pass by one. Nevertheless, in the early days of the following November, Charles had already returned back to the {{wp|United States}}, having initially planned on a brief visit to his {{wp|British}} home country, a plan ultimately denied due to security concerns.
==Reign==
Despite Charles's return to the {{wp|United Kingdom}} on January 1949, 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, despite leaving the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King]] with only minor and non-worrisome injuries, Charles himself began to take up his role as {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of Wales''}} in a more frequent manner, as he then notably spearheaded efforts in further strengthening the {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations}}, through 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}} respectively. Exactly two months before his ascension to the throne, Charles and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}} went on a visit to {{wp|India}} where they exchanged brief, but friendly dialogues with the {{wp|Indian}} {{wp|Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jawaharlal Nehru}}, whom Charles greatly admired and somewhat sympathised with.
 
On the afternoon of July 7th 1951, as [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] died in his sleep, the princely couple, whom were then in the midst of a hunting trip at the {{wp|Scottish Highlands}} was promptly informed of the king's death, leading them to immediately abort the hunting trip and return back to {{wp|Edinburgh Castle}}, before subsequently departing for {{wp|London}} onboard the {{wp|British Royal Train|Royal Train}}. When questioned by his private secretary, [[Lord Davies]] regarding his regnal name, Charles immediately declared that he would be using his own given name, thereby becoming ''Charles the Third''. When this was subsequently relayed to the government and ultimately to the public, it incurred a degree of controversy, largely due to the name's negative associations with its two previous respective holders. In particular, the then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|Clement Attlee}} was said to had initially advised the new king to instead adopt one of his middle names, with the name ''William'' being the most preferred choice, as he would be honouring his revered late great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]]. Nevertheless, in response, just a few hours after his arrival in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, Charles notably declared in a televised speech his right to choose his own regnal name and his own starkly contrasting image to the two previous Charles's, during which he famously proclaimed, ''"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}}, whom simultaneously holds the position of {{wp|Earl Marshal}}, into whitelisting {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s mother instead. Ultimately, the older Bacall 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}}. She was later granted her own apartment in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, where she primarily resided in until her own death in 1972, and was also made a marchioness by Charles himself. Later on, following the death of his mother-in-law, Charles himself personally oversaw the former's funeral arrangements during which, amidst much initial controversy, he was able to successfully have the older Bacall be buried in {{wp|Westminster Abbey}} despite her own {{wp|Jewish}}, as to not separate mother and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|daughter}}, for later on, Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} themselves were also buried alongside the older Bacall in {{wp|Westminster Abbey}} upon their respective deaths in the year 2011 and 2014.
 
With his ascension as {{wp|King of the United Kingdom|King of the British}}, 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. Just a year after his ascension to the throne, Charles resumed his {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth}}-oriented tour by undertaking 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 the year 1875. During his visit to the peninsula, Charles successively met with the {{wp|Malay}} rulers, with the ruler of {{wp|Johor}}, {{wp|Ibrahim of Johor|Sultan Ibrahim}} reputedly being his closest acquaintance, mirroring the latter's {{wp|Abu Bakar of Johor|father}}'s friendship with Charles's great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]]. At the same time, he also paid a brief visit to the {{wp|List of sultans of Brunei|Sultan of Brunei}}, {{wp|Omar Ali Saifuddien III}}, whom had recently succeeded to the throne a couple of years earlier.
 
===The Suez Crisis===
[[File:Kingfarouk1948.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk of Egypt}}, whom Charles notably evicted from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} after just three days of the latter residing 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}} had 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 {{wp|Egyptian}} throne. However, despite this decision, the king himself was said to had been personally skeptical towards such an initiative, as he was primarily concerned by the former {{wp|Egyptian}} {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|king}}'s known promiscuity, a stark contrast towards his own chaste character. Eventually, despite an initially warm acceptance of the former {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk}} upon his arrival in the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, the former {{wp|Egyptian}} monarch was ultimately evicted from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} just three days later by the insistence of {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} whom reportedly found the former king a "strikingly repulsive, dangerous, and unruly bloated fellow". When {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|Farouk}} himself later passed away almost a decade later in the year 1965 while staying at his new residence in {{wp|England}}, both Charles and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}} immediately abstained from attending the former {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|king}}'s funeral, with {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} herself having reportedly said, ''"he {{wp|Farouk of Egypt|[King Farouk]}} deserves no rights to our sympathy"''.
 
On October 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 later 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.
 
===''Prince of the Welsh''===
On July 22nd 1951, as the king was about to create his eldest son, the then {{wp|Duke of Cornwall}}, the {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of Wales''}}, the former abruptly declared that all heir apparents to the {{wp|British}} throne, including the then [[William VI of the United Kingdom|Prince William]] was to be formally known as the ''Prince of the Welsh'', rather than in its current form. Almost immediately, when questioned regarding his rationale behind the change, the king promptly stated that it was in line with the changes made by his father and predecessor, the late [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] whom had prior altered the title of ''King of the United Kingdom'' to that of ''King of the British'' instead with much public and government support himself. The change ultimately resided with his successor, while his granddaughter [[Alexandra I of the United Kingdom|Alexandra]] was subsequently referred to as the ''Princess of the Welsh'' upon becoming heir apparent to her own father.
 
===Charles & Hollywood===
In addition to his relations with various political leaders around the world, Charles himself maintained a sizable degree of connections within the {{wp|Hollywood}} industry, as a consequence of him and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}}'s prior acting careers. For instance, Charles was generally close to the likes of former actresses, {{wp|Hedy Lamarr}} and {{wp|Grace Kelly}}, both of whom had married into {{wp|European}} royalty. However, Charles was generally known for his particularly close friendship with the {{wp|American}} singer and actor, {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, the latter having been initially employed as one of the main musicians at Charles's wedding before being invited to perform both publicly and privately in {{wp|London}} by Charles's own behest on several occassions. Furthermore, the two were said to had frequented various private resorts alongside their respective wives, and were also said to had particularly enjoyed a game of golf at almost every opportunity. Notably enough, upon the birth of Charles's firstborn son, the later [[William VI of the United Kingdom|King William VI]] on December 1950, Charles himself personally included {{wp|Frank Sinatra|Sinatra}}'s own first name and middle name in the naming of his firstborn son.
 
Among other names included actors {{wp|Marlon Brando}}, {{wp|Orson Welles}}, {{wp|Elvis Presley}}, and actresses {{wp|Rita Hayworth}}, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, {{wp|Audrey Hepburn}}, the famed {{wp|Marilyn Monroe}} (whom Charles was briefly associated with through generally malicious rumours at the time), and others. 
 
===Cold War Monarch===
Around a couple of years into his reign, the death of {{wp|Soviet}} leader, {{wp|Joseph Stalin}} led to a brief power struggle within the {{wp|USSR}}, although this was quickly patched up with the subsequent rise of {{wp|Nikita Khrushchev}}, whom notably embarked on a campaign of {{wp|de-Stalinization}}, marking an apparent departure from the former {{wp|Soviet}} leader's rule. Concurrently, Charles, sensing an opportunity to de-escalate the {{wp|Cold War}} through the new {{wp|Soviet}} leadership, embarked on a state visit to {{wp|Moscow}} on September that year, during which he reportedly established cordial relations with the {{wp|Soviet}} politburo although ironically enough, his apparent likeness to the last {{wp|Russian}} {{wp|Emperor of all the Russias|Tsar}}, {{wp|Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II}} earned the ire of several {{wp|Soviet}} officials. Nevertheless, following his visit, he became the then most recent {{wp|British}} monarch to set foot in {{wp|Russia}} after his great-grandfather, [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]].
 
==Abdication==
By the late 1990's, Charles, despite already being almost eighty years of age, was said to had never initially contemplated on the idea of abdication as despite his old age, the King himself was described as being in a generally healthy condition for his own age. Nevertheless, on January 15th 1997, on his 80th birthday, Charles formally announced his abdication from his residence of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}. His abdication, which came out as an unexpected development among the {{wp|British}} public, but less so by members of the government was subsequently commemorated with a special event honouring the former sovereign, which was held around a week after his abdication. Additionally, a day after his abdication, the former king and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|queen}} held a symbolic visit to the island nation of {{wp|Tonga}}, whose sovereign, {{wp|Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV|King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV}}, was the son of the royal couple's close friend, the late {{wp|Sālote Tupou III|Queen Sālote Tupou III}}.
 
While the primary reason for his abdication remained a point of contention, it was somewhat believed however that the King's abdication was primarily orchestrated by none other than his own wife, the then {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} whom reputedly coerced her husband into abdicating on his 80th birthday out of concern and need to prolong the latter's livelihood, which was done so through relieving the latter of his royal duties, which were judged to had been hazardous to his health in his later years. Nevertheless, following his abdication, Charles continued to retain some degree of activity as the most senior member of the royal family. On March 2003, the former king was rumoured to had been involved in a personal and private feud with then {{wp|Labour Party (UK)|Labour}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|Tony Blair}}, whom the former monarch was said to had derisively likened to {{wp|Tony Blair|Blair}}'s predecessor, {{wp|Anthony Eden}}, whom was {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} himself during the infamous {{wp|Suez Crisis}}.
 
On June 2014, around three years after his death, Charles's abdication briefly became a subject of comparison alongside the then recent abdication of the {{wp|Spanish}} monarch, {{wp|Juan Carlos I|King Juan Carlos I}} of {{wp|Spain}} as the latter's abdication from the throne, in a manner similar to that of Charles's own abdication almost two decades earlier also left the country with two kings, with one of them being the former while the other as the currently reigning monarch, as the subsequent ascension of {{wp|Felipe VI|King Felipe VI}} was in turn generally likened to that of his own son, [[William VI of the United Kingdom|King William VI]]'s. However, at the same time, it was later noted that unlike the former {{wp|Spanish}} monarch, Charles's own post abdication life generally remained spotless with minimal controversies, with the former {{wp|British}} monarch himself being consistently regarded as a highly celebrated figure well after his death.
 
Soon after his abdication, after consulting with the then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|John Major}}, alongside his eldest son and immediate successor, the new [[William VI of the United Kingdom|King William VI]], then followed by a historic public referendum among the general {{wp|British}} public, Charles, instead of being bestowed upon with a dukedom, was ultimately allowed to retain his title of ''King of the British'', thereby establishing the period between the years 1997 to 2011 as the only period in {{wp|British}} history where there were two legally recognised kings at the same time.
 
==Death==
On March 3rd 2011, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Charles died in his sleep while residing in {{wp|Edinburgh Castle}}, {{wp|Scotland}}, which had been the former king's preferred residence since his abdication. His death, which was first reported by the now widowed {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} was promptly followed by a day of mourning, whilst his body was first flown from {{wp|Edinburgh}} to {{wp|London}}, before being laid in state at {{wp|Westminster Palace|Westminster Hall}}. Ultimately, on March 5th, his body was finally laid to rest at {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}, alongside his mother-in-law, Natalie Bacall. Three years later, the then deceased {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} was subsequently interred alongside him and the former.
 
On January 15th 2017, his posthumous 100th birthday celebration was held across the {{wp|United Kingdom}} during which a number of the Royal Family members privately visited his tomb to pay their respects while the {{wp|BBC}} notably aired a special documentary surrounding the late king's life.
 
==Marriage==
===Charles & Ingrid===
[[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|King William V]], Charles's future marital prospects were left entirely to his own parents by his grandfather, [[George V of the United Kingdom|King 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]] whom were in turn taught with a strong sense of self-discipline and various household skills by {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} herself. Consequently, Charles 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. Genealogy-wise, through the paternal line, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} is the prince's fourth cousin via a shared third great grandfather, {{wp|George III|King George III}}, while the latter is in turn, Charles's third cousin via a common great great grandfather, the {{wp|German Emperor}}, {{wp|William I, German Emperor|Wilhelm I}}.
 
In around mid-1919, as Charles and his parents were about to depart back for the {{wp|United Kingdom}} due to his grandfather, [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]]'s worsening condition, an ''"emotionally devastated"'' two year old Charles was immediately overjoyed upon learning that {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} whom, with her {{wp|Gustaf V|grandfather}}'s permission was allowed to accompany him and his family back to their home country, a decision supported by Charles's own parents whom had already valued the princess as a vital companion to the young Charles. Thus, for the next sixteen years, 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. On a near daily basis, Charles and {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} would compete against each other in various sports, with tennis in particular being a favourite of the two, so much so that the two would go on to compete several times in the {{wp|The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon}} championships together, accumulating general success in their decade long career together.
 
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". During the latter's subsequent marriage to {{wp|Frederick IX of Denmark|Crown Prince Frederick}} of {{wp|Denmark}}, Charles himself served as one of the crown prince's groomsmen, by {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}'s own personal behest.
 
Eventually, for reasons most likely due to {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}}'s own departure for {{wp|Denmark}}, compounded by the rampant {{wp|Germanophobia}} at the time, ultimately compelled a twenty-one year old Charles to voluntarily exile himself in secrecy to the {{wp|United States}} alongside a small, personal 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 was reunited with {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} during the latter's visit to the {{wp|United States}}, during which she was reunited with the prince at his {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} [[Wales House|residence]], where she later chose to reside at for her month-long tour, discarding the usual tradition of residing at the {{wp|Blair House}} as a foreign visitor to the country.
 
During the {{wp|Second World War}}, with {{wp|Denmark}} under {{wp|Nazi}} occupation, Charles, whom was personally concerned of his now captive adopted sister's life, once reportedly proposed to the {{wp|British}} government for a covert military operation to specifically rescue the {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Crown Princess of Denmark}} whom, alongside members of the {{wp|Danish}} royal family had been left relatively unharmed by the occupying {{wp|Germans}}. The operation, codenamed ''Operation Maroon'', had envisaged a small group of {{wp|Royal Marines}} servicemen being deployed approximately 3km from the city of {{wp|Copenhagen}} where from there, at exactly night time, the soldiers, posed as ordinary {{wp|Danish}} soldiers would enter the {{wp|Danish}} royal residence of {{wp|Amalienborg}} in the capital city before promptly evacuating the crown princess, firstly by land to a remote coastal area, before subsequently evacuating the former back to the {{wp|United Kingdom}} by boat. However, the plan itself was ultimately struck down out of fear of jeopardising {{wp|Denmark}}'s warm relations with {{wp|Nazi Germany}}, and thus, its people's security, and later on, by the {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|crown princess}}'s own refusal to leave her own people behind.
 
In the second half of the 20th century, both Charles and {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid}} maintained a well-preserved cordial relationship, lasting until the latter's death on November 2000.
 
===Pre-Exile===
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Prior to his own self-exile to the {{wp|United States}}, the prince, despite being somewhat socially ostracised due to his family's {{wp|German}} connections, was said to had nevertheless enjoyed some degree of attraction from the women of the upper-class gentry. For instance, at the age of eighteen, Charles's first romantic relationship came about when he was introduced to a similarly aged {{wp|Jessica Mitford}}, the fifth eldest of the infamous {{wp|Mitford family|Mitford}} sisters. Reportedly, despite strong reservations held by Charles's parents as a result of {{wp|Jessica Mitford|Mitford}}'s older sisters' affiliations with the {{wp|British Union of Fascists}} and the {{wp|Nazi Party}} respectively, the two were said to had been somewhat cordial in their relationship, though it was described as being ''"rather generally chaste and innocent, yet flirtatious at times"''. Nevertheless, the couple separated in early 1938 when {{wp|Jessica Mitford|Mitford}} unexpectedly chose to elope with her second cousin, {{wp|Esmond Romilly}}, whom had prior served in the {{wp|Spanish Civil War}} on the side of the {{wp|Republican faction (Spanish Civil War)|Republicans}}. Almost immediately, word of their separation caused great controversy among the upper {{wp|British}} elite, whom began to perceive the ''Prince of Wales'' as a communist sympathiser due to his past affiliation with {{wp|Jessica Mitford|Mitford}}.
 
Nevertheless, soon after their separation, Charles was quick to find himself a new romantic partner, an effort that proved successful when he was then introduced to the eighteen year old {{wp|Sarah Baring}}, whose lack of affliation with politics that was prevalent in Charles's previous romantic partner proved much reassuring for Charles's parents whom, sensing the two's closeness and mutual affection towards one another, began to encourage their relationship. However, despite the generally positive nature of their relationship, at the same time, {{wp|Sarah Baring|Baring}} was rumoured to had also been in a relationship with Charles's younger brother [[Prince William, Duke of Edinburgh|William]], though this did not seemingly materialised prior to Charles's departure for the {{wp|United States}}, in which {{wp|Sarah Baring|Baring}} herself was unable to follow suit due to her own parents' restrictions, thereby effectively ending their relationship. However, around the end of the {{wp|Second World War}}, {{wp|Sarah Baring|Baring}} was briefly suggested, to which she herself enthusiastically supported, to be the alternative wife for Charles, potentially replacing his then romantic interest and later wife, the {{wp|American}} actress, {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}. Ultimately, despite Charles's own refusal to reciprocate {{wp|Sarah Baring|Baring}}'s affections, which was subsequently followed by his and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s own wedding ceremony on March 1946, the two were said to had remained friends throughout their respective lives. In particular, from the year 1951 to 1960, {{wp|Sarah Baring|Baring}} herself notably served as the later {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}}'s first {{wp|Mistress of the Robes}}.
 
===Katharine Hepburn & Lauren Bacall===
[[File:Katharine Hepburn promo pic.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, whom Charles first befriended following his exile to the {{wp|United States}}]]
Following his exile to the {{wp|United States}}, Charles did not initially sought on immediately seeking a new love interest of his own, having opted instead towards building an acting career under the guise of his pseudonym. However, on March 3rd, while dining at a local restaurant in {{wp|New York City}}, the prince was reunited with {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}} whom, as a result of Charles having his iconic beard shaved off, did not initially recognised the prince while in actuality, the two had met one another just three years prior when the prince was conducting his very first visit to the {{wp|United States}}, during which, as a result of Charles's then tightly arranged schedule, the two had only been able to spend a limited amount of time with one another.
 
Upon having reintroduced himself to the actress, the two quickly resumed their friendship through an exchange of visits to one another's residences, where they were often said to had played sports against one another, with tennis and golf being a common choice of option, whilst occassionally discussing their shared liberal and progressive views. Even so, despite the two generally regarding each other as "officially close friends", their closeness together greatly concerned then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Neville Chamberlain}} whom generally feared that, if left unchecked, the possibility of an actual marriage materialising would in turn cause great concern for the {{wp|British}} establishment, not least due to her {{wp|American}} nationality and commoner status, but rather due to her outspoken nature and her recent divorce which, since {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s ex-husband was still alive at the time, would have specifically conflicted with Charles's future role as the head of the {{wp|Church of England}}, which did not canonically recognised marriages with a divorcee whose spouse is still alive at the time of marriage.
 
Nevertheless, throughout the duration of their relationship, out of mutual interest in keeping their public lives as private as possible, both Charles and {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} reportedly assumed false identities as being supposed siblings, with the said personas being their common choice of identity whenever they were meeting someone new on the outside. Allegedly, Charles, under his false identity, would've been known as ''Martin Montgomery'' while {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}, under the pretext of being the prince's supposed "sister", would in turn assume the identity of ''Anne Montgomery'', a decision later falsely believed to had been the prince honouring the famed {{wp|British}} {{wp|Field Marshal}}, {{wp|Bernard Montgomery}} whom, in contrast to said assumptions, had only rose to prominence during the subsequent {{wp|Second World War}}, which was after the decision to assume the coincidentally similar surname together by the prince and the actress.
 
Ultimately, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s own sole opposition to further marriages after her divorce negated any possibility of a marriage between the two, although for a time, at least in their respective inner circles, the two were closely associated with one another. Aside from their frequent meetings with one another, both Charles and {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} notably competed together, with the former under his assumed pseudonym in the 1939 Wimbledon Championships, which they were able to win. A year later, he further assisted {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} through some provisions of financial aid for the actress's role in {{wp|The Philadelphia Story (film)|''The Philadelphia Story''}} (1940).
 
Later on, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} herself would serve as the sole bridesmaid to Charles's wife, {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}, whom the former also closely befriended, at their royal wedding, and reportedly went on to become an influential advisor to the king on women's issues in the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. Furthermore, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} herself was said to had been first the namesake, and subsequent godmother for Charles's daughters, [[Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway|Crown Princess Catherine of Norway]], reputedly named after {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} herself, and [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany]]. Ultimately, in the following decades, despite not being related in any way to the {{wp|British}} royal family, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} was nevertheless considered as an "honorary member" of the royal family, with ''Aunt Kate'' being her common moniker among Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s family members. Eventually, upon the actress's death on June 2003, Charles promptly acquired the late actress's residence in {{wp|Fenwick}}, {{wp|Connecticut}} himself, and since his own later demise, the estate has been managed as a private property of the {{wp|British}} royal family alongside several other private properties belonging to the family in the {{wp|United States}}, namely [[Wales House]] in {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}.
 
Conclusively, while the nature of their relationship received generally minimal levels of coverage by both the {{wp|British}} and {{wp|American}} media, it proved to be a long-lasting concern for the {{wp|British}} government for all its reasons, although it allegedly cooled down around the mid-1940's to a more cordial level when Charles was to be respectively married to his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}} while {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} in turn sought a new romantic partner in fellow actor, {{wp|Spencer Tracy}}, which lasted until his death. However, the two were said to had "emotionally reconciled" following {{wp|Spencer Tracy|Tracy}}'s death in June 1967, although as revealed by his [[Alexandra I of the United Kingdom|granddaughter]] in an interview on January 2018, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s general state of friendship with the king was mostly welcomed upon by the then {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} herself whom was said to had trusted both Charles and {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} well enough to "respect each other's boundaries", made evident by the actress's extremely close association and overall involvement in the private lives of the King and Queen's family.
 
[[File:Lauren Bacall 1945 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Lauren Bacall}} in 1945]]
While posing as a {{wp|British}}-{{wp|American}} actor under the alias of ''Robert Clarke'', he was first introduced to the then newly debuted actress, {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} whom prior to their eventual 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, which was said to had evolved from an initially professional mentorlike relationship to a romantic one overtime gradually amassed attention from the {{wp|American}} media at the time 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 just a couple of years later. At the same time, just prior to his deployment for the {{wp|Pacific War}}, {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}, alongside her own mother, moved in together with the prince at the latter's estate in {{wp|New York City}}, 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}}. Throughout the subsequent duration of the {{wp|Second World War|war}}, the two generally remained in contact with one another using telephones and other forms of communication.
 
On April 17th 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 {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Lauren}} is my dearest wife"''. While both the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King]] and {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Queen}} chose not to oppose their son's decision out of fear of upsetting 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 some 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 few years prior, the couple made their first formal public appearance together at a state dinner on May 8th that year, hosted by the then newly inaugurated {{wp|President of the United States|President}}, {{wp|Harry S. Truman|Harry Truman}} as part of the {{wp|Victory in Europe Day}} celebrations.
 
Just a month later, 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 for their separation. 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 to concede to the proposed alternatives. In an immediate follow-up, over the course of around two months long, Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} then promptly embarked on an international 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 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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Following {{wp|Winston Churchill|Churchill}}'s electoral defeat in July 1945, the succeeding {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}, {{wp|Clement Attlee}}, promptly declared his support for the marriage whilst arguing that {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s lack of status as a divorcee would present no conflict with the {{wp|Church of England|Church}}'s teachings, although he admitted that the latter's {{wp|Jewish}} belief was "politically compromising". At one point, rumours of {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} allegedly serving as a spy for {{wp|Zionist}} militant groups in {{wp|Mandatory Palestine}}, then followed by anonymous claims regarding her alleged infidelity during Charles's absence for the {{wp|Second World War|war}} briefly circulated among both the {{wp|British}} public and government, though these were promptly rebuked by Charles himself before being subsequently discredited by government officials. Among his most notable critics was his then incarcerated uncle, {{wp|Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia}}, an ardent {{wp|Nazi}} whom reportedly lambasted the ''Prince of Wales'' in an interview for "eloping with an {{wp|Untermensch}} (subhuman)", alluding to his wife's {{wp|Jewish}} faith. Later on, a private meeting with the {{wp|Geoffrey Fisher|Archbishop of Canterbury}} in the following month at the {{wp|Isle of Man}} secured the {{wp|Church of England|Church}}'s ultimate approval of the union, which soon led to an engagement on September 25th. Following this, the couple was advised to wait for at least a year to make way for preparations surrounding the wedding ceremony.
 
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 going further south to {{wp|Saudi Arabia}}, where they were hosted by the {{wp|Saudi}} {{wp|Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia|King Abdulaziz}}, better known as Ibn Saud. Approximately a week later, the couple departed from {{wp|Jeddah}}, {{wp|Saudi Arabia}} for a five months long tour comprising {{wp|Australia}}, {{wp|New Zealand}}, and the {{wp|Oceanian}} island countries, where they generally enjoyed immense popularity among the locals, particularly in {{wp|Tonga}} where the couple struck a cordial friendship with the {{wp|Tongan}} ruler, {{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, {{wp|Ingrid of Sweden|Crown Princess Ingrid}} of {{wp|Denmark}}.
 
[[File:Wedding Mansion.jpg|thumb|right|{{wp|Oheka Castle}}, where the royal couple was married on March 1946]]
On March 1946, the two were married in a private {{wp|Anglican}} ceremony in {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}}'s native home state of {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}. The ceremony, which was held at {{wp|Oheka Castle}} in {{wp|Long Island}}, 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 was then treated to a statewide tour, in which 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 the month of August 1950, though this was mixed in with periodical visits to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}.
 
[[File:Boat LX.jpg|thumb|right|''Independence'', the yacht bought and owned by Charles and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|wife}}]]
For their honeymoon tour, the couple embarked on a notably four months long visit to the island countries of {{wp|Seychelles}} and {{wp|Tonga}}, which were reportedly preferred due to their remote nature and beautiful scenery. Beginning with a flight from {{wp|New York}}, the couple momentarily stopped in {{wp|Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt}} before proceeding further south to {{wp|Union of South Africa|South Africa}} where from there, Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} arrived in {{wp|Seychelles}} via a ship, where they were subsequently received by the then {{wp|List of colonial governors and administrators of Seychelles|Governor of Seychelles}}, {{wp|Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke|Sir Percy Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke}}. After about a two months long stay, the couple returned back to {{wp|Union of South Africa|South Africa}} before proceeding further east to a stop in {{wp|British Raj|India}}, then {{wp|Colony of Singapore|Singapore}}, and subsequently {{wp|Australia}} and {{wp|New Zealand}}, from which the couple departed for {{wp|Tonga}}. While residing in the island country for approximately two months long, similar to that of the length of their stay in {{wp|Seychelles}}, the royal couple engaged in a multitude of activities alongside the {{wp|Tongan}} community, whilst being mostly unguarded by their accompanying entourage. Subsequently, their general openness and closeness with the local {{wp|Tongan}} further reinforced their solid popularity among the local people, that had arose from their visit to the country just a year prior. Later on, following their return to the {{wp|United States}}, the couple embarked on a private yacht cruise alongside their closest friends, namely with the likes of {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, his then wife, Nancy Barbato, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, Charles's cousin, [[Prince Charles, Duke of Clarence and Avondale|Prince Charles]] and his alleged mistress at the time (and later wife), the actress, {{wp|Hedy Lamarr}}.
 
Despite their newfound status as a royal couple, both Charles and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Bacall}} were able to generally balance their state responsibilities alongside those of their previous acting career, with the couple undertaking occasional state visits on behalf of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, whilst also furthering their respective acting careers in several more moderately successful films before their final retirement, sometime in late 1950, which coincided with their return to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}.
 
==Personal Information==
 
==Titles & Honours==
*'''15 January 1917 - 5 January 1923''' ''His Royal Highness'' Prince Charles of Cambridge and Prussia
*'''5 January 1923 - 20 January 1923''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Duke of Cornwall
*'''20 January 1923 - 7 July 1951''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince of Wales
*'''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''' ''His Majesty'' The King of the British
*'''15 January 1997 - 3 March 2011''' ''His Majesty'' King Charles III of the United Kingdom
 
==Honours==
====National & Commonwealth====
 
====Foreign====
 
====Military Appointments====
{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''13 February 1935 - 30 January 1936''': {{wp|Officer Cadet}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''30 January 1936 - 11 November 1936''': {{wp|Second Lieutenant}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}}  '''11 November 1936 - 5 March 1937''': {{wp|Lieutenant (British Army & Royal Marines)|Lieutenant}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''5 March 1937 - 11 December 1937 ''': {{wp|Major (United Kingdom)|Major}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''11 December 1937 - 22 January 1940''': {{wp|Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''22 January 1940 - 17 May 1944''': {{wp|Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''17 May 1944 - 16 March 1947''': {{wp|Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''16 March 1947 - 7 July 1951''': {{wp|Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': {{wp|Head of the British Armed Forces|Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 3 March 2011''': {{wp|Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''5 March 1936 - 11 December 1936''': {{wp|Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''11 December 1936 - 2 January 1938''': {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''2 January 1938 - 13 July 1943''': {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''13 July 1943 - 16 March 1947''': {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''16 March 1947 - 7 July 1951''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''7 July 1951  - 15 January 1997''': {{wp|Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom|Lord High Admiral}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 3 March 2011''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''20 November 1936 - 3 March 1937''': {{wp|Flying lieutenant}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''3 March 1937 - 30 October 1937''': {{wp|Squadron leader}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''30 October 1937 - 5 April 1938''': {{wp|Wing commander}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''5 April 1938 - 17 May 1944''': {{wp|Group captain}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''17 May 1944 -  15 March 1947''': {{wp|Air commodore}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''15 March 1947 - 7 July 1951''': {{wp|Air Marshal}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''7 July 1951 - 3 March 2011''': {{wp|Marshal of the Royal Air Force}}<br/>
 
{{flag|Canada}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|army}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Canadian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|naval}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|air force}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Air Force}}<br/>
 
{{flag|Australia}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|army}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Australian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|naval}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|air force}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Air Force}}<br/>
 
{{flag|New Zealand}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|army}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|New Zealand Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|naval}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|air force}} '''7 July 1951 - 15 January 1997''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Air Force}}<br/>
 
{{flag|United States}}<br/>
{{flagicon|United States|air force}} '''22 March 1941 - 4 March 1942''': {{wp|Officer Cadet}}, {{wp|United States Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|United States|air force}} '''4 March 1942 - 11 December 1942''': {{wp|Second Lieutenant}}, {{wp|United States Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|United States|air force}} '''11 December 1942 - 4 March 1943''': {{wp|Captain (United States O-3)|Captain}}, {{wp|United States Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|United States|air force}} '''4 March 1943 - 15 March 1946''': {{wp|Colonel (United States)|Colonel}}, {{wp|United States Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|United States|air force}} '''15 March 1946 - 7 July 1951''':
{{wp|Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General}}, {{wp|United States 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. '''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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