Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands: Difference between revisions

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


| image_size    = Medium
| succession  =
{{longitem |col1style=padding-top:0.2em
  |
{{Collapsible list |title={{wp|Queen of the United Kingdom|King of the British}} and of the People of his other {{wp|Commonwealth Realms|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}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Australia}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|New Zealand}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Jamaica}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Barbados}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|The Bahamas}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Grenada}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Papua New Guinea}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Solomon Islands}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Tuvalu}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|St. Lucia}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|St. Vincent and the Grenadines}}                                      | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Belize}}                                      | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Antigua and Barbuda}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|St. Kitts and Nevis}}                                        | 1997-2017
|{{wp|Puerto Rico}}                                        | 1997-2017
}} }} }}
| moretext    =
| reign        = 15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017
| reign-type  = Reign
| coronation  = 20 March 1997
| cor-type    = Coronation
| predecessor  = [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles III]]
| pre-type    = Predecessor
| regent      = {{list collapsed|title=''See list''|1={{wp|John Major}}<br>{{wp|Tony Blair}}<br>{{wp|Gordon Brown}}<br>{{wp|David Cameron}}}}
| reg-type    = {{nowrap|{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Ministers}}}}
| successor    = [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]
| suc-type    = Successor
| succession1  = {{wp|King of the Netherlands|King of the Dutch}}<br/>{{wp|Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers}}
| moretext1    =
| reign1      = 15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017
| reign-type1  = Reign
| coronation1  = 1 January 1998
| cor-type1    = Inauguration
| predecessor1 = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]
| pre-type1    = Predecessor
| regent1      =
| reg-type1    =
| successor1  = [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]
| suc-type1    =
| succession2  =
| moretext2    =
| reign2      =
| reign-type2  =
| coronation2  =
| cor-type2    =
| predecessor2 =
| pre-type2    =
| regent2      =
| reg-type2    =
| successor2  =
| suc-type2    =
| succession3  =
| moretext3    =
| reign3      =
| reign-type3  =
| coronation3  =
| cor-type3    =
| predecessor3 =
| pre-type3    =
| regent3      =
| reg-type3    =
| successor3  =
| suc-type3    =
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1953|12|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Balmoral Castle}}, {{wp|Scotland}}
| death_date  =
| death_place  =
| burial_date  =
| burial_place =
| spouse              = {{marriage|{{wp|Christy Turlington}}|14 December 1995}}
| issue                = {{plainlist|* [[William Smith]]
* [[Jacqueline Smith]]
* [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]]
* [[Prince Richard of Hanover|Prince Richard]]
* [[Princess Nicole of Hanover|Princess Nicole]]
* [[Princess Elle of Hanover|Princess Elle]]
* [[Princess Vivian of Hanover|Princess Vivian]]}}
| full name      = Thomas Frederick Francis Albert Charles
| house          = {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor|Amsterdam-Windsor}} (until 2007)<br/>{{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}} (from 2007)
| father        = [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles III]]
| mother        = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
| religion      = {{wp|Protestantism|Protestant}}
| module      = {{Infobox officeholder | embed=yes
  | branch        = {{plainlist|
*{{navy|United Kingdom}}}}
  | serviceyears  = 1979-1997 (active service)
  | servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
  | unit          =
  | commands      =
  | rank          = {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}
  | battles_label =
  | battles      = {{wp|The Troubles}}<br/>{{wp|Falklands War}}<br/>{{wp|Multinational Force in Lebanon}}<br/>{{wp|Gulf War}}}}
}}
'''Thomas''' ({{wp|English}}: ''Thomas William Frederick Francis Albert Charles''; {{wp|German}}: ''Thomas Wilhelm Friedrich Franz Albrecht Carl''; {{wp|Dutch}}: ''Thomas Willem Frederik Frans Albert Karel''; born 17 December 1953) was {{wp|King of the United Kingdom|King of the British}}, {{wp|King of the Dutch}}, and {{wp|Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers}} from 15 January 1997 to 13 October 2017.
A decorated {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer in his youth, Thomas initially served in the country's naval forces for an almost two-decades-long period during which he saw involvement in several notable conflicts, namely the {{wp|Falklands War}}, {{wp|The Troubles}} conflict in {{wp|Northern Ireland}}, and the {{wp|Gulf War}} in which a {{wp|US}}-led coalition successfully repelled {{wp|Iraqi}} forces under {{wp|Saddam Hussein}} from neighbouring {{wp|Kuwait}}. During this period, he also embarked on a sporadic and short-lived acting career under the alias of Richard Hill which saw him mainly feature in a minor capacity such as in the late-1970s television series ''{{wp|Charlie's Angels}}'' where he played the love interest of {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}}'s {{wp|Kelly Garrett}}, and 1986's action film ''{{wp|Top Gun}}'' in which he played a {{wp|British}}-born naval aviator Lieutenant Benedict "Bulldog" Bates.
In January 1997, Thomas ascended to the throne upon his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s abdication. In his early years, he came to acquire a reputation as a vocal figure for reform in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} with his most notable successes being the lifting of restrictions on marriages between royals and {{wp|Catholic}} spouses, the enforcement of absolute primogeniture in the country's succession laws, and the creation of the {{wp|United Kingdom Supreme Court}}. In addition, Thomas was also somewhat of a fierce critic of the controversial {{wp|Iraq War}}, a conflict he privately opposed, and a major proponent of expansion for the country's healthcare system, the {{wp|National Health Service}}. Later, in October 2017, following a health crisis in the final year of his reign, an ageing Thomas ultimately abdicated the throne in favour of his daughter who subsequently ascended to the throne as [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]], while otherwise styling himself as [[Duke of Hanover]], as well as being given the title {{wp|Grand Duke Emeritus}} in {{wp|Luxembourg}}. Following his abdication, the Duke has since come to devote himself to both philanthropic and entrepreneurial causes.
In his youth, Thomas was initially romantically involved with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}}, with whom he had two children [[William Smith|William]] and [[Jacqueline Smith|Jacqueline]], with the former later becoming one of the world's most successful footballers of all time while the latter became a highly-regarded figure in the media industry. In December 1995, he married the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, with whom he had five children including the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]].
As one of the major shareholders of the multi-billion dollar holding company {{wp|Atlantic Connection}}, Thomas is estimated to be worth around $24.2 billion, making him one of the richest monarchs in the world.
==Early Life==
Thomas was born on 17 December 1953 to the then [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles, Prince of Wales]] and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Lauren, Princess of Wales}}, formerly known as Lauren Bacall, during the reign of his grandfather, [[Frederick of the United Kingdom|King Frederick]]. His godparents, in a manner previously unknown to that of his predecessors, consisted of both {{wp|British}} and {{wp|American}} nationals, whilst also including both members of royalty and non-royalty, such as his great-uncle and aunt, [[Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale]] and {{wp|Astrid of Sweden|Princess Astrid of Sweden}}, then-{{wp|British}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Clement Attlee}}, then-{{wp|New York (state)|New York}} governor and his namesake {{wp|Thomas E. Dewey}}, and {{wp|American}} {{wp|Hollywood}} figures, actor {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, and actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}.
Christened Thomas William Frederick Francis Albert Charles upon his birth, his given name was derived from the {{wp|Republican Party (United States)|Republican}} politician and {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} governor {{wp|Thomas E. Dewey}}, a two-time presidential nominee and who is both his godfather and a close friend of his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s. On the other hand, his middle names were reportedly chosen in honour of his maternal grandfather {{wp|William Perske}}, the {{wp|American}} singer {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, and his own [[Charles the Great|father]] himself.
==''Prince of the Welsh''==
Soon after his birth, Thomas, being his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s heir apparent to the throne was immediately made {{wp|Duke of Cornwall}}, which lasted until January 1st the following year, when he was then formally {{wp|Prince of Wales|''Prince of the Welsh''}} by his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s behest. Notably, Thomas became the first heir apparent in {{wp|British}} history to have ever used the princely title's much older styling, as his predecessors have all used the more common styling of ''Prince of Wales'' as opposed to ''Prince of the Welsh''.
Mirroring that of his own [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]]'s upbringing, Thomas' upbringing in {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} was reportedly said to have been somewhat restrictive in the early years, as a consequence of fringe rumours espousing harmful plots targeting the royal family. Nevertheless, the prince was able to benefit from both of his parents' more modern and liberal parenting styles, with his [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]] in particular emphasising qualities of "individuality, self-dependent, and survivability" in the young prince, while his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} generally added onto the efforts of Thomas' father in "liberalising" the young ''Prince of the Welsh''.
===The American Prince===
As his parents had previously been involved in the {{wp|Hollywood}} industry as actors themselves, Thomas also grew up with a firm passion for {{wp|American}} movies and films, an interest helped by his parents' convenient associations with various {{wp|Hollywood}} celebrities. At the same time, he also became fond of locally-made {{wp|British}} films as well, with the famed {{wp|English}} actress {{wp|Audrey Hepburn}}, being a personal favourite and later a close friend of his.
In particular, due to his parents' close association with the {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}} who had consistently been a close friend of the royal couple and also the prince's own godmother, Thomas would also occasionally spend some time living under the actress's care at her family residence in {{wp|Fenwick}}, {{wp|Connecticut}}. Later on, in his memoirs, Thomas himself described his time of living in {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s family home as a "wholly wild, and fascinating experience". He also generally described the actress in a wholly positive light, having written in one instance, ''"While there were some minor, and understandable blunders from her, I could feel that we generally appreciated and cared for one another"''. Moreover, when living at the actress's {{wp|Connecticut}} family home, Thomas was said to have generally fancied "dipping his toes every morning on the shores of the cold water", whilst also having much interest in sports such as golf and tennis, an interest made convenient with the presence of nearby golf courses and alike.
Interestingly, the supposed state of their "mother and son" relationship proved quick to gain a sizable degree of notoriety among the local community, so much so that Thomas was initially mistaken to be an alleged secret lovechild between {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} and her known romantic partner at the time, namely the actor {{wp|Spencer Tracy}}, although these were quickly refuted by {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}}'s own family members who were already aware of the royal family's connections to the actress. Nevertheless, when the two were mostly apart, both Thomas and {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} maintained their lifelong friendship through the extensive use of telephones, and to a certain extent, an exchange of gifts, particularly during {{wp|Christmas}} or during their own respective birthday celebrations. In later years, Thomas himself would often refer to {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} as "my mother on the other side of the pond" and sometimes as "my great Aunt Kate".
Moreover, while pursuing his university studies in the {{wp|United States}}, Thomas himself largely lived together with the {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|actress}} who essentially acted as the prince's ''de facto'' guardian overseeing his welfare and security while the latter was preoccupied with his academic studies, with Thomas himself having enrolled at the prestigious {{wp|Yale University}} under the alias ''George White''. Eventually, in 1975, Thomas graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in {{wp|international relations}}, making him the first royal to ever earn an academic degree. Since then, one former educator of his at the university later recounted Thomas as a "bright and energetic young student always on the verge of asking important questions whenever possible". Similarly, a former friend of Thomas' at the university described the royal as a "very unassuming, talkative, and intelligent young man".
===Military Career===
In 1979, Thomas attended the {{wp|Britannia Royal Navy College}} in {{wp|Dartmouth, Devon|Dartmouth}}, after which he was subsequently commissioned as a {{wp|midshipman}} in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}. However, with the exception of a few months or so, during which he played a largely minor role in {{wp|The Troubles}} conflict in the neighbouring {{wp|Republic of Ireland}}, the prince would largely see minimal combat throughout most of his career in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}. At the same time, in benefiting from the fact that he was less likely in general to ever see active combat, the prince, who in his capacity as a {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer opted to otherwise embark on a long naval trip aboard, which he later did so onboard the {{wp|Royal Navy}} flagship {{wp|HMS Lauren|''HMS Lauren''}}, thereby allowing him to personally visit a number of countries located east of the {{wp|European}} continent, namely {{wp|Saudi Arabia}}, the {{wp|United Arab Emirates}}, {{wp|Singapore}}, {{wp|Australia}}, and {{wp|Japan}}.
Eventually, in 1982, with the onset of the {{wp|Falklands War}} between the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and {{wp|Argentina}}, an opportunity for the prince to see his first active combat in the years since he was commissioned in the {{wp|Royal Navy}} finally came about. However, the controversial decision to have Thomas on board the {{wp|British}} task force sent to the {{wp|Falkland Islands}} was initially met with considerable opposition by both the prince's father, [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]] and then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Edward Heath}}, both of whom were said to have opposed the prince's involvement in the conflict out of the need to protect the heir to the {{wp|British}} throne. However, after a brief, but overall contentious argument between Thomas himself and the {{wp|Edward Heath|prime minister}}, it was ultimately decided that the prince would be allowed to set sail on board the task force headed for the {{wp|Falkland Islands}}, in exchange for the prince agreeing to be under strict supervision by a fellow {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer who in a later interview claimed that the prime minister ordered him to "protect the prince at all costs" and "have him be the first to be evacuated in case the ship sinks by enemy fire". Regardless of this, with the conclusion of the war, Thomas was subsequently granted his first promotion as an officer in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, having been promoted to the rank of {{wp|Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant}}. Then, he subsequently joined an international peacekeeping force in {{wp|Lebanon}}, which earned him another promotion, this time to the rank of {{wp|Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander}}.
From 1990 to 1991, Thomas would see his final active combat experience as a {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer, when he was deployed to the {{wp|Middle East}} as part of an international coalition force, which in the span of a few months, managed to successfully push {{wp|Iraqi}} forces under {{wp|Saddam Hussein}} out of neighbouring {{wp|Kuwait}}. For his actions during the conflict, he was promoted to the rank of {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}. Later on, shortly after his ascension to the throne, he promptly resigned his commission in the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, although he was nonetheless made an {{wp|Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom}} as the ceremonial head of the {{wp|Royal Navy}} itself.       
==Reign==
===Early Years===
Upon his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s abdication in January 1997, Thomas automatically ascended to the throne. Despite his longstanding ceremonial status, Thomas, in a manner similar to that of his father and predecessor, [[Charles the Great|Charles III]], also partook to some degree in the country's political affairs whilst adhering to his position as a constitutional monarch.
Among others, the most notable instance was the passing of the [[Succession to the Crown Act 1995]], a law actually passed roughly two years prior to his ascension to the throne, but in which Thomas himself had a rather prominent role in shaping it. Spurred by the opposition against his marriage to his {{wp|Catholic}}-born {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, Thomas, in conjunction with a number of sympathetic politicians, campaigned for the removal of the longstanding restrictions on marriages between members of the royal family and {{wp|Roman Catholic}} individuals, which he famously called an "immoral relic of the past" while also arguing that it would clash with the modernising image of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, particularly one that will host an ever-increasing number of religious minorities. Meanwhile, in addressing concerns over the potential of having a {{wp|Catholic}} monarch due to the lifting of the restrictions, Thomas asserted that the {{wp|British}} monarch, as per longstanding convention, will generally remain an {{wp|Anglican}} {{wp|Protestant}} regardless of marriage to a {{wp|Roman Catholic}} spouse, stating, ''"There's a clear and implicit difference between marrying a {{wp|Catholic}} and being a {{wp|Catholic}}, which I hope the {{wp|Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament}} will soon realise and therefore take it upon themselves to correct this grievous injustice in a modern and increasingly tolerant country"''.
Eventually, via votes from both {{wp|Conservative Party (United Kingdom)|Conservative}} and {{wp|Labour Party (United Kingdom)|Labour}} parliamentarians, the bill proposed, which also included ending {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}}'s longstanding {{wp|semi-Salic}} succession laws, was successfully passed into law, thereby ensuring that Thomas would be allowed to marry his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}} for as long as he remained a {{wp|Protestant}} and that {{wp|Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover}}, in the event of the birth of a female heir, would not come to separate from the {{wp|United Kingdom}} once again, hence securing a firm continuation of the union for the foreseeable future.
In addition to this, Thomas was also a leading voice for the eventual creation of the {{wp|United Kingdom Supreme Court}}, a concept he first publicly suggested in an interview with {{wp|Sky News}} just several months into his reign. In the interview, Thomas questioned the fact that the country's "highest court" is none other than the {{wp|House of Lords}}, the upper chamber of parliament, stating, "I'm not personally one for one too many radical changes to a system or the like but it is quite surprising and at times rather downright strange that unlike in other countries that are also constitutional monarchies just like us, our highest court is also what makes up the country's parliament, something that is perhaps not necessarily a proud distinguishing feature but rather a strange and puzzling anomaly that is best solved in the near future".
In advocating based on the basic principles of separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and the judiciary, Thomas would later vocally call for the establishment of a "supreme court" in a model much similar to that found in other {{wp|Western}} countries but stressed that unlike the {{wp|United States Supreme Court}}, which he came to describe as a "somewhat flawed institution marred by partisan politics" based on his past years living in the {{wp|United States}}, its {{wp|British}} counterpart must "remain absolutely free of any partisan politics and interests to the very core so as to truly ensure a fair and independent judiciary and not one that simply swings in one direction whenever convenient". Eventually, after about a decade or so, the {{wp|United Kingdom Supreme Court}} was established in October 2009 with {{wp|Lord Phillips}} serving as its first {{wp|President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|president}}.
===9/11 & Iraq War===
In the immediate aftermath of the {{wp|September 11 attacks}}, he publicly expressed his "greatest sympathies with the {{wp|American}} people", stating that "innocent citizens should never be the target of such a heinous act of terror intended to promote a malicious goal". That same year, as head of state, he oversaw the {{wp|Tony Blair|Blair}} administration's participation in the {{wp|US}}-led {{wp|United States invasion of Afghanistan|invasion of Afghanistan}}, which effectively toppled the predominant {{wp|Taliban}} regime in the {{wp|Afghanistan|country}}. Just a couple of years later, the {{wp|United Kingdom}} would also participate in the controversial {{wp|2003 invasion of Iraq}}, which in addition to sparking nationwide protests over the perceived justification for the invasion, also proved to be a source of controversy for the royal family themselves, when the King's sister, [[Catherine, Princess Royal]] infamously posed nude on the cover of a {{wp|British Vogue|''British Vogue''}} magazine, in an act of personal protest against the {{wp|2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion}} itself. The princess's manner of protest, which included draping herself with a {{wp|Union Jack}} flag, as well as having herself leaning against a {{wp|British}} {{wp|Challenger 2}} battle tank promptly became the source of condemnation and rebuke by some military officials who dubbed her manner to be "treasonous", while some sectors of the public dubbed the princess's manner of protest to be "shameful" and "unpatriotic". In response, the King himself was said to have afterwards reluctantly rebuked his [[Catherine, Princess Royal|sister]] himself in order to preserve the royal family's prestige and standing among the {{wp|British}} public, while rumours allege that he had otherwise been privately supportive and approving of his sister's act of protest against the invasion.
===End of the Amsterdam-Windsor Monarchy===
On 1 May 2007, a date that was deliberately chosen given that it marks the three hundredth anniversary of the former {{wp|House of Hanover}}, Thomas, by way of a royal proclamation, announced that the current royal family name of the "{{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor}}" would be officially reverted back to the "{{wp|House of Hanover}}", thereby effectively ending what was then the eighty three-year-long reign of the {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor|Amsterdam-Windsor}} monarchy, which began in 1924 with [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|King Frederick]]'s decision to change the family name in order to appease nationalist and anti-{{wp|German}} sentiments in the aftermath of the {{wp|First World War}}.
In implementing the change, Thomas remarked, ''"As of now, it has roughly been ninety years long since the {{wp|First World War}} had begun, the very conflict that led to my [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|grandfather]] changing the family name to an entirely new one in order to appease the nationalist few. Since then, and until now, my family has been effectively robbed of its own true identity and is instead being forced to assume an entirely new identity for reasons that are not necessarily of my family's fault. Therefore, from this point on, my family will effectively and officially reclaim the true and pure identity that it once held dear as the {{wp|House of Hanover}}, not the {{wp|House of Amsterdam-Windsor}}"''.
===Final Years===
With the onset of the {{wp|financial crisis of 2007-2008}}, a global recession that was considered to be the most serious recession since the {{wp|Great Depression}} Thomas personally had the tax rate for himself as the {{wp|British}} monarch raised to a slightly higher amount, so as to contribute more financially to efforts in mending the recession's immediate effects. Evidently, in an interview with the {{wp|BBC}} around that same time, he remarked, ''"When the {{wp|Second World War}} happened, my father broke royal convention and decided to go to war against {{wp|Imperial Japan|Japan}} in the Pacific while my grandparents chose to bravely face the {{wp|German}} bombings head-on, thus putting them both in grave danger just as the average soldier and citizen"''. He promptly declared that "while I would not be the King of England to face an armed invasion of our country, I would also not be the one to sit back and watch my own people face the hardships alone, for that is what {{wp|Louis XVI|Louis XVI}} of {{wp|Kingdom of France|France}} did, and in the end, as we all know it, he ultimately lost his head". At the same time, in a manner deemed unconventional by many as the country's head of state, Thomas also openly encouraged the government under then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Gordon Brown}} to pursue aggressive economic policies meant to combat the recession's immediate effects, declaring that "if {{wp|God}} wills it, the {{wp|United Kingdom}} would be the first country in the world to escape this burgeoning recession". Nonetheless, {{wp|Gordon Brown|Brown}} himself was subsequently voted out of office in the {{wp|2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election}}, which saw him being replaced with the current {{wp|Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative}} prime minister {{wp|David Cameron}}, with whom he was said to have later developed a close working relationship, one that continued well under his successor, the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]].
He later openly praised the historic legalisation of same-sex marriage in {{wp|England}} and {{wp|Wales}}, as well as the {{wp|Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative}} government's healthcare and welfare reforms. Meanwhile, the last few years of his reign would come to be marked by three separate and notable referendums, with the first being a referendum on the method of electing Members of Parliaments at future general elections, the second concerning potential {{wp|Scottish}} independence, while the third one otherwise revolved around the status of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s continued membership of the {{wp|European Union}}. All three referendums went in the government's favour each time, while Thomas himself, in contrast to the demeanour shown during his previous years, largely kept silent on the respective outcomes of each of the three separate referendums. At around the same time, both his [[Charles the Great|father]] and his {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} would each respectively pass away in March 2011 and August 2014. In one interview conducted sometime after his abdication, he went on to describe the last few years of his reign as "both eventful and also emotional in nature".   
==Abdication==
In the final year of his reign, despite already being sixty-seven years of age, Thomas was consistently described as being a "generally healthy, and well-conditioned man", as he was notably credited for almost regularly playing a game of polo with the palace staff and his close associates during his free time, leading him to be known as the ''Polo King'' among his close circles. However, in October 6th, having just gone back to his chambers alongside his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, the King unexpectedly collapsed onto his bed while the latter had gone inside the chambers' bathroom. Around a minute later, royal doctors were immediately summoned following signs of a weakened pulse, leading him to be transferred instead to a special room for an operation. At the same time, by his own {{wp|Christy Turlingtony|wife}}'s insistence, any knowledge of the incident was kept secret from spreading outside of the palace itself, as to not force an immediate return for their daughter, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] from her university. Following an initially successful operation, he was declared to be in a "mildly stable" condition but soon afterwards, subsequent operations were also conducted which lasted until just hours before his daughter [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]]'s return from her university, during which he was declared to had fully recovered from his illness, which was subsequently noted to have been a stroke but was otherwise kept secret from public knowledge. 
In light of the incident, Thomas began seriously contemplating an abdication, during which he made it known to the then {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|David Cameron}} who he had specifically invited to {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} for the matter. Discussions between the two would continue until December 10th when in a coordinated manner, Thomas first declared his abdication at 10:30 AM in a {{wp|BBC}} broadcast from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} before an {{wp|Act of Parliament}} was granted {{wp|royal assent}} by the King himself, thereby effectively formalising his abdication. In his abdication speech, Thomas chose not to publicly disclose the details of his illness leading to his abdication, having instead chosen to cite ''"ill-health and inability to sustain the continuation of royal duties"'' as his primary reasons for abdication. He subsequently attended the coronation of his daughter and successor, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]] who then granted her father the title of [[Duke of Hanover|''Duke of Hanover'']] following his abdication.
==Post-Abdication==
===Atlantic Connection===
Following his abdication, Thomas began taking a more active role in overseeing the interests of the {{wp|American}}-{{wp|British}} multibillion-dollar holding company {{wp|Atlantic Connection}} which holds considerable stakes in various industries through its many subsidiary companies. Having inherited his [[Charles the Great|late father]]'s shares in the company upon the latter's passing in March 2011 to become one of the company's select few biggest shareholders, Thomas has overseen some further expansion of the company's portfolio since assuming his position on the board of directors, with his particular interest being in sports. To that end, the company established the {{wp|Major League Soccer}} side {{wp|Los Angeles FC}} in 2014, and {{wp|National Hockey League}}'s {{wp|Vegas Golden Knights}} in 2017.
As one of {{wp|Atlantic Connection}}'s biggest shareholders, Thomas has at times advocated for the company to pursue a "green and sustainable" strategy regarding its long-term future, stating, ''"Above all, there is the undeniable issue of climate change that regardless of everyone's opinions on it will ultimately bring only bad luck and terrible fortunes for all of humanity. At the same time, a solution rooted in both compromise and sustainability must and can be achieved so as to ensure that the company, in its current position, will be one of the foremost leaders in traversing a new and inclusive era where both consumers and companies can co-exist in peace while also providing mutual benefit for each other"''.
==Marriage==
===Katharine Houghton===
[[File:GWC.jpg|thumb|Actress {{wp|Katharine Houghton}} alongside co-star, the late actor {{wp|Sidney Poitier}} in the 1967 film {{wp|Guess Who's Coming to Dinner|''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner''}}]]
Due to his parents' rather hands-off approach in regard to his potential choice of marriage, Thomas himself thus became consequently linked to a number of important women of the time, all of which were mostly either of {{wp|American}} or {{wp|British}} nationalities. During the early 1970s, Thomas was at first popularly associated with the young and rising actress {{wp|Katharine Houghton}} who he had personally known through his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s close friend, namely the actress {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, {{wp|Katharine Houghton|Houghton}}'s own aunt, with whom Charles was also closely familiar. Even so, in a manner apparently mimicking that of his father's previous romantic relationship with {{wp|Katharine Hepburn|Hepburn}} decades prior, the two generally dated in secrecy, with Thomas himself being the one mostly travelling in private to {{wp|Katharine Houghton|Houghton}}'s {{wp|Connecticut}} residence as the risks of the latter being spotted in public instead with the {{wp|British}} royal back in his native home country were deemed to be great of a concern for either side. However, amidst the overwhelmingly positive encouragement in favour of a marriage between the two and despite the eight-year age difference between them, neither Thomas nor {{wp|Katharine Houghton|Houghton}} ultimately agreed to ever seek such an option, with {{wp|Katharine Houghton|Houghton}} herself eventually marrying actor {{wp|Ken Jenkins}} in 1970. Ultimately, despite this setback, {{wp|Katharine Houghton|Houghton}}, in "inheriting" her aunt's close ties with the {{wp|British royal family}}, has since continued to remain close with Thomas and the royal family as a whole, as evidenced by the actress being chosen as a godparent for Thomas' seven children.
===Jaclyn Smith===
[[File:Charlies Angels cast 1976.JPG|thumb|200px|right|{{wp|Jaclyn Smith}} (left) with costars {{wp|Farrah Fawcett}} and {{wp|Kate Jackson}} for the popular crime drama show, ''{{wp|Charlie's Angels}}'']]
Prior to his marriage to the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Thomas engaged in a lengthy romantic affair with {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Jaclyn Smith}}, with the affair resulting in two children [[William Smith|William]] and [[Jacqueline Smith|Jacqueline]].
Sometime in 1977, Thomas, who had then been residing in the {{wp|United States}} for a while, first came into contact with the {{wp|American}} actress who, in that year, had been steadily rising in prominence thanks to her role in the popular crime drama show, ''{{wp|Charlie's Angels}}'', in which she had a major role alongside fellow actresses {{wp|Kate Jackson}} and {{wp|Farrah Fawcett}}. Soon enough, Thomas, having been a somewhat regular watcher of the show, decided to personally meet {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}} himself, an endeavour in which he proved successful when the prince was personally invited by one of the show's executive producers {{wp|Aaron Spelling}} who subsequently arranged a meeting between the prince and the actress while the latter was in the midst of shooting for an episode of the show's second season.
In any case, the arranged meeting proved to be an instant success, with {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}, a divorcee from her first husband and actor {{wp|Roger Davis (television actor)|Roger Davis}}, later describing Thomas as "very easy-going" and "impeccably charming" in their first encounter. Soon afterwards, the two began a longstanding and passionate affair which would last throughout the following decade, although this relationship, upon the behest of Thomas himself, was kept largely secret from the media and the public, and its knowledge is restricted to only a select few, which included {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}'s co-stars {{wp|Kate Jackson}} and {{wp|Farrah Fawcett}}, both of whom agreed to remain silent on the affair and to never disclose it to the public, out of respect for the couple's privacy. On the other hand, the couple's relationship also allowed Thomas to appear on the show himself at the invitation of the show's producers who, reportedly with the couple's own agreement and supervision, gave the prince the role of Patrick Williams, a retired {{wp|United States Navy|US Navy}} officer and briefly a romantic interest of {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}'s character {{wp|Kelly Garrett}}. At the same time, in order not to deliberately reveal his true identity, Thomas was otherwise cast in the show under a made-up alias, that being ''Frank Clarke'' which, according to Thomas himself, was a combination of the first name of popular {{wp|American}} singer {{wp|Frank Sinatra}}, and the surname which ironically belongs to that of an alias made up by his own [[Charles the Great|father]] when the latter was a {{wp|Hollywood}} actor, that being ''Robert Clarke''.
Then, roughly two years into their relationship, the couple would welcome their first child together, which is also {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}'s firstborn child, that being a son [[William Smith|William]], a circumstance which led to the show temporarily halting its production for a few months or so, in order to give much-needed time for {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}} to raise her firstborn son with the help of Thomas himself who, despite the accompanying risks and potential scandal should his affair with the actress ever be discovered and publicised, opted to remain close with his romantic partner. Later, in a 2005 interview with {{wp|Larry King}}, the prince said, ''"Frankly, when Will was born, we initially had little idea in going forward with our relationship, and were kind of a little freaked out at the beginning, but then, we just soldiered up and decided that with what we have now, we are just going to do the best we could"''. A few years later, on 22 June 1983, the couple would welcome a daughter, [[Jacqueline Smith|Jacqueline]], named after her own {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|mother}}, albeit in a slightly varied manner, and who was popularly referred to by her parents as "Jack" or "Jackie" in order to better distinguish the latter from her similarly-named {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|mother}}.
Eventually, despite the two enjoying a mutually happy relationship, the couple later parted ways mutually just a few months prior to Thomas' later marriage to his wife, thereby ending their almost nineteen-year-long relationship, although Thomas, despite his romantic partner's well-to-do status, continued to provide some unofficial form of "spousal aid" in the years that followed, which lasted well until both [[William Smith|William]] and [[Jacqueline Smith|Jacqueline]] themselves graduated from their universities, at which point they are expected to be self-sufficient despite their father's immense wealth. Meanwhile, following an almost decade-long period of "separation", during which the two largely devoted themselves to their respective spouses, with {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}} later marrying her husband {{wp|Brad Allen}} in 1997, the two later reconnected with one another in around 2004, when the career of their son, [[William Smith|William]] with the {{wp|English}} football club {{wp|Manchester United}}, brought {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Smith}}'s family over to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, where they have since been permanently residing in, with {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Jaclyn}} and their two children together, as a result of Thomas' own intervention and personal behest, being immediately granted {{wp|British}} citizenship not long afterwards. It was said that in addition to taking up permanent residence in the many apartments of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} itself, {{wp|Jaclyn Smith|Jaclyn}} herself also currently maintains a personal terrace of her own in {{wp|London}}, which is said to be within walking distance from the palace itself.
===Caroline Kennedy===
[[File:Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador 2.jpg|thumb|200px|right|{{wp|Caroline Kennedy}}, the only daughter and surviving child of former {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|John F. Kennedy}} and {{wp|Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis}}]]
Due to his [[Charles the Great|father]]'s strong and close ties to the prominent {{wp|Kennedy family}}, it was even rumoured at some point by some media outlets that Thomas was supposedly planning on marrying the daughter of the late {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|John F. Kennedy}}, {{wp|Caroline Kennedy}}, who Thomas had first met while accompanying his [[Charles the Great|father]] to the state funeral of {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Kennedy}}'s father who in November 1963 was mortally wounded from assassination while in the city of {{wp|Dallas}}, {{wp|Texas}}. Ultimately, perhaps due to {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Kennedy}}'s deeply entrenched and longstanding {{wp|Catholic}} faith, coupled with the overwhelming publicity and media coverage that would be expected from a hypothetical marriage involving an heir to the {{wp|British}} throne and a member of the prominent {{wp|Kennedy family}}, no marriage proposals were ever brought forward by either side, although the two families, even to this day are said to have nonetheless remained in close contact with one another, with Thomas himself later enlisting {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Kennedy}}'s uncle, Senator {{wp|Ted Kennedy}} as one of his groomsmen for his wedding to the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}}.
Incidentally, it was later reported that for a while, {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Kennedy}}'s firstborn son {{wp|Jack Schlossberg}} was romantically involved with Thomas' eldest daughter by his wife, the reigning [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]]. In the end, the relationship, despite frequent comparisons to that between {{wp|Caroline Kennedy|Caroline}}'s brother {{wp|John F. Kennedy Jr.|John Jr.}} and wife {{wp|Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy}}, proved to be short-lived, with the couple themselves mutually agreeing to terminate the relationship over challenges posed particularly by their respective careers which often kept them physically apart from one another.
===Christy Turlington===
[[File:PradaBlack.jpg|thumb|200px|right|{{wp|Christy Turlington}} at the Christian Lacroix Spring Summer 1994]]
Around March 1994, while accompanying his sister, the [[Catherine, Princess Royal|''Princess Royal'']] to an exclusive gala in {{wp|Paris}}, {{wp|France}}, Thomas was first introduced to the {{wp|American}} supermodel {{wp|Christy Turlington}} by the [[Catherine, Princess Royal|''Princess Royal'']] who prior to that event had been a close friend of the famed {{wp|American}} {{wp|Christy Turlington|supermodel}}, due to the two women sharing a common profession in modelling. Soon afterwards, according to the couple's close circles, the two were able to immediately "hit it off" immediately after being introduced to each other, so much so that according to one version in particular, {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} herself soon afterwards "tightly hugged" and "incessantly thanked" the [[Catherine, Princess Royal|''Princess Royal'']] for having paired the two together at the start. However, despite a largely positive start, the two did not immediately seek to begin a relationship although they nonetheless maintained frequent contact with one another throughout the following months. Eventually, following a series of further romantic outings afterwards, along with an introduction of {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} to Thomas' parents, the [[Charles the Great|King]] and {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen}}, the couple finally sought to establish a serious romantic relationship, which would often be filled by spending private time together at often little-known or somewhat isolated but beautiful spots, due to the couple's mutual insistence on avoiding the paparazzi who it was feared might prematurely leak their relationship to the public.
In the end, around December of that same year, the couple's relationship would finally become public knowledge when in a speech marking his forty-fourth birthday that month, Thomas personally revealed his relationship with the {{wp|American}} supermodel to the public for the first time ever, with the revelations quickly catching both the {{wp|British}} public and government by surprise, given that they were largely unaware beforehand of the couple's extremely secretive relationship.
[[File:B55.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The "big five" supermodels: {{wp|Cindy Crawford}}, {{wp|Linda Evangelista}}, {{wp|Naomi Campbell}}, {{wp|Christy Turlington}}, and {{wp|Tatjana Patitz}}]]
Almost immediately, {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}}'s status as a fashion model, coupled with her {{wp|Catholic}} faith, quickly made the revelation a source of controversy, with socially-conservative critics accusing the {{wp|American}} supermodel of a "lack of a proper character and image for a queen consort", while others also expressed their worry over the latter's {{wp|Roman Catholic}} upbringing, which meant that such a marriage between the two would come into direct conflict and opposition with the {{wp|Act of Settlement 1701}}, which legally disqualifies any member of the royal family who either converts to or marries a partner of the {{wp|Roman Catholic}} faith. In response, through an op-ed that he wrote for the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas publicly accused his critics of "social bigotry", stating, ''"Regardless of who my future wife was in the past, it cannot be ignored that my own mother, who I love dearly to the end, was also of a background that one would not necessarily expect for a wife of the king. The daughter of a pair of {{wp|Jewish}} {{wp|Romanian}} immigrants, my mother bravely faced those prejudicial people who wished to prevent her from seeking happiness in marrying my father until they all finally relented and allowed her to do so as she wishes. Yet, it seems that just a few decades later, such a conflict appears to be inevitable once again, which says a lot about the society of this country as a whole"''.
Eventually, some time afterwards, both then-{{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|John Major}} and then-{{wp|Archbishop of Canterbury}}, {{wp|George Carey}} jointly agreed to approve such a union under the strict condition that {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} herself would ultimately convert to {{wp|Anglicanism}} in order to avoid any further complications. Moreover, Thomas' own father, [[Charles the Great|King Charles III]] also personally came out in support of the union, claiming that "it is wrong for me to say that having a {{wp|Catholic}}-turned-{{wp|Anglican}} convert as my very own daughter-in-law would be something entirely strange or a new concept for myself, for my own beloved wife is a {{wp|Jew}}, an identity that no one shall absolutely be able to take away". Meanwhile, rumours of the couple's incompatibility also began to surface, with some media outlets likening the couple to actor {{wp|Richard Gere}} and fellow supermodel {{wp|Cindy Crawford}}, both of whom were married to one another for approximately four years from 1991 to 1995, before eventually divorcing just a few months prior to Thomas and {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}}'s own marriage that same year. Moreover, much like {{wp|Richard Gere|Gere}} and {{wp|Cindy Crawford|Crawford}}, both Thomas and {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} possessed a significant age difference between themselves as well, with {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} being sixteen years younger than her husband, despite marrying at a slightly later age compared to {{wp|Cindy Crawford|Crawford}} who at the age of twenty-five married her own {{wp|Richard Gere|husband}} who is seventeen years her senior. 
On 14 June 1995, the couple were wedded in a private and intimate ceremony at {{wp|Oheka Castle}}, {{wp|New York}}, with the ceremony attended by the {{wp|Archbishop of Canterbury}}, {{wp|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}} {{wp|John Major}} and {{wp|President of the United States|President}} {{wp|Bill Clinton}}, as well their closest friends and relatives. Described by the ''{{wp|New York Times}}'' as the "wedding of the century", the ceremony featured an appropriately star-studded lineup of groomsmen and bridesmaids consisting of the likes of {{wp|United States Senate|Senator}} {{wp|Ted Kennedy}}, actors {{wp|Hugh Grant}}, {{wp|George Clooney}}, and {{wp|Pierce Brosnan}}, singers {{wp|Frank Sinatra Jr.}}, {{wp|Nancy Sinatra}}, and {{wp|Barbra Streisand}}, along with fellow well-known supermodels including {{wp|Cindy Crawford}}, {{wp|Linda Evangelista}}, {{wp|Naomi Campbell}}, {{wp|Claudia Schiffer}}, and {{wp|Elle Macpherson}}. In addition to this, a number of Thomas' former comrades from the {{wp|Royal Navy}} were also in attendance and who later took part in the {{wp|saber arch}} wedding tradition. Meanwhile, whilst {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} donned an elaborate white lace gown designed by noted {{wp|British}} fashion designer {{wp|Alexander McQueen}}, Thomas himself wore his {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer's uniform which he paired with an officer's cap and a ceremonial sword carried at waist-level.
{{multiple image
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In just a year into their marriage, the couple would welcome the birth of their first child together, the future [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Queen Alexandra]], although this was in turn followed by a roughly three-year long period during which the couple chose to live separately from one another so as to accommodate for {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}}'s decision to focus on her university studies back in the {{wp|United States}} which in turn led to rumours falsely claiming that the couple's marriage was in an allegedly terrible state with several media outlets beginning to claim, often without basis, that both Thomas and {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} have begun seeing another romantic partner in order to overcome their supposedly miserable state of affairs. Nonetheless, it was also during this period that Thomas' father-in-law {{wp|Dwain Turlington}} passed away in June 1997 at the age of sixty-four from {{wp|lung cancer}}, just a year after the birth of the latter's [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|granddaughter]]. Eventually, following {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}}'s graduation from the {{wp|Gallatin School of Individualized Study}} in {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} in 1999, the two would finally begin to live together, initially starting off as a family of three. Then, in the following year, {{wp|Christy Turlington|Turlington}} gave birth to their only son [[Prince Richard of Hanover|Richard]], followed by another daughter [[Princess Nicole of Hanover|Nicole]] in 2003. The year afterwards, the couple further welcomed a pair of twins [[Princess Elle of Hanover|Elle]] and [[Princess Vivian of Hanover|Vivian]], both of whom were respectively named after the two female characters from the 2001 film {{wp|Legally Blonde|''Legally Blonde''}}, namely {{wp|Elle Woods}} and [https://legallyblonde.fandom.com/wiki/Vivian_Kensington Vivian Kensington], played by actresses {{wp|Reese Witherspoon}} and {{wp|Selma Blair}} respectively.
Given the couple's unique dynamic, their relationship has consequently made them a subject of comparison to a few other prominent couples, them being former {{wp|French}} president {{wp|Nicolas Sarkozy}}, and his wife, the {{wp|Italian}}-born singer and model {{wp|Carla Bruni}}. Evidently, a photograph of the two high-profile couples standing side by side in front of the {{wp|Élysée Palace}} taken during a state visit by Thomas to {{wp|France}} during {{wp|Nicolas Sarkozy|Sarkozy}}'s presidency in 2011, quickly gained much media attention, with copies of the original photograph itself said to be later auctioned at prices reaching up to €150,000 (£130,714). Similarly, the couple was also later frequently compared to former {{wp|President of the United States}} {{wp|Donald Trump}} and wife {{wp|Melania Trump}}, a model of {{wp|Slovenian}} descent prior to her marriage to her husband and subsequent ascendancy to the position of {{wp|First Lady of the United States}} during her husband's presidency, with media outlets often noting the similar age gap between Thomas and {{wp|Donald Trump|Trump}} with their respective wives, and the fact that both of their wives once actively worked in the modelling industry. Ironically, Thomas himself has otherwise appeared critical of the comparisons, stating, ''"While I would personally have nothing much to say about {{wp|Melania Trump|Melania}}, I would say that between her {{wp|Donald Trump|husband}} and myself, a few differences should be made clear, them being that I'm not a serial cheater and I'm absolutely not a bigoted and frankly racist man ever in my entire life"''.
On 14 December 2005, the couple privately celebrated their tenth anniversary together with a private trip to {{wp|Iceland}}, a country particularly favoured by Thomas for its temperature, isolation, and scenery, where the couple met with {{wp|President of Iceland|President}} {{wp|Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson}} and spent roughly a month long in relative privacy touring the island country whose frequent volcanic eruptions reportedly intrigued Thomas so much that he personally took videos of each eruption for personal viewing.
==Personal Information==
A noted collector of cars, Thomas is known to have possessed a modest collection of both vintage and luxury vehicles, some of which include the iconic {{wp|Jaguar E-Type}}, along with several others such as an {{wp|Aston Martin Vantage}}, a second-generation {{wp|Dodge Challenger}}, a {{wp|Ferrari F40}}, and a {{wp|Nissan Skyline GT-R|Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R}}. Despite this, for leisurely purposes, Thomas would usually ride his longtime {{wp|Harley-Davidson}} motorcycle especially around the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s less populous regions where he would enjoy better peace and otherwise less disturbance.
In a 2006 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas revealed that had it not been for his royal background, he would have preferred to play professional football in his youth, a career he ultimately never pursued owing to an inherent sense of nervousness originating from him likely being the only royal in a football team filled mostly by individuals of commoner background coupled with the sport's considerable physicality at the time which was deemed to be a safety risk for an heir to the throne. Regardless, in a 1998 interview with the {{wp|BBC}}, Thomas revealed himself to be a lifelong fan of {{wp|Premier League}} club {{wp|Manchester United}} whose legendary {{wp|Northern Irish}}-born player {{wp|George Best}} was cited by Thomas as his favourite player.
Known for his physically active lifestyle, in addition to {{wp|football}}, Thomas is known to have enjoyed a variety of other sports including {{wp|swimming}}, {{wp|polo}}, {{wp|golf}}, and {{wp|tennis}}. Most notably, since its introduction in 1981, save for only a few instances, Thomas has consistently run in almost every edition of the {{wp|London Marathon}} which he has also done with his {{wp|Christy Turlington|wife}}, a marathon enthusiast as well, since the couple's marriage in 1995. Aside from this, while previously a habitual smoker, since becoming a father and especially following the death of his {{wp|Dwain Turlington|father-in-law}}, Thomas has long abstained from smoking and, in turn, has been a vocal advocate against the habit himself.
==Titles & Honours==
*'''17 December 1953 - 1 January 1954''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Orange, and Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
*'''1 January 1954 - 15 January 1997''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince of the Welsh, Prince of Orange, and Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
*'''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''' ''His Majesty'' The King of the British, King of the Dutch, and Grand Duke of the Luxembourgers
*'''14 October 2017 - Present''' ''His Royal Highness''  The Duke of Hanover, Prince of the Netherlands, and Grand Duke Emeritus of Luxembourg
==Honours==
====National & Commonwealth====
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Williamite Order
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Family Order of King Thomas
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Recipient of the Royal Family Order of King Charles III
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Charles III
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Royal Guelphic Order
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Order of St. George
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle​
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath​
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire
*{{flag|United Kingdom}} - Sovereign of the Distinguished Service Order
*{{flag|Canada}} - Sovereign of the Order of Canada
*{{flag|Australia}} - Sovereign of the Order of Australia
*{{flag|New Zealand}} - Sovereign of the Order of New Zealand
*{{flag|Barbados}} - Sovereign of the Order of Barbados
*{{flag|Saint Lucia}} - Sovereign of the Order of St Lucia
*{{flag|Solomon Islands}} - Sovereign of the Order of Solomon Islands
*{{flag|Belize}} - Sovereign of the Order of Belize
*{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}} - Sovereign of the Order of Antigua and Barbuda
*{{flag|St Christopher and Nevis|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} - Sovereign of the Order of St Christopher and Nevis
*{{flag|Grenada}} - Sovereign of the Order of Grenada​
*{{flag|Tuvalu}} - Sovereign of the Order of Tuvalu
*{{flag|Puerto Rico}} - Sovereign of the Order of Puerto Rico
====Foreign====
*{{flag|Spain}} - Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
*{{flag|Norway}} - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St Olav
*{{flag|Norway}} - ​Recipient of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Olav V
*{{flag|Norway}} - Recipient of the Royal House Centenary Medal
*{{flag|Norway}} - ​Recipient of the King Harald V Silver Jubilee Medal
*{{flag|Sweden}} - Member of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
*{{flag|Sweden}} - Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Sword
*{{flag|Denmark}} - Knight of the Order of the Elephant
*{{flag|Denmark}} - Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog
*{{flag|Germany}} - Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
*{{flag|Japan}} - Collar and Grand Order of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
*{{flag|Japan}} - Golden Medal of Merit Japanese Red Cross
*{{flag|Japan}} - Golden Medal of Honorary Member of Japanese Red Cross
*{{flag|France}} - Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour
*{{flag|Malaysia}} - Honorary Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm
*{{flag|China}} - Recipient of the Order of Friendship
*{{flag|Republic of China}} - Recipient of the Order of Brilliant Jade
====Military Appointments====
{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''3 June 1979 - 28 May 1980''': {{wp|Officer Cadet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''28 May 1980 -  25 June 1982''': {{wp|Midshipman}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}}  '''25 June 1982 - 11 January 1984''': {{wp|Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''11 January 1984 - 5 May 1985''': {{wp|Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''5 May 1985 - 15 June 1991''': {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''15 June 1991 - 14 December 1995''': {{wp|Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''14 December 1995 - 15 January 1997''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': {{wp|Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom|Lord High Admiral}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|naval}} '''13 October 2017 - Present''': {{wp|Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet}}, {{wp|Royal Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''25 June 1982 - 3 June 1986''': {{wp|Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''3 June 1986 -  12 November 1990''': {{wp|Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''3 June 1986 -  15 January 1997''': {{wp|Major General (United Kingdom)|Major General}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': {{wp|Head of the British Armed Forces|Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|army}} '''13 October 2017 - Present''': {{wp|Field Marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal}}, {{wp|British Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''5 June 1986 -  15 January 1997''': {{wp|Air Marshal}}, {{wp|Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flagicon|UK|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - Present''': {{wp|Marshal of the Royal Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|Canada}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Canadian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Canada|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Canadian Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|Australia}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Australian Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|Australia|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal Australian Air Force}}<br/>
{{flag|New Zealand}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|army}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|New Zealand Army}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|naval}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Navy}}<br/>
{{flagicon|New Zealand|air force}} '''15 January 1997 - 13 October 2017''': Commander-in-Chief of the {{wp|Royal New Zealand Air Force}}<br/>
== Ancestry ==
{{ahnentafel
|width=100%|align=center|collapsed=yes
| boxstyle_1 = background-color: #fcc;
| boxstyle_2 = background-color: #fb9;
| boxstyle_3 = background-color: #ffc;
| boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc;
| 1 = 1. '''Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands'''
| 2 = 2. [[Charles the Great|Charles III of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
| 4 = 4. [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia}}
| 6 = 6. {{wp|William Perske}}
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Natalie Bacall}}
| 8 = 8. [[George IV and V of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Sophia of Prussia}}
| 10 = 10. {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor}}
| 11 = 11. {{wp|Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein|Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg}}
| 12 = 12. {{wp|Zalman Perski}}
| 13 = 13. {{wp|Sheyna Yofa}}
| 14 = 14. {{wp|Max Weinstein}}
| 15 = 15. {{wp|Sophia Bacall}}
}}

Latest revision as of 09:53, 3 May 2024

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