Charles III of the United Kingdom
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King of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms
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| Reign | 7 July, 1951 - 11 June, 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coronation | 10 August, 1951 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Edward VII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | William VI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King of Hanover | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 7 July, 1951 - 30 January, 1957 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coronation | 10 August, 1951 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Edward VII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Incorporation into the United Kingdom through the Kingdom of Hanover Act 1957 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Charles Frederick William Louis 15 January 1915 Haga Palace, Sweden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 March 1985 (aged 70) Edinburgh Palace, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burial | 5 March 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Lauren Bacall (m. 1947) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| House | Hanover | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Edward VII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Victoria Louise of Prussia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Protestant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Charles III (Charles Frederick William Louis; 15 January, 1915 - 3 March, 1985) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and King of Hanover from 1951 to 1985. Throughout his three decades long reign, he oversaw various events during the tumultuous period of the Cold War and notably spearheaded several series of far-reaching reforms in his lifelong effort of liberalising the royal institution of the United Kingdom.
Early Life
Charles was born on the 15th of January, 1915 to the then Prince of Wales Edward, and German princess Victoria Louise. As a result of his parents' choice to seek refuge in the neutral country of Sweden due to rampant Germanophobia in both the German Empire and the United Kingdom, which had been his parents' respective birthplaces, he was born in the Swedish royal residence of Haga Palace in Stockholm.
Despite undergoing his first few years in exile, Charles cultivated a strong bond with the Swedish royal family, as he was noted to had been particularly close to that of Ingrid, the granddaughter of Gustaf V. As a result, he was also exposed to the Swedish language and in the following years was even able to fluently speak in Swedish itself. In 1917, Charles was joined by his brother William, who would be his only brother and sibling.
In 1919, the young Charles accompanied his parents to the Netherlands in an unscheduled stop as the rampant Germanophobia deterred the princely family from immediately returning to Britain. However, three years later, the princely family did finally returned to Britain, immediately settling in Buckingham Palace.
Prince of Wales
At the age of seven, upon the passing of his grandfather George V, a seven-year old Charles was formally proclaimed as Prince of Wales and heir apparent to his father.
Though he, alongside his brother were confined to the interior of Buckingham Palace as protection against public hostility, Charles's development as a young prince was relatively undeterred. While the young prince excelled in his academic subjects, Charles also proved to be an adept in horse riding, and was considerably versed in the arts of hunting, having at oftentimes accompanied his father on private hunting trips.
In 1930, much to the reluctance of his pacifist-minded father, Charles attended the Royal Military College as an army cadet. Though the young prince excelled in his written examinations and showed much potential as a future soldier, the economical situation at the time however severed the possibility of him being deployed for active duty.
Life in the United States
Hoping to escape the distressing anti-German sentiment back home, Charles voluntarily withdrew incognito to the United States, which he entered via Canada in 1935, alongside a few trusted escorts of his own. Though the situation, in terms of anti-German sentiment proved somewhat indifferent, the prince, who had been travelling under the alias of "Robert Clarke" chose to acquire a residence of his own in the north-eastern state of New York. At the same time, in a rather unconventional manner, Charles began to take up acting, all the while remaining under his assumed alias, establishing himself as a wealthy American citizen born to British immigrants.
In 1943, having built a relatively successful career of his own, the prince unexpectedly came into contact with a new and upcoming actress, Lauren Bacall.
Death
Personal Information
Titles & Honours
- 15 January 1915 - 5 January 1923 His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Cambridge
- 5 January 1923 - 7 July 1951 His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
- 7 July 1951 - 3 March 1985 His Majesty The King
Honours
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Charles III of the United Kingdom |
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