King Charles III has been in the spotlight ever since his birth, but despite his worldwide fame, there are likely to be some things you still don't know about the British monarch. To help you learn more about the King, here are some of the most interesting facts about his life so far – including his favourite foods, beloved hobbies, and convention-breaking rules.
The former Prince of Wales has lived a busy and well-publicised life, meaning he's rarely out of the headlines. Born to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, he became the heir to the throne very early on in life, and only recently ascended to the throne as King on the death of his mother in 2022.
Now, Charles is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms, so there's no better time to get to know the reigning monarch a little better. As such, here are some of the most fascinating facts about King Charles, from his childhood, his history as a royal, and his well-publicised relationships.
32 interesting facts about King Charles
He wasn’t born in a hospital
King Charles III was born on 14th November 1948, but unlike most babies, he wasn’t actually born in a hospital. The King’s birth took place in the comfort of his then-home, Buckingham Palace. Not a bad place to be born, we’d say!
It’s thought that Queen Elizabeth II had her own personal, family doctors around her for the birth at the palace, and this is a royal tradition she and Prince Philip carried on after welcoming Charles. Both Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were also born at Buckingham Palace, while their only daughter, Princess Anne, was born at Clarence House.
Charles is the first monarch to have a university degree
After school, King Charles scored a place at the prestigious Cambridge University, where he studied archaeology and anthropology at Trinity College – though he later changed his studies to history. He eventually achieved a 2.2 in his degree.
At the time, The New York Times reported that the master of Trinity College, Lord Butler said, “This boy has come out with flying colours. We think it was rather remarkable that he could get a good degree, considering all his other duties. That he has managed to do so much work besides all these, shows a rare degree of concentration."
Charles is the first British monarch to possess a university degree – neither the Queen nor her father attended university.
He is the oldest person to ever ascend to the throne
One of King Charles's biggest moments was undoubtedly when he became King, a role he had a long time to prepare for. King Charles famously became the longest-serving heir apparent (essentially, a monarch-in-waiting) in April 2011. The then-Prince Charles overtook King Edward VIII, his great-great-grandfather, who was heir apparent for just over 59 years before becoming King.
Charles was 73 years old when his mother Queen Elizabeth died, and he eventually became King. He had been heir apparent for over 70 years. He became the second in line to the throne at the young age of three – his mother Queen Elizabeth II became Queen in February 1952, following the death of her father King George VI when she was just 25.
He has authored and co-authored 17 books
Prince Harry isn't the only member of the royal family who can call themselves an author; King Charles has also author, or co-authored, 17 books in total over his lifetime so far. Impressive!
The King’s books cover a wide scope of topics, from his own life, to his views on organic farming, gardening, and the natural world in general. He has also contributed to books on incorporating the environment into architecture, as well as a children’s book, called The Old Man of Lochnagar.
He has always been passionate about conservation and the environment
Ever since becoming the Prince of Wales in 1958, Charles has been outspoken about his desire to protect the environment and promote sustainability – in fact, he's widely considered to have been revolutionary with his early views on the topic.
He has delivered countless speeches and written books on the subject and has even taken plenty of proactive steps to do his part.
He is especially passionate about organic farming and encourages this practice wherever possible. For example, he has his own organic garden at Highgrove – his home in Gloucestershire – which eventually evolved into Duchy Organic, which still sells its products at the supermarket Waitrose. In 2020, he also launched the Sustainable Markets Initiative, encouraging the private sector and its CEOs to make strides towards being more sustainable.
And despite arguably having a pretty large carbon footprint, he does what he can to reduce his impact on the environment. He is said to regularly take breaks from eating meat and even forgoes dairy and fish for a portion of the week. He has also put solar panels on top of his London home, Clarence House, runs his cars via bioethanol fuel and uses biomass boilers at Birkhall Lodge, one of his Scottish homes.
Charles was the first royal to attend regular school
The monarch was the first British royal to attend school, rather than be home-schooled by a private tutor at the palace, a decision made by his mother and father. Queen Elizabeth had been home-schooled, as had her father.
Charles began his schooling at Hill House in London, but after less than a year there, moved to Cheam School, a boarding school in Hampshire. After this, he followed in his father Prince Philip’s footsteps, and attended Gordonstoun in Eastern Scotland; a famously strict school at the time, which reports suggested Charles didn't enjoy very much.
He studied the Welsh language and Welsh history at university
King Charles attended Trinity College, Cambridge University, studying history. However, during his second year, he was also granted permission to attend the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth.
As the Prince of Wales (a title he was given by his mother at the age of 9), Charles studied both Welsh history and the Welsh language at the university, something his parents considered important training for his royal role.
It’s now thought that he can speak Welsh proficiently - in fact, in 2022, he delivered a small part of his speech in Welsh at the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).
He founded one of the biggest charities for young people in 1976
Back in 1976, the former Prince of Wales used his severance pay from the Navy (£7,400) to fund several community initiatives around the UK, and in 1999, all of the remaining initiatives funded by Charles came together to form The Prince’s Trust, a charity created to help the lives of disadvantaged young people.
Nowadays, The Prince’s Trust is one of the biggest charities for young people in the UK, providing programmes and funding to help them start a business, get a job or further their education.
The King’s charity is regularly supported by celebrities, and as of September 2020, is said to have helped over one million young people.
He was dating Princess Diana’s sister when he met her
Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as he was then known, were famously married on 29th July 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral. And while the couple's early history is fairly complex (reports suggest that they only met in person 13 times before getting engaged), one of the most interesting nuggets of information of Charles and Diana's relationship timeline is that Charles was originally dating Diana’s sister when they first met. In fact, she is the one who introduced the royal couple to one another!
In 1997, Charles was said to be seeing Diana’s sister Lady Sarah Spencer, or Sarah McCorquodale, as she is now known. The pair weren't believed to be too serious, but they ended up breaking off their relationship after she told the press that she didn’t see herself marrying Charles.
Charles and Camilla are the only royals to have a civil wedding ceremony
One of Charles and Camilla's most memorable moments, King Charles and Queen Camilla finally married in 2005 after the breakdown of their respective marriages, and of course, the death of Princess Diana eight years prior in 1997.
But the couple were not permitted to have a church marriage like all other royals, given Charles’ previous marriage in a church and both of their subsequent divorces, and the royal family's desire to avoid any potential controversy.
Instead, the couple were married at Windsor Castle via a civil service in April 2005, with a religious prayer taking place afterwards. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip famously did not attend the actual wedding service, but did attend the prayer afterwards, and held the reception for their son and new daughter-in-law at Windsor Castle’s State Apartments.
He attended his first solo royal engagement at the age of 16
As the Prince of Wales and second-in-line to the throne at the time, Charles was expected to dive into royal duties at an early age.
He made his first public royal engagement in 1965, when he was just 16 years old and still at school, attending a student garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. There, he met with hundreds of Scottish and Commonwealth students who were of a similar age, and performed the first of many royal handshakes.
King Charles broke with royal convention at his son’s births
Charles broke with convention when his two sons Prince William and Prince Harry were born, becoming the first royal father to be present at the births of his children.
William was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London on 21st June 1982, and Harry at the same hospital two years later, in 1984, on 12th September.
The King detailed the experience in a letter to his godmother Patricia Brabourne, saying, "I am so thankful I was beside Diana’s bedside the whole time, because by the end of the day, I really felt as though I’d shared deeply the process of birth, and as a result was rewarded by seeing a small creature which belonged to us – even though he seemed to belong to everyone else as well!"
He’s had his fair share of scandals
Earlier in his life, Charles certainly experienced plenty of scandals within the press, mostly related to his complex relationship with Camilla and his difficult marriage with Diana, Princess of Wales.
The problems in Charles and Diana’s marriage were well documented, with both parties admitting to cheating on one another whilst in their marriage. When asked if he had been faithful in the marriage during an interview with ITN in 1994, Charles confessed, "Yes ... until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried."
It’s believed that Charles and Camila were conducting their relationship long before his official divorce from Diana, with private calls between the pair released in 1993, sharing intimate details of their relationship.
Charles travelled to Paris to bring Diana’s body home after her death
Fans of Netflix show The Crown will remember the haunting season six episode where the then-Prince Charles travelled to Paris to bring Princess Diana’s body home after her fatal accident in the French capital. And it appears that the series of events really did play out similarly in real life.
It is reported that Charles took the royal plane to Paris with Diana’s two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes to retrieve Diana’s body, bringing her back home to London to be laid to rest. Reports also claim that he took on a large role in planning her funeral alongside her family members.
He is happiest when spending time outside
The King is known to love the outdoors and various different outdoor pursits, and is said to be incredibly active as a result. Queen Camilla, when guest-editing Country Life as part of her 75th birthday celebrations, explains that the countryside is where her husband finds “true peace”, saying that he is a “countryman to his very core.”
She said, "Whether he's hedge-laying in the pouring rain, striding, like a mountain goat, up impossibly steep Highland hills, planting trees in the arboretum or pruning at Highgrove, this is where he finds true peace."
Camilla also shared just how active Charles is in 2020, whilst appearing on Radio 5's The Emma Barnett Show. "He is probably the fittest man of his age I know. He'll walk and walk and walk. He's like a mountain goat, he leaves everybody miles behind," she said.
He has two step-children
When Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005, he became a step-father for the first time to her two children. Camilla and her ex-husband Andrew Parker-Bowles welcomed their son Tom in 1974, and their second child, Laura, in 1978.
Though Camilla’s children haven’t spoken much about their monarch step-father, Tom did share his praise for Charles in 2023 on the News Agents podcast, describing him as “ a good, kind, intelligent man who cares deeply about his roles wherever they may be, either as the Prince of Wales or the King.”
He has a favourite scent
King Charles is regularly required to make a good impression, and Prince Harry shared in his 2023 memoir Spare that he often does so with his favourite cologne, Eau Sauvage by Dior.
In the book, Charles’ son explains that throughout his childhood, Charles would “slather it on his cheeks, his neck, his shirt”. Describing the scent himself, Harry explained that it was “flowery, with a hint of something harsh, like pepper or gunpowder”.
He is also said to love the fragrances from up-market perfumers Penhaligon’s, having previously created a fragrance with them named the Highgrove Bouquet; inspired by the gardens of his home in the Cotswolds, Highgrove House.
He always makes use of leftover food
It may not be surprising to learn that, given how environmentally conscious he is, King Charles is said to hate food waste. According to former royal chef Carolyn Robb, he was always keen to make use of leftovers as best he could.
She once told a biographer, “If we made roasted lamb and there were leftovers, we’d probably go and make Shepherd’s pie the next night.
"The prince was very economical and very much believed that nothing should go to waste. If there were leftovers, they’d be used one way or another. If not for him, then rehashed and used for a meal the following day."
He is an especially hard worker, with a long working day
The monarch is certainly one of the hardest-working royals around. According to The Telegraph, in 2023, King Charles carried out around 425 royal engagements, making him the royal with the second most public appearances. He was only beaten by his sister Princess Anne, who completed 457 royal duties in 2023.
Prince Harry confirmed that his father is incredibly hard-working in the 2018 BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70.
“He does need to slow down,” Harry confessed. “This is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night and then goes to his desk later that night and will fall asleep on his notes to the point where he’ll wake up with a piece of paper stuck to his face.”
King Charles champions diversity
The royal family has faced plenty of controversies over the years in regards to diversity but King Charles has often made statements about embracing and respecting the differences of those in the UK.
For example, in a 2022 Buckingham Palace reception, after becoming King, he made a speech promising to protect all faiths as a monarch, not just Christianity.
“It is the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for faith itself and its practice through the religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals. This diversity is not just enshrined in the laws of our country, it is enjoined by my own faith,” he said.
“As a member of the Church of England, my Christian beliefs have love at their very heart. By my most profound convictions, therefore – as well as by my position as sovereign – I hold myself bound to respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live their lives in accordance with secular ideals," Charles continued.
“I am determined, as King, to preserve and promote those principles across all communities, and for all beliefs, with all my heart."
He is an accomplished painter
Perhaps one of the most interesting facts about King Charles is the fact that he is said to be a great artist, specialising in watercolour paintings.
In 2023, 79 of his works, made up of outdoor scenes from Scotland, France and beyond, were actually displayed at The Garrison Chapel in London; the first exhibition of his work.
Charles shared during the opening of the exhibition why he loves painting so much, saying, "you become increasingly aware of things that may have escaped your attention previously – things like the quality of light and shade, of tone and texture and of the shape of buildings in relation to the landscape," he said. "It all requires the most intense concentration and, consequently, is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know."
"In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can't reach."
He was the first royal to get his RAF Wings
Before becoming a full-time royal, King Charles trained with the Royal Air Force, and then the Royal Navy. And in 1971, he became the very first royal in history to receive his ‘wings’ from the RAF, which essentially means he was (and is) a qualified pilot.
Having trained at RAF Cranwell, Charles is reported to have flown 92 hours before his passing out parade, which earned him the right to wear the Royal Air Force Flying badge.
His son Prince William later followed in his footsteps, sweetly receiving his RAF wings from his father in 2008, after spending four months training to fly helicopters.
He has a ritual after every tree he plants
Planting a tree is a common royal duty, and is often used as a way of marking a royal’s visit. But King Charles is said to have sweet, if slightly unusual ritual when he is asked to help plant a tree whilst on a royal engagement
In 2020, his courtiers confirmed after planting a tree, he’ll usually give is a tap or “a friendly shake to wish it well.” How lovely!
He has even planted an arboretum, a garden dedicated to trees, at his Scottish retreat, Birkhall Lodge, which he actually named after his eldest grandson, Prince George. In the BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, he showed off the arboretum, saying, "This is George’s wood. As I get older all I really long for is to plant trees.
"I hope it will be quite amusing for George, as they grow up, and he grows up."
He reportedly has a net worth in the billions
As King of England, it’s obvious that Charles isn't short of cash – but his estimated net worth is staggering.
The Guardian estimated that in 2023, Charles's personal wealth sat at around £1.8 billion. His fortune is said to originate from a variety of places, including the Duchy of Lancaster, a portfolio consisting of various assets for the exclusive use of the current monarch. This is said to be worth around £653 million, and the portfolio annually pays Charles around £20 million to fund his royal duties.
In addition to this, as monarch, Charles is now the owner of a vast real estate portfolio said to be worth over £300 million, as well as shares and investments worth £142 million. He also inherited a collection of racehorses reported to be worth around £27 million, and artwork worth £24 million, among other sources of wealth.
He owns a home in a Transylvanian village
As monarch, Charles famously owns homes across the UK, including his Cotswolds home of Highgrove House, his London home of Clarence House, and plenty of other official residences, including Buckingham Palace.
However, you may not be aware that the King also owns an unassuming property in Transylvania, near the village of Viscri. With seven double bedrooms across three cottages, and furnished with antique Transylvanian furniture, the home offers a eal rural retreat. It’s reported that there is no Wi-Fi or TV at the home, which is surrounded by the rolling hills of the Zalan valley, and that Charles loves to simply walk and read when he visits the home.
It is reported that Charles makes an annual visit to the property, and bought it several years ago to encourage more people to visit the area and to boost sustainable development in the region. And when he’s not there, you can actually rent a room in the home out yourself!
He doesn’t have the same official London residence as the Queen did
At the time of the Queen’s death in September 2022, her official London residence was Buckingham Palace; it was where she stayed when in the capital, and where most of her official business was carried out.
However, Charles’ official London home as the monarch remains as Clarence House. The central London home stands next to St. James’ Palace, and is just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.
Charles and Camilla have called it home for almost the last 20 years, and it is reported that the pair will continue to live there until renovation work on the Palace is completed.
Charles was reportedly picked on at school
In his younger years, King Charles attended Gordonstoun School in east Scotland, a school his father Prince Philip also attended.
However, it is reported that he didn’t especially relish his time at the boarding school, reportedly once calling it a “prison sentence”. One of Charles’ old classmates has also revealed that the monarch was mercilessly picked on during his time there,.
Writing in The Telegraph, former Gordonstoun attendee Johnny Stonborough wrote that while playing rugby, “A couple of the boys decided it would be funny to 'do' him. This meant punching him, pulling his ears, all out of sight in the scrum. He never said a word. He just got on with it. Never complain, never explain."
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Johnny also revealed that Charles’ status as a future King also made it tricky for him to make friends. "We felt pretty sorry for him even at the time, but the problem was that even trying to be friends with him meant that you then got bullied for being one of the King's friends. It was a pretty harsh environment," he said.
Of his time at Gordonstoun, Charles has confessed it wasn’t all that enjoyable. "I didn't enjoy school as much as I might have; but, that was only because I'm happier at home than anywhere else," he has said.
One of his favourite foods is a household staple
You might assume that Charles’ go-to food choice is something fancy, such as caviar or oysters. No – it turns out that one of his very favourite foods is as simple as the humble boiled egg.
Royal commentators have shared that the King loves to wake up to a boiled egg, and that his favourite way to enjoy it is to cook it for just a few minutes so that it is still runny.
In 2020, the official Clarence House Instagram also revealed that cheesy baked eggs is one of Charles' favourite foods, sharing a recipe for the dish.
His grandchildren have a sweet nickname for him
Just like every other family, the royal family have plenty of nicknames for one another. And it's reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales's children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, have a fun nickname for the monarch.
It's claimed that William's three children call Charles 'Grandpa Wales', in reference to his former title of Prince of Wales. It's said to be inspired by the Queen's nickname for her grandfather, King George V, whom she called 'Grandpa England'.
It's not clear whether Catherine and William's children will keep up this nickname now that William is the Prince of Wales, but it's very sweet all the same.
He’s suffered bad injuries from playing his favourite sport
Polo was one of Charles’ favourite sports to play, and it’s a passion he has passed on to both of his children, Prince William and Prince Harry.
But it’s fair to say that the game wasn’t exactly kind to him, having suffered multiple injuries during play.
In 1980, King Charles was thrown off of his horse whilst playing polo and suffered an injury to his face which required 12 stitches. He was also kicked by a horse in 1990, and suffered two fractures to his arm. Then, in 1993, a game of polo aggravated an old back injury.
Eventually, he was forced to hang up his polo stick at the age of 57, with a spokesperson telling reporters, “He decided to bow out gracefully but regretfully.”
He doesn’t eat lunch
King Charles is known to enjoy a healthy, varied diet, but reportedly, that doesn’t include lunch.
Many of the monarch’s former staff members have noted that he usually only eats breakfast and dinner, and is said to consider lunch an inconvenience within his busy day.
His former aide Julian Payne explained to The Mirror, "The King doesn’t eat lunch; so, an early lesson I learnt when out on the road with him was to have a big breakfast or bring a few snack bars with you to keep you going."
However, he does reportedly have a break at around 1pm to go for a walk and will replenish himself with a spot of afternoon tea at 5pm with his wife Camilla, before finally having dinner at 8.30pm.
He is a qualified diver
During his time at the Britannia Royal Naval College when he was 22 years old, Charles learnt to scuba dive as part of his naval cadet training. As a result, he has become the first monarch to also be a qualified diver.
And he has taken on some very impressive underwater dives in the years since qualifying, having completed a dive under the Arctic ice in Canada, and having explored the sunken Tudor warship, Mary Rose, which was previously shipwrecked in the Solent, the patch of sea between the Isle of Wight and Great Britain. It has since been recovered.
His son Prince William has since followed in his footsteps, becoming a qualified scuba diver himself.
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