King Charles III: All Hail the New King of England

Yesterday, May 6, 2023, King Charles III was officially crowned the monarch of Britain, to sit on a throne his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, held for 70 years before her death last September. Shying away from the lavish and grandiose coronations of the past, King Charles III presented himself as a contemporary ruler who aspires to lead a nation with differing perspectives on the royal family. Vanessa Obioha delves into the life of the new king, highlighting the notable experiences that have shaped his journey

For most of his adult life, King Charles III lived in the shadows of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, carrying out his duties as the Prince of Wales. Given his mother’s long reign, not a few wondered if Charles would one day become the king. But on Saturday, May 6, King Charles III finally became the new king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The coronation which took place at the historic Westminster Abbey where most British coronations have been held in the past 900 years, had only 2,800 guests and was streamed live on TV and other digital platforms.

Despite being the second televised coronation ceremony, King Charles III’s coronation ceremony was a toned-down affair and didn’t include all the fanfare and extravaganza that accompanied his late mother’s coronation in 1953. Dressed in layers of glittering robes, including a shimmering gold-sleeved coat called the Supertunica that was made for George V in 1911, the new monarch was anointed by the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. He received the Royal Orb, the two Sovereign’s Sceptres, and the crown, making his reign official, although he has since legally ascended the throne since last September when his mother died.

The festivities continue today with a concert that will feature performances from Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, the Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and Nigerian afrobeats sensation Tiwa Savage. Bringing the festivities to an end  ‘The Big Help Out,’ an initiative in which charities and other organisations across Britain will offer volunteering opportunities for people who want to get involved.

The coronation expenses are usually paid by the British government, in other words, taxpayers’ money. Perhaps due to the rising cost of living crisis, King Charles III decided to have his ceremony on a low key. Notwithstanding, his coronation cost is estimated at  $125 million, double of his mother’s coronation expenses. Her coronation cost 1.5 million pounds in 1953, which is about 50 million pounds in today’s money.

King Charles III’s ascendancy to the throne is coming at a time when there are differing opinions about the royal family. A recent poll carried out by YouGov, a renowned market research firm, discovered that 58 per cent of those surveyed believe that Britain should maintain its monarchy, whereas 26 per cent preferred the option of having an elected head of state. However, when scrutinizing the opinions of those aged between 18 to 24, it was evident that fewer than one-third of them favoured the retention of a monarchy.

Notwithstanding, the new king has always maintained that he would uphold the traditions set by his antecedents but with a modern twist. This was seen when the coronation organisers implored the public to pledge allegiance to the new monarch, a departure from the traditional allegiance pledged by hereditary peers, who would line up to kneel before the monarch in Westminster Abbey.

Having lived a life in the spotlight as a young prince, now that he is king, not a few wonder how Charles, now 74 will handle the cameras.

A Prince of Many Firsts

On November 14, 1948, Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth gave birth to her first son Charles. Charles was shortly declared the future king at age three, following the end of his grandfather’s reign. Constantly in the spotlight as a child, Charles was always seen with either his mother or both parents; be it during her coronation in 1953 when he was four years old, or during candid moments at Balmoral castle.

King Charles became the first heir apparent to be tutored outside the palace. He attended Hill House School in West London, and subsequently Cheam Preparatory School in Berkshire and Gordonstoun in Eastern Scotland.

The King maintained his knack for breaking royal traditions by also becoming the first heir apparent to go straight to university after his A-levels instead of joining the British Armed Forces. He became the first British heir to earn a university degree. He studied archaeology, anthropology, history, and even Welsh language and history during his time at Trinity College, Cambridge and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Charles graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, and later had it elevated to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree, becoming the first heir to achieve these milestones.

In 1969, at the age of 20, he was invested by the Queen as Prince of Wales at Caerfarnon Castle. His coronation was also televised and the following year, he assumed his place in the House of Lords. On June 13, 1974, he gave his debut speech – the first monarch to do so since Edward VII in 1884. He addressed the House again in 1975.

Marriage to Diana Spencer

Charles’ fame grew when he married Princess Diana Spencer. Before their widely publicised wedding that drew millions of viewers, the new king was famous for his affairs with other prominent women like Georgina Russell, the daughter of Sir John Russell who was then the British ambassador to Spain. Also included in that list was Queen Camilla.

The king’s romance with Lady Diana started in the 80s and by 1981, he had proposed and wedded her. Living at both Kensington Palace and Highgrove House, near Tetbury, the couple welcomed two children: Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984. Again, Charles broke the tradition by being the first royal father in generations to attend his children’s births, a precedent that had not been set since Prince Albert.

But whatever fairytale wedding they had became a nightmare in 1986 when the couple started having marital problems. Charles resumed his relationship with Camilla who was then married. Princess Diana was also said to have admitted that she had fallen in love with someone else. With the media feeding on their lives and broken relationship, the duo officially divorced on August 26, 1996, after being advised by the late queen to end the marriage.

Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997, casting Charles again in the spotlight.

From Lover to Queen Camilla

Camilla Parker Bowles and Charles’ romance was one of persistence and resistance. Despite the odds stacked against them, the couple waved through every murky water and finally tied the knot in 2005. Given the position of the late queen as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the civil wedding ceremony was not attended by  Charles’s parents. However, they were present at the service of blessing and held a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle.

At first, the idea of Camilla taking on the queen title was not well-received, even though she was married to the future king. Instead, she was intended to be referred to as princess consort, a title considered inferior to that of a queen in terms of both status and association with the revered Queen Elizabeth II.

However at her Platinum Jubilee in 2022,  Queen Elizabeth II  released a statement declaring it her “sincere wish” that after Charles ascended to the throne, “Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”

That title was again changed when Buckingham Palace revealed the invitations to the coronation, on which Camilla is styled officially as Queen Camilla.

“There’s a view in the Palace that Queen Consort is cumbersome and it might be simpler for Camilla to be known just as the Queen when the time is right,” Daily Mail reported in February.

For clarity, Camilla’s rank is that of a queen consort and not a queen regnant, as was the case with Elizabeth. A queen regnant is the ruling head of state, while a queen consort is the wife of the head of state and has no governing authority. Her role is to support her spouse in their position. Additionally, Camilla is not part of the line of succession. When Charles dies, William will become king and Kate will become queen. Camilla will most likely retain her title, but she will still play a supporting role to the new king and queen.

Strained Relationship with Children

The relationship between King Charles III and his son Prince Harry has been tense since the latter exited the royal family and started a new life in the U.S. in 2020 with his wife Meghan Markle. The decision according to reports did not augur well with his father and when Harry had an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he admitted that his father was upset by his decision to step down as a working royal and that he stopped taking his calls. Although they are on speaking terms, Harry was the only one invited to his coronation ceremony while Meghan stayed back to look after their children in the U.S.

William, who will become the future king, however, has a stable relationship with his father.

The Days Ahead

Known for his environmental activism, and organic farming, King Charles III is not coming onto the throne with a blank slate. He is, however, ruling at a time when most countries’ monarchies have been toppled and the belief in the British royal family is wavering. His mother made a mark by portraying a figure of permanence and stability in an era that was marked with tumult. Will the new king fit into his mother’s shoes perfectly or will he chart a new path that will define a new generation in the royal family or lead to its demise? The coming days will tell.