Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is the heir apparent to the British throne as the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II. He has been Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesaysince 1952, and is the oldest and longest-serving heir apparent in British history.[2] He is also the longest-serving Prince of Wales, having held that title since 1958.[3]
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He was educated at Cheam and GordonstounSchools, which his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, had attended as a child, as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navyfrom 1971 to 1976.
In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer and they had two sons: Prince William (b. 1982)—later to become Duke of Cambridge—and Prince Harry(b. 1984)—later to become Duke of Sussex. In 1996, the couple divorced following well-publicised extramarital affairs by both parties. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris the following year. In 2005, Charles married long-time partner Camilla Parker Bowles.
Charles founded The Prince's Trust in 1976, sponsors The Prince's Charities, and is patron of many other charities and the arts. He is an environmentalist who raises awareness of organic farming and climate changeand has received awards and recognition from environmental groups.[4] [5][6] [7]His support for alternative medicine, including homeopathy, has been criticised by some in the medical community.[8] [9]Charles has been outspoken on the role of architecture in society and the conservation of historic buildings. He worked on the creation of Poundbury, an experimental new town based on his preferences. He has written a number of books, including A Vision of Britain: A Personal View of Architecture in 1989 and the children's book The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980.