King Charles III's life in pictures
- Published
King Charles III was born on 14 November 1948. In this picture taken in 1949, the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, pose for a photo with a baby Prince Charles.
Here as a young prince - Charles can be seen with his aunt, Princess Margaret and his grandmother, at the 1953 coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Here the young Prince can be seen taking part in the tug of war at a sports day at Hill House in Knightsbridge.
In 1967 at the age of 18, Prince Charles attended Cambridge University - one of the most famous and respected universities in the world. In a break from tradition, Charles went straight to university after his A-levels, rather than joining the British Armed Forces. He studied History and was the first British heir to the throne to be awarded a university degree.
Here, as a young prince, the King kneels before Queen Elizabeth II as she crowns him the Prince of Wales at a ceremony in Caernarfon Castle in 1969. Prince of Wales is the title given to the next in line to the throne.
At St Paul's Cathedral in London in 1981, Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who then became the Princess of Wales. The event was watched by millions of people on television at home and thousands flocked to the streets to cheer for the couple.
The King has two sons Harry (left) and William (right) seen here pictured along with their mum, Princess Diana.
By the early 1990s, the Prince and Princess of Wales were facing difficulties in their marriage and in 1992 the couple separated later, getting a divorce in 1996. Pictured here in 1991, Charles can be seen with his wife Princess Diana along with their children princes William and Harry on a boat while on tour in the commonwealth country, Canada.
In 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris, France. There was a huge outpouring of sadness from the British public, in what was an incredibly difficult time for the Royal Family and especially Diana's sons William and Harry.
Following the personal tragedy, Charles, pictured here in 2000 on a skiing holiday with princes William and Harry, continued his role as a devoted father who tried to make life as normal as possible for his two sons.
There was another sad day for the Royal Family in 2002 as they gathered at Westminster Abbey for the funeral of the Queen Mother who had lived to the age of 101. The King was very close with his grandmother and her loss was particularly difficult for the then Prince of Wales.
Happier times for the King, pictured here in 2005 after marrying his long-term partner Camilla who is now the Queen consort of the United Kingdom.
The Royal Family came together for another wedding in 2011. Seen here on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as Prince William married Catherine Middleton. Previously known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, today the couple are known as the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Prince Harry looks at his bride, Meghan Markle, as she arrives accompanied by King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales, during their wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018. However in the years that followed, the King's relationship with his son Harry became more distant as the couple stepped away from royal duties and are no longer active members of the Royal Family.
In 2021, the King's father Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died aged 99. Here Charles can be seen following the coffin (draped in Prince Philip's Royal Standard Flag and bearing his Royal Navy cap, sword and a bouquet of lilies and white roses) as it is carried on a specially designed Land Rover during his funeral procession to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The Queen was joined by members of the Royal Family including her son Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on 5 June 2022 in London. It was to be one of her final public appearances.
In a televised message, King Charles III spoke to the nation for the first time as king following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. He described his mother as "an inspiration" and "an example" to him and to all his family. "We owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example," he said, continuing "I pay tribute to my mother's memory and I honour her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all."
After Queen Elizabeth II died, the title of monarch automatically passed over to Charles, making him King Charles III. At St James' Palace, in London, a historic process took place where the King had to sign a proclamation in front of a group of people known as the Accession Council. This happens every time a new monarch is put on the throne.