Charles III is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history and, at age 73, is the oldest person to assume the throne.
Though it will be difficult for him to fill the shoes of his universally adored mother, many people overlook several interesting facts about him which ensure that he will continue his mother’s legacy of modernizing the Royal Family and leading the country—and in many ways the world—through the 21st century and beyond.
He’s younger than you think
Much has been made of the fact that King Charles III, due to his mother’s record-breaking longevity, is taking the throne at the ripe-old age of 73. Although he is old enough to be grandfather many times over, it’s worth pointing out that he is actually younger than both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He’s also younger than Winston Churchill when he became Prime Minister for the second time. And for what it’s worth, he’s also several years younger than The Queen Consort.
His mother is a testament to the fact that as life-expectancies rise, people should get used to seeing these age records to continue to be broken. That said, we wish King Charles III the best in his endeavor to the break his mother’s record.
He’s a Polyglot
As dramatized in the third season of The Crown, Prince Charles was sent to Aberystwyth University in 1969 to study Welsh in preparation for his role of the Prince of Wales. After a semester of intense study, he impressed his tutor who remarked in a 2015 Guardian interview that his accent was actually quite good.
The Prince of Wales has also wowed many different audiences throughout the years with his fluent French speaking ability. Here at Directors Training Group, we admire the way he uses his linguistic skills to bring attention to causes that he is clearly passionate about, such as honoring veterans and climate change. We agree with his clear belief that the best way to connect with people is to learn their language.
He believes in multi-culturalism
Much of the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy involves the dismantling of the British Empire and her promotion of tolerance, cross-cultural understanding, and cooperation. However, it’s often overlooked that Charles himself has also long championed these causes. In a 1986 speech to the Japanese Parliament, Charles remarked that “at a time when there is division and conflict in the world… we need to exchange more of our cultures and by doing so enrich our creativity.”
These words couldn’t be truer more than 35 years later. So, Your Majesty, if things don’t work out for you as The Sovereign, we are always looking to expand our talented team of cross-cultural trainers!
