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It is one of their last public appearances together: in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II will be Queen of England for 70 years. Charles, as always, stands by her side in harmony. He was three years old when his mother ascended the throne.

Photo: Starface / IMAGO

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Charles as a two-year-old in London at the side of his mother Elizabeth. At this point, November 22, 1950, Elizabeth is still a princess. In February 1952, after the death of her father, she automatically became Queen of Britain – and Charles, born on 14 November 1948 in Buckingham Palace, began his time as heir to the throne.

Photograph:

AP

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In 1954, Charles waits at Waterloo station for his grandmother, Queen Mum, who returns from a trip to America. Charles' sister Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Winston Churchill will be there.

Photo: Anonymous/ ap

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Charles at a photo shoot shortly before his seventh birthday in November 1955: The picture shows him in a traditional kilt on the grounds of Balmoral Castle, the Queen's summer residence in Scotland. His governess described the heir to the throne as "hypersensitive, introverted, morbidly shy and attracted to quiet occupations such as reading and painting". At the age of 13 he was sent to boarding school in Gordonstoun, Scotland. He later described his lonely years there as "absolute hell".

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Charles and his younger brother Edward in the port of Montreal in July 1976. After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology, Charles served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. With the £7500,40 he received when he left the army, the heir to the throne set up an endowment, the Prince's Trust. In more than 825 years, the foundation has helped more than 000,<> disadvantaged young people to find a job.

Photo: J. Walter Green/ AP

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This picture shows Charles at London's St. Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981, the day of his wedding to Lady Diana Spencer. Under growing pressure to finally find a wife, the 32-year-old Charles had become engaged to 1981-year-old Diana in February 19. In 1982 and 1984, sons William and Harry were born.

Photo: AP

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Together with his sons, Charles exercises patience while waiting for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Charles and his sons, William and Harry, received the monarch at Kensington Palace in June 1989. Charles' popularity ratings hit a low point when juicy details from his relationship with his long-time lover Camilla were made public. A secretly recorded telephone conversation in which the heir to the throne expresses his desire to be a Camilla's tampon is the straw that breaks the camel's back for many Britons: Someone like that can't become king!

Photo: Peter Kemp/WPA/ AP

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Charles and Diana in November 1992 during a visit to Korea: the marriage had been crumbling for some time. Both spouses had extramarital affairs, and in 1996 they divorced.

Photograph:

DPA

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Charles at a British Army training centre in Pirbright. There is an obstacle course in the forest. The photo was taken in 1998, a year after Charles' ex-wife Diana had died in a car accident in Paris.

Photo: Dylan Martinez

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In Australia's Alice Springs Desert Park, the former prince looks for a bird of prey. Among other things, there is an outdoor bird enclosure in the wildlife park. The photo was taken in March 2005. In February, Charles' engagement to his childhood sweetheart Camilla was announced, and in April, the couple married.

Photo: Ian Waldie/ Getty Images

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Charles cheers on the National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in March 2006. Polo and hunting are considered his favorite hobbies, but in the 1980s, Charles competed as an amateur in a few horse races. "He prefers a racing tactic that is very familiar to him from the line of succession to the throne: wait," wrote SPIEGEL in April <> about his first attempts as a jockey.

Photo: Julian Herbert/ Getty Images

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This photo shows Charles at York station in February 2009 next to an A1 Peppercorn steam locomotive. This locomotive was built by an association of British railway fans – and christened by the then heir to the throne. It is used for special trains.

Photo: WPA Pool/ Getty Images

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"The problem is that there's no job description, so you have to find your own way somehow," Charles once said of his life as heir to the throne.

Photo: BEN STANSALL/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Charles shortly before a parade in Portugal in March 2011. Many Britons now pay tribute to Charles. With his commitment to organic farming – once ridiculed – he did pioneering work.

Photo: Rafael Marchante/ REUTERS

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Charles in April 2011 with his second wife Camilla: The two are on their way to Westminster Abbey for the wedding of his son William.

Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH/ REUTERS

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In November 2015, Charles received the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Charles is considered a hard-working royal who took many appointments from his mother.

Photo: Mick Tsikas/ AP

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In Scotland in September 2016, Charles received the then Irish President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina. Charles is not allowed to interfere in politics as king. As monarch, he wants to take this to heart, Charles already emphasized in a BBC documentary on his 70th birthday. It was completely clear to him that he would no longer be able to act as he does now: "I'm not that stupid." After all, these are two completely different roles.

Photo: WPA Pool/ Getty Images

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Charles during the Queen's Speech on June 21, 2017. The speech traditionally opens the new session of the British Parliament. At the time, Charles was not only committed to environmentally friendly agriculture, but was also a passionate climate activist, a fighter for human rights, an architecture freak who prevented many a modern building project with his stubbornness, and he liked to paint watercolors.

Photograph:

CARL COURT/ AFP

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Charles was heir to the throne for 70 years. Never before in the history of the British monarchy has a member of the royal family held the title of heir to the throne for as long as Charles. He is the oldest royal to have ascended the throne.

Photo: Chris Jackson/ Getty Images

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September 19, 2022: King Charles III, his wife Camilla and sister Anne sit next to each other at the state ceremony ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral at Westminster Abbey. Presidents, heads of government and crowned heads from all over the world have travelled to the funeral service. Since the death of his mother on September 8, 2022, Charles has been King of the United Kingdom.

Photograph:

Dominic Lipinski / dpa

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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives King Charles III in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin. Even before his coronation, the British King and Queen Consort will visit Germany for three days.

Photograph:

Kay Nietfeld / picture alliance / dpa

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6 May 2023: King Charles III leaves Westminster Abbey after the coronation ceremony wearing the Imperial State Crown, a sceptre and the orb.

Photo: Dan Charity / dpa

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