China News Service, September 10. On September 10, local time, King Charles III of the United Kingdom was officially sworn in as the new British monarch at St. James' Palace.
At 73 years old, Charles III is the longest-serving crown prince in British history and the oldest monarch in British history.
Charles III arrives at Buckingham Palace on September 9, 2022.
Why Charles III?
It is reported that Charles' full name is Charles Philip Arthur George (Charles Philip Arthur George), and his title of king can be selected from these four names.
Therefore, the title of Charles after his accession may be Charles III (Charles III), Philip II, Arthur I or George VII.
There has been speculation in the past that Charles should have followed royal tradition by choosing George to become George VII.
According to previous reports by the British media, Charles also has a soft spot for the title of George VII, and hopes to inherit this title.
However, Charles chose to use his Christian name as the monarchy title, like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
There has been speculation that Charles may leave the title of George VII to his beloved grandson, Prince George.
In fact, the name Charles has been associated with a bloody and turbulent history.
Charles I was born on November 19, 1600, the second son of King James VI of Scotland.
In 1625 he succeeded as the second Stuart king of England.
After he ascended the throne, Charles I often provoked wars with foreign countries, causing heavy losses to the country.
In 1642, Charles I stormed into the House of Commons, demanding the arrest of five disobedient MPs, and soon the entire country was plunged into civil war between supporters of Parliament and supporters of the king.
In 1649, the House of Commons passed a decree calling for the king to be tried, making Charles I the only British monarch in history to be executed because of the belief that the king was waging war against the people.
After the death of Charles I, England entered a republic.
Charles II was forced into exile and did not return to England until the restoration of the royal family.
Although he was loved by the people during his reign, he was very unrestrained in life. British historians have not been able to judge whether Charles II's political actions were motivated by selfishness or the original intention of benefiting the country and the people.
On July 27, 1958, Prince Charles returned to Berkshire School after attending church services.
3-year-old legal heir
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948.
With Elizabeth taking the throne in 1952, Charles, who was only 3 years old, became the heir apparent, and he was destined to grow up in a different environment than the future monarchs before him.
Foreign media pointed out that Charles embodies the modernization of the British monarchy - he was the first heir not educated at home, the first to obtain a university degree, and the first to grow up under the increasing media attention. People, as people's respect for royalty is fading.
Like many royals before him, Charles joined the force, initially joining the RAF in 1971 and then the navy, working his way up the ranks.
Reuters described Charles at the time, saying that as a young prince, he had a handsome figure and enjoyed skiing, surfing and diving.
He was an avid polo player and also participated in many intense matches as a jockey.
After retiring from the Navy in 1976, Charles began to seek a role in public life because the Constitution did not specify what an heir should do.
"That's why it's so fun, challenging, and of course complex," Charles once said.
Marriage made him "undesirable"
For many Britons and others, however, Charles has always been associated with Princess Diana and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana leave St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, with their newborn son, Prince Harry, in September 1984.
All went well at first, with Charles and Diana's sons William and Harry born in 1982 and 1984 respectively.
But behind the scenes, the marriage went awry.
Diana blamed Camilla for the eventual breakdown of her marriage in 1992, saying in a TV interview she famously said: "We have three people in this marriage."
Charles said he remained faithful "until the marriage irretrievably broke down".
The couple finally divorced in 1996.
When Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, his public approval ratings plummeted as the media lashed out at Charles and Camilla.
Reuters notes that in the decades since, Charles' status has improved, although he remains less popular than his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, leave St George's Chapel in Windsor on April 9, 2005.
In 2005, Charles married Camilla.
Camilla has gained more recognition and accolades as her approachable style has come into the public spotlight.
However, Diana's shadow remained.
Charles' relationship with the media often became fiery as the big and small newspapers focused on his personal relationships.
"I'm really not very good at performing monkeys. I think I'm a very private person. I'm not going to perform when they want me to perform," he said in 1994.
Data map: Charles.
Will it continue the authority of the monarchy?
From the crown prince who has been the heir to the throne for the longest time in British history to the new king of the United Kingdom, the change of identity has brought a lot of challenges to the 73-year-old Charles.
The first thing he has to face is how to be a good monarch.
Reuters notes that Charles has been caught between a modern monarchy trying to find his place in a rapidly changing, more egalitarian society while maintaining tradition.
Historian Ed Owens said: "He had to think carefully about how to shape his own image as a public figure." Charles had to figure out how to gain "the support of the public, a kind of intimacy," which is exactly what Elizabeth II had with England Characteristics of public relations.
Second, it has been argued that Charles' ascension to the throne could spark a debate about Britain's largely ceremonial monarchy, seen by some as a symbol of national unity and by others as an outdated relic of feudal history.
Charles has said he intends to reduce the number of serving royals, cut spending and better represent modern Britain.
On the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne, Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement saying that she sincerely hopes that after Crown Prince Charles ascends the throne, his wife Camilla will be called Queen, and that people will support Charles and Camilla as they support themselves.
However, the media said that Charles must also consider his eldest son William.
Royal watchers say Prince William has strong opinions about the structure of the royal family and how to redistribute royal duties.
After Charles became King of England, his eldest son, Prince William, is now first in line to the throne.
Prince Charles sits next to the Queen's crown during the opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, England, May 10, 2022.
Third, Charles has been lobbying the government for decades on issues such as climate change, urban planning, and genetically modified agriculture.
These interventions on public issues raise concerns.
Members of the royal family are believed to be out of the political agenda, fearing that if he takes the throne, he may not be as insulated from political disputes as Queen Elizabeth II.
In this regard, Charles said in a documentary in 2018 that he knew that he would face many constraints after becoming king, and his behavior would change.
In Charles' view, he has been trying to ensure that personal behavior is not swayed by partisan politics.
After taking the throne, he will act "within the scope of the constitution" and will not continue his lobbying activities, "I am not that stupid."
Will Charles III continue to be loved by his subjects like Elizabeth II?
This question has accompanied him for most of his life and will face it every day in the future.
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