After the historic coronation that took place on May 6, Charles III is officially King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
In honour of King Charles, here are 74 fun facts about the 74-year-old.
WATCH: The Royal Family appear on the balcony after King Charles III’s coronation
1. Charles was the 21st Prince of Wales.
2. Charles is a qualified jet and helicopter pilot.
3. Greece is one of his favourite countries, understandable given his parentage.
4. He shares his birth date, November 14, 1948, with British author Michael Dobbs, who wrote House of Cards.
5. Charles is a Scorpio. The fieriest of all the astrological signs, Scorpions are known to blaze their own paths.
6. He has three middle names: Philip Arthur George.
7. At birth, his title was His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh.
8. Charles was born in the Year of the Rat, as was his youngest son Prince Harry. Those in this Chinese zodiac are known to be intelligent, popular and enjoy socialising.
9. He was the longest-serving British heir in history, holding the position since he was 3.
10. Following his mother’s death on September 8, 2022, Charles became the oldest person in history to ascend the British throne aged 73.
11. Charles enjoys watching The Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers.
12. A frog species was named in his honour – the Hyloscirtus Princecherlesi.
13. The king’s preferred tea is Darjeeling, taken with milk and honey.
14. He wears a gold signet ring on his left pinky finger. It’s engraved with the symbol of the Prince of Wales.
15. He was the first British heir apparent to earn a university degree. Charles graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts.
16. At university, he joined the theatrical group Cambridge Footlights. Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry and Olivia Colman are also alumni.
17. The King reads the Harry Potter book series to his grandchildren, doing different voices for all the characters, much to their delight.
18. In 1980, Charles published a children’s book, The Old Man of Lochnagar.
19. Charles wanted to call his eldest son Arthur, instead of the eventual choice, William.
20. He only met first wife, Lady Diana Spencer, 13 times before they got engaged.
WATCH: Princess Catherine, Prince William and their children arrive at King Charles III’s coronation
21. Pre-prepared plans related to his death are known as ‘Operation Menai Bridge’. Menai Bridge connects Wales to the island of Anglesey.
22. The nickname given to Charles by second wife Camilla is ‘Fred’.
23. He has presented the weather on the BBC.
24. Designer Vivienne Westwood once dedicated a collection to Charles, which featured T-shirts emblazoned with his face.
25. Measuring 178cm in his prime, Charles was the same height as Princess Diana.
26. In 2009, Charles was voted the world’s best-dressed man by Esquire magazine.
27. As a royal, Charles partakes in many tree-planting ceremonies. After securing each tree, he gives a branch a friendly shake to wish them well.
28. He also admits to talking to plants, saying: “They respond, I find.”
29. He took his “magical grandmother” to the Sandringham Flower Show every year.
30. Barbra Streisand is Charles’ celebrity crush. The actress once joked she could have been “the first Jewish princess” had she played her “cards right”.
31. In 1976, Charles shocked the public by debuting an impressive beard.
32. His first car was a MGC GT.
33. It’s believed Charles is related to Romanian ruler Vlad the Impaler, who was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula!
34. While a student at Gordonstoun School, Charles played the lead in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
35. Unlike other members of the royal family, Charles doesn’t have any known allergies.
36. Legend has it Charles once sent Ozzy Osbourne a bottle of scotch as a get-well present – despite the rocker being a recovering alcoholic. Whoops!
37. His favourite type of pizza is margherita.
38. There is a 15-year age gap between Charles and his youngest sibling, Prince Edward.
39. He is a big fan of Wallace & Gromit.
40. He made his first official visit abroad at age 5, to Malta.
WATCH: King Charles III leaves Westminster Abbey after the coronation
41. Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, once claimed that Charles requests his shoelaces be ironed flat each morning!
42. As a teenager, Charles took cello lessons. He also learnt to play the piano and trumpet.
43. Cheesy baked eggs are said to be his favourite brunch meal.
44. He broke royal protocol by being present at the birth of both his sons.
45. Charles is actually godfather to his stepson Tom Parker Bowles.
46. Whenever Charles visits the US, his Secret Service codename is ‘Unicorn’.
47. He gave Kate Middleton an Art Deco diamond jewellery set as a wedding gift.
48. His other daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, received a gorgeous diamond tennis bracelet.
49. In 1970, Charles co-wrote an environmental comedy with John Cleese called Grime Goes Green.
50. Even as an adult Charles was known to still travel with his beloved childhood stuffed bear, affectionately named Teddy.
51. Prince William and Princess Kate’s three children call him ‘Grandpa Wales’.
52. Burnley F.C. is his football team of choice.
53. Fluent in German and Gaelic, Charles also speaks some French and Welsh.
54. In December 2000, Charles appeared in an episode of Coronation Street to celebrate the iconic British soap’s 40th anniversary.
55. He loves plums and enjoys growing his own.
56. Charles was named in honour of King Haakon VII of Norway, his mother’s favourite uncle. Haakon was known as ‘Carl’ within the family, but the then-Princess Elizabeth called him ‘Uncle Charles’.
57. Former US President Richard Nixon once tried setting Charles up on a date with his daughter, Tricia. He hoped they’d hit it off and get married!
58. There is a wide-spread rumour that Charles doesn’t squeeze his own toothpaste and instead has his valet do it!
59. Every night before dinner he enjoys a martini (one part gin, one part dry vermouth) with a twist of lemon peel.
60. Charles was the first royal heir apparent to be educated outside of the palace, attending Hill House School in London as a youngster.
WATCH: King Charles III is crowned King of England
61. He eats granola topped with plums for breakfast.
62. He has his own brand of whisky, Barrogill, through the North Highlands initiative.
63. King Charles has 32 godchildren. That’s two more than his mother had!
64. Charles was born on a Sunday at 9.14pm.
65. He was delivered via caesarean section.
66. Charles is responsible for naming his eldest niece, Zara. He was the one who suggested the non-traditional royal moniker, which means “bright as the dawn” in Greek, to his sister, Princess Anne.
67. The fabled emperor might have had new clothes, but this king has no pyjamas! Charles is said to prefer sleeping in the nude.
68. Several of Charles’ private vehicles have been converted to operate on wine and cheese!
69. He was 33 when he became a father for the first time.
70. American female soul singers The Three Degrees were his favourite musical group.
71. The late British stage thespian Antony Sher, who appeared in Mrs Brown and Shakespeare in Love, was Charles’ favourite actor.
72. Born in Buckingham Palace’s Music Room, Charles will likely be the last British monarch not to be delivered in a hospital.
73. A talented artist, the King’s favourite way to relax is by painting watercolour landscapes.
74. In fact, the sale of his artwork has fetched over $3 million, making him one of the most successful living artists in Britain.
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