British Billy introduces His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales

  • Published
  • By British Billy
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  My American chums are constantly asking me questions about the British royal family, past and present. As a loyal feline, I try my best to provide answers where I can. As Nov. 14 marks the 62nd birthday of His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, more commonly known as Prince Charles, I thought I would pen a few princely paragraphs for your perusal.

The Prince of Wales is first in line to the British throne. He was born Charles Phillip Arthur George at Buckingham Palace on Nov.14, 1948, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time, our current Queen's father, King George VI, was still the reigning monarch, and so she was then known as Princess Elizabeth. The Prince's mother was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25, when her father, died aged 56 on Feb. 6, 1952.

The Prince was four at his mother's Coronation, in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. Many who watched the Coronation have vivid memories of him seated between his widowed grandmother, and his aunt, Princess Margaret. The ceremony was watched by millions more around the world as the BBC set up their biggest ever outside broadcast to provide live coverage of the event on radio and television. Street parties were held throughout the UK as people crowded round television sets to watch the ceremony.

After attending Cheam School in Berkshire and Gordonstoun in Scotland, Prince Charles went to Cambridge University in 1967 to read archaeology, anthropology and then history at Trinity College.

Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales by The Queen in 1969 in a colourful ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in Wales. Before the investiture, Prince Charles had spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, learning to speak Welsh.

Since 1284, it has been the tradition for the eldest son of each monarch to bear the title of Prince of Wales. The country of Wales became incorporated into England in 1284, after it had been annexed by Edward I of England in 1282. Shortly afterwards, Edward dubbed his eldest son, also called Edward, with the title.

In 1971, Prince Charles flew himself to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, to train as a jet pilot. At his own request, the Prince had received flying instruction from the RAF during his second year at Cambridge.

After the passing out parade at Cranwell, the Prince embarked on a naval career, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and both his great-grandfathers. This was followed by service on the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk and two frigates. The Prince qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1974 before joining 845 Naval Air Squadron, which operated from the Commando carrier HMS Hermes. In 1976, the Prince took command of the coastal mine hunter HMS Bronington for his last nine months in the Navy.

In 1981, the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral. The Prince and Princess of Wales had two sons: Prince William, born on June 21, 1982; and Prince Harry, born on Sept. 15, 1984.

From the time of their marriage, the Prince and Princess of Wales went on overseas tours and carried out many engagements together in the UK.

Towards the end of 1992, the Prime Minister, John Major, announced to the House of Commons that the Prince and Princess of Wales had agreed to separate.

The marriage was dissolved in 1996. The Princess was still regarded as a member of the Royal Family and she continued to live at Kensington Palace and to carry out her public work for a number of charities.

When the Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, The Prince of Wales flew to Paris with her two sisters to bring her body back to London.

On the day of the funeral, the Prince of Wales accompanied his two sons, aged 15 and 12 at the time, as they walked behind the coffin from The Mall to Westminster Abbey. With them were the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess's brother, Earl Spencer.

The Prince of Wales asked the media to respect his sons' privacy, to allow them to lead a normal school life. In the following years, Princes William and Harry, who are second and third in line to the throne, accompanied their father on a limited number of official engagements in the UK and abroad.

In 2005, the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles were married in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, Windsor. After the wedding, Mrs. Parker Bowles became known as HRH, the Duchess of Cornwall.

It is intended that the Duchess of Cornwall should use the title HRH the Princess Consort when the Prince of Wales eventually accedes to the British throne. Prince Charles can choose to rule as King Charles III or take another name. Kings often take a different regnal (ruling) name from their first-given name. Charles' grandfather, George VI, was Prince Albert ("Bertie") before he became king, and his great great grandfather, Edward VII, was also Prince Albert.

Prince Charles is well known for his extensive charity work, particularly for the Prince's Trust, the Prince's Regeneration Trust, and the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment. He also carries out a full schedule of royal duties and, increasingly, is taking on more duties from his elderly parents as official representative of the Queen and deputy for his father.

Prince Charles has been a prominent figure in the media since his youth, his public actions and comments attracting both praise and criticism, and sometimes ridicule. He is a keen environmentalist and gardener and has vociferously spoken on many green issues from the need to combat climate change to his love of talking to his plants to help them grow.

Some people don't enjoy change, but we all know that it's inevitable. When the time comes for a new monarch to reign over us, no doubt many things will be different - the national anthem for one.

Although Prince Charles and I may never meet personally, I am confident that these long years of preparation have instilled in him a strong sense of duty and loyalty to this little nation of ours and that he will give of his very best. Should he need advice, of course, I will only too happy to help.