The moment he's been preparing for his entire life has finally arrived. On May 6, King Charles III will officially be coronated as the King of England at the mature age of 74. And naturally, there's been much speculation and analysis about the kind of leader Charles will be and how he might look to reshape the storied British monarchy in the months and years to come.
Given the length of the late Queen Elizabeth's reign (she held the throne for 70 years), Charles has had quite a lot of time to prepare and reflect on his plans. And though he's remained fairly quiet about his vision for his tenure as king, there may be clues from his interests and life so far that provide some insight into what the monarchy may look like in the Charles era. Here are some of them.
Will Charles Be Charles?
One of the first choices Charles had to make upon becoming king is what his name would be. It has generally been common practice for British monarchs to change their names when they become king or queen. For example, Charles' own grandfather went from being Albert to ruling as King George VI. But it seems Charles chose to buck that tradition, just as his own mother did, as Buckingham Palace confirmed he will be called King Charles III.
A Slimmed-Down Monarchy?
According to royal sources, Charles has given plenty of indications that he'd like to streamline the number of so-called "working royals" and bring more focus to his immediate family members, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton. That could mean a reduced role and reduced taxpayer spending for his own siblings and their children.
Not His Brother's Keeper
Prince Andrew has famously been associated with some shady characters, including disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, but he's been rumored to have been favored and protected by his mother. Charles, on the other hand, is expected to make sure his problematic brother doesn't return to the royal limelight or official work duties.
A New Focus on the Environment
Charles has been extremely vocal on the topic of climate change for decades. He even made his first speech on the subject in 1970, when he was only 22 years old! Many royal watchers speculate that he'll seek to find ways to bring more environmentally friendly practices to the running of the monarchy.
A Downsized Palace?
Could Charles be the king who doesn't want a castle? Given his interest in environmental issues and his desire for a smaller monarchy, there is speculation he may wish to downsize to an apartment within Buckingham Palace and to potentially turn that storied building and some other royal residences into tourist destinations or museums.
An Elevation of the Arts?
One clue about how Charles may rule is the fact that he both loves art and is an accomplished painter. His interest in the arts and architecture may result in additional support for historical preservation work and greater visibility for British art.
The Challenge of Popularity
One of the challenges that Charles may have as king is that, well, he's just not that popular. Unfortunately for him, he is both less popular with British citizens than both his mother and his eldest son, William. In his reign, Charles will have to figure out how to deal with a lack of public support that his mother did not face, as well as calls to abolish the monarchy entirely.
A Father & a King
One big question facing the royal family is what the future will be for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and whether they'll ever return to working royal status in the future. Some royal sources indicate that things are still pretty frosty between father and son, so it looks like a permanent return to England is unlikely for the California-based couple and their young family.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
A More Mature Ruler
Elizabeth was only 25 when she became Queen, and she'd only been preparing to become the ruling monarch for 16 years, given that her father only became king after his brother's abdication. In contrast, Charles was 73 when he began his rule, and he has literally been preparing for this for his entire life. This should result in a smoother transition and a monarch who is more ready for the royal limelight.
A King With Opinions
The royals, especially the head of the family, are supposed to be neutral when it comes to political matters, and the Queen rarely strayed from that path. But Charles has long been more publicly opinionated than his mother was, so it stands to reason that he might be a sovereign who is more willing to take a stand on issues.
A New Role for Camilla
Charles and wife Camilla's relationship came with more than a little bit of scandal, and both the British public and the Queen were slow to warm to the woman who played such a role in the breakup of Charles and Princess Diana's marriage. Although the Queen seemed to want to keep Camilla in the background, especially at first, public opinion has shifted a bit, and Elizabeth said she wanted Camilla to be queen consort. As king, Charles could seek to bring Camilla into the royal spotlight even more.
A More Holistic King?
In 2019, Charles became a royal patron for the Faculty of Homeopathy, which was controversial because the British National Health System ended support for the use of homeopathic remedies in 2017. Could Charles bring alternative medicine back to his country's health care system once he's king?
New Causes
Charles has had a long interest in charitable endeavors, including taking a more active approach than his mother ever did. This includes the founding of the Prince's Trust in 1976, which he started out of his sense of "worry about the inner cities." It will be interesting to see what new causes and charitable priorities Charles will have now that he's king.
The Pandemic Prince
World War II was one of the defining events of Elizabeth's life prior to becoming queen, and the pandemic may end up being one of the defining events of Charles' life before he becomes king. COVID-19 will continue to be part of his life as king, so Britons may be looking for his leadership on the public health issue.
Cheer Up, Charles
Multiple royal sources have described Charles as being petulant, petty, and prone to tantrums. Some speculate that this behavior stems from his frustration with being king-in-waiting for so long, so perhaps King Charles will be a more cheerful royal than Prince Charles has been behind the scenes.
