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00:0030 Things You Never Knew About King Charles III
00:03The UK, along with the rest of the world, is in mourning for the loss of the longest
00:08reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II.
00:12Her son, Charles, is getting ready to be crowned King Charles III.
00:17It will take some time for us to know what kind of king King Charles III will be, but
00:21till then, here are 30 things you never knew about King Charles III.
00:261.
00:27He was the longest heir in waiting King Charles III was more than ready for
00:32the role when it came to him at the age of 73.
00:35This makes him the longest-serving heir in British history.
00:39Charles was just three when his grandfather, King George VI, died, and his mother, Queen
00:43Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne.
00:46Matthew Halton of CBC Radio told listeners that he wouldn't be king any time soon.
00:51If his grandfather, the king, and his mother, the princess, both live the full span of life,
00:57he may well be 50 or 60 years old before he ascends the throne.
01:02Charles was 73 when Queen Elizabeth died, ending the longest ever reign in British history.
01:082.
01:10He received the title of Prince of Wales when he was only nine years old
01:14The title Prince of Wales is only given to a male heir, but it is not an automatic appointment.
01:20When his father, King George VI, died in 1952, King Charles went from third to second in
01:26line to the throne.
01:28In 1958, when King Charles was nine years of age, he was given the title of Prince of
01:33Wales and its conjoining title, Earl of Chester.
01:38Although he was the longest-serving Prince of Wales, he might have held the title even
01:41longer if he had been appointed earlier.
01:443.
01:46He was the first British royal heir to earn a degree
01:50King Charles III was the first British royal not to be homeschooled.
01:54He went to Gordonstoun, a private boarding school in Scotland.
01:58His father, the late Prince Philip, had also studied at the same school.
02:03He then attended the University of Cambridge in 1967.
02:06He studied archaeology and anthropology, later changing it to history.
02:11He graduated in 1970.
02:13He was the first heir to the throne to get a university degree.
02:174.
02:19He was bullied at school
02:21Just because you are a royalty doesn't guarantee that you are immune to bullying.
02:25Children can be vicious.
02:27King Charles went to boarding school in Scotland, and his classmates often picked on him.
02:32Charles didn't retaliate, but was open about it with his family.
02:35"'The people in my dormitory are foul,' he wrote in a 1963 letter.
02:40"'Goodness, they are horrid.
02:42I don't know how anybody could be so foul.'"
02:445.
02:47At 14, Charles caused a national scandal
02:52When Charles was 14 years of age, he rode on a Gordonstoun school sailboat to the Isle
02:57of Lewis Pup.
02:59He ordered a cherry brandy for two shillings and a sixpence.
03:02It was illegal for people under 18 years of age to be served alcohol.
03:07While it may not have been a big deal, a reporter was sitting at the bar, unfortunately for
03:12Charles.
03:13Naturally, it caused a royal scandal.
03:17Charles' bodyguard, Don Green, lost his job as a result.
03:216.
03:22He once built a town
03:25King Charles III built the town of Poundbury in Dorchester, England.
03:29Charles has always been very interested in urban planning and development.
03:33He wanted the town to blend traditional architecture and modern urban planning.
03:37Construction of the town began in 1993 based on the principles of New Urbanism.
03:42Charles appointed renowned architect Leon Cryer to work on the 400 acres of land.
03:47Today, the town has a population of around 4,200 people.
03:52When I set out on this venture, I was determined that Poundbury would break the mold of conventional
03:57housing development in this country and create an attractive place for people to live, work
04:02and play.
04:04People said that it could never succeed, but I am happy to say that the skeptics were wrong,
04:08and it is now a thriving urban development alongside Dorchester, said King Charles III.
04:147.
04:16He is an accomplished painter
04:19Charles is an accomplished painter.
04:20In fact, he is one of the most popular living painters in the UK today.
04:26King Charles mainly creates watercolor landscapes.
04:29Since 1997, his artwork has generated nearly $3 million in sales.
04:34His lithographs sell for anywhere between $3,600 and $21,000.
04:40The money from the sale is donated to the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation.
04:448.
04:46He has a green thumb
04:48King Charles loves farming and gardening.
04:50In fact, he has quite the green thumb.
04:53He once said about his gardening,
04:55I happily talk to the plants and trees and listen to them.
04:58I think it's absolutely crucial.
05:01Clarence House also has tweeted that after Charles plants a tree, he often gives a branch
05:06a friendly shake to wish it well.
05:089.
05:10He does not let food go waste
05:12Charles is entirely against food waste.
05:15It might not seem very royal for a prince to pile leftovers into Tupperware, but Charles
05:20hates wasting food.
05:22If we made roasted lamb and there were leftovers, we'd probably go make shepherd's pie the
05:26next night, former royal chef Carolyn Robb told a biographer.
05:31The prince was very economical and very much believed that nothing should go to waste.
05:36If there were leftovers, they'd be used one way or another.
05:39If not for him, then rehashed and used for a meal the following day.
05:43According to his former private secretary, Clive Alderton, Charles would even pack up
05:48leftovers from tea time and reuse them until they were over.
05:5310.
05:55He has established an organic food brand
05:58Charles is passionate about providing good quality food to the masses and established
06:02his own company, Dutchie Organics, in 1990.
06:06He donates all the monetary profits from the company to charity.
06:10During a Soil Association event, he announced that the very future of humanity may depend
06:16to a very large extent on a mainstream transition to more sustainable farming practices, based
06:21of course on organic principles.
06:24He is known for bringing organic food to the royal family's Christmas celebrations, according
06:29to former royal chef Darren McGrady.
06:3211.
06:34His car runs on wine
06:36We are really not kidding you guys.
06:38For his 21st birthday, Charles was gifted an Aston Martin by the Queen.
06:43As incredible as it was, the car burned a lot of fuel, creating a lot of carbon emissions.
06:49This was a sore point for Charles, who is very passionate about the environment.
06:53So Charles went to the engineers at Aston Martin and discovered that the car could run
06:57on white wine or whey blend.
07:00Although they advised him not to use this blend for fuel in his vintage car, Charles
07:04explained,
07:05I said, well I don't drive it then.
07:07So they got on with it, and now they admit that it runs better and is more powerful on
07:12that fuel than it is on petrol.
07:14And also, it smells delicious as you're driving along.
07:1812.
07:21He is part of a mysterious magic club
07:24Charles has a love for magic tricks.
07:26In 1975, he was even inducted into a magic club, the Magic Circle, after performing a
07:32cup and balls trick.
07:33He was invited by his great-uncle Earl Mountbatten, who had himself been a member of the secretive
07:38association for more than two decades.
07:41However, the decision to induct him into the club had already been made, and his certificate
07:46was awarded to him that night.
07:5013.
07:51He has published a children's book
07:54In 1980, Charles wrote The Old Man of Loch Nagar, based on a story about a Scottish man
08:00that he told his younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, when they were little.
08:04The book was an instant classic.
08:05It has even been adapted into an animated film, a musical, and a ballet.
08:11The proceeds from the book go to Charles' charity for at-risk kids and young adults,
08:15The Prince's Trust.
08:1814.
08:20Charles first met Lady Diana Spencer when he was dating her older sister
08:24In his twenties, Charles had quite the reputation as a player.
08:28Any girl with a family pedigree was considered a potential princess.
08:32In June 1977, Charles met Lady Sarah Spencer at a party at Windsor Castle.
08:38The two invited each other to polo and shooting events.
08:41In November, on one such trip, Charles went to the Spencer estate Althorp, where he met
08:47Sarah's younger sister, Diana, who was 16.
08:50In Bedell Smith's 1999 biography, Dana in Search of Herself, Portrait of a Troubled
08:56Princess, Sarah, after going on a Swiss ski vacation with Charles in 1978, told the media,
09:02There's no question of me being the future Queen of England.
09:06I don't think he's met her yet.
09:0915.
09:10He didn't really want to marry Diana
09:14Charles and Diana had just met 13 times before they got married, and nothing changed the
09:18fact that Charles never got over his first love, Camilla Parker-Bowles.
09:23When Charles was 23, he was introduced to Camilla and fell in love with her.
09:28But soon after, he left for the Navy, and by the time he came back, Camilla was engaged
09:33to her former flame, Andrew Parker-Bowles.
09:37Had even told his friends that he wanted to get out of the wedding.
09:41Diana was famously known for saying, There were three of us in the marriage, so it was
09:46a bit crowded, in reference to Charles' love for Camilla.
09:5016.
09:52He was the first heir to the throne to get a divorce
09:56After a wedding that had been rocky right from the start, Charles and Diana finally
10:00separated.
10:01After their engagements, an interviewer asked them whether they were in love.
10:05Diana said, Of course.
10:08Charles added, Whatever in love means.
10:11In 1996, they were granted a divorce.
10:14Charles was the first heir to the British throne to have been ever granted a divorce.
10:19One year later, Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris.
10:2417.
10:26Charles is not the best at giving gifts
10:28In 2003, Ozzy Osbourne had an almost fatal quad bike crash in early December.
10:35As a Get Well Soon present, Charles gifted him a bottle of whiskey.
10:39That's a nice gesture.
10:41The only problem?
10:42Ozzy Osbourne was a recovering alcoholic at the time.
10:45Naturally, Ozzy's wife, Sharon, wasn't very pleased.
10:5018.
10:52Charles helped launch the clothing line in 2020
10:55While his fashion game has always been on point, you might be surprised to learn that
10:59the king is partially responsible for Net-A-Porter clothing collection.
11:04Charles partnered with the Modern Artisan Project to support fashion students through
11:08his foundation.
11:09The aim was to launch a sustainable clothing line using the latest technology.
11:14Charles said in his statement that he was enormously impressed by the work produced
11:18and was hopeful about the vision shown by the designers.
11:22Hopefully, they will take away a great deal of skill and understanding of sustainable
11:26approaches to design and manufacturing that they can apply to their own businesses or
11:31future careers, he shared.
11:33The key for me is to rediscover the importance that nature plays, understand where natural
11:38materials come from and how they can be used in exciting and innovative ways, he said.
11:4419.
11:45He can play the cello
11:47Charles is very skilled when it comes to music.
11:50He knows how to play the piano and trumpet.
11:53Also, he learned how to play the cello.
11:56Although he considered himself hopeless at it, he continued to learn how to play the
11:59cello.
12:00He even participated in the Trinity College Orchestra when he was an undergraduate.
12:0620.
12:07His secret service nickname is Unicorn
12:10When certain dignitaries visit the US, they are given their own codenames.
12:15Charles' secret service nickname was Unicorn.
12:18This mythical name is somehow apt for the king.
12:21The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland and has been part of its coat of arms for
12:25more than 600 years.
12:27The first recorded example of a Scottish monarch using a unicorn as a symbol of strength
12:32was in the late 1300s.
12:35Robert II and III used unicorns as part of the arms and gateway of Rothesay Castle on
12:40the Isle of Bute, Scotland.
12:43One of King Charles III's earliest titles is Duke of Rothesay.
12:4721.
12:50Richard Nixon tried to set King Charles III up with his daughter, Tricia.
12:55When Charles was 21, he and his sister, Princess Anne, who was 19 at the time, took a trip
13:00to Washington, D.C.
13:02Being royal dignitaries, they were shown the sights, taken to museums, and given rooms
13:07to stay in the White House.
13:10During this trip, President Nixon tried to set the then prince up with his eldest daughter,
13:15Tricia.
13:16He tried to have Tricia seated next to Charles on every occasion, which annoyed him.
13:20Even though nothing happened there, Charles found it amusing.
13:24Adele Smith's 2017 biography states, many years later, on a visit to Washington with
13:29Camilla, he was still laughing about Nixon's attempt at matchmaking.
13:3422.
13:36He has a frog named after him.
13:37In 2012, a new and endangered species of Ecuadorian tree frog was discovered, and it was announced
13:44as the Hyloscyrtus princetralesii, or Prince Charles Stream Tree Frog, in the journal Zootaxa.
13:51The frog was named after Charles to recognize his rainforest conservation work.
13:56Charles has always been very outspoken about the dangers of climate change and the need
14:00for conservation.
14:02He also established the Prince's Rainforest Project in 2007 as a charity and awareness
14:07campaign.
14:0823.
14:10He is a very picky eater.
14:13Charles is known to be a picky eater.
14:15He needs to have his eggs boiled for precisely four minutes.
14:19He also asks to be served tea, muffins, and seven boiled eggs every day between four and
14:24five p.m. sharp.
14:26His breakfast consists of eggs or wheat germ and cereal with honey, fruit, and tea.
14:32There's more.
14:33He asks his chefs to put poached eggs on top of every meal, steam his vegetables in a specific
14:38type of mineral water, and make his orange and damson gin from the fruits grown at High
14:43Grove.
14:45One of his favorite meals is lamb with wild mushroom risotto.
14:4924.
14:50He is a workaholic.
14:53King Charles III is a workaholic.
14:55As a prince, he used to work all seven days a week.
14:59He often started work after breakfast and finished up around midnight.
15:03In the BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir, Charles at Seventy, Prince Harry said, he
15:09does need to slow down, referring to his father in the documentary.
15:13This is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night, and then goes to his desk later
15:18that night and will fall asleep on his notes, to the point where he'll wake up with a
15:21piece of paper stuck to his face.
15:24His wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, says his extreme work ethic is because he would like
15:29to change the world.
15:3125.
15:33He has performed in Shakespeare plays.
15:36Charles supports the arts and has quite a soft spot for Shakespeare.
15:40This might go back to when he was a teenager and stole the show after he played Exeter
15:44in his school's play, Henry V. He also played the lead in Macbeth.
15:50In 1991, Charles referred to the Bard as the world's greatest playwright, perhaps the
15:55world's greatest poet.
15:57In 2016, Charles also appeared in a skit for BBC's Shakespeare Live.
16:0326.
16:05He got in trouble for a plane crash.
16:07Charles was interested in aviation and requested flight training from the Royal Air Force while
16:12studying at Cambridge.
16:14He then trained as a jet pilot in 1971 and qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1974 while
16:20serving in the Royal Navy.
16:23Charles was once a passenger on a Queen's Flight passenger jet when Captain Graham Lorry
16:28let him take the controls.
16:30The plane faced high winds, and Charles instinctively brought the plane down at Port Ellen a bit
16:35too fast.
16:36The aircraft crashed, and the damage cost around £1 million.
16:4227.
16:44He has a really long royal name.
16:47The full official title of Prince Charles was…are you ready for it?
16:52His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales KG, KT, GCB, OM, AK,
17:01QSO, PC, ADC, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of
17:11Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
17:16Now that he is the King of the United Kingdom, he will have a few more titles added to his
17:21name.
17:2228.
17:24He survived an avalanche in 1988.
17:28Charles was skiing with a group of friends in Switzerland in 1988 when an avalanche came
17:33tearing down the mountain.
17:35Due to sheer luck, Charles escaped without a single bruise.
17:38However, this natural disaster did kill one member of his group and a former royal aide,
17:44Major Hugh Lindsay.
17:47When he was rescued by helicopter, Charles was reportedly weeping.
17:51It does sound like a major enough incident to shake someone up, but things got even more
17:55complicated later as Charles was investigated in the aftermath of Major Lindsay's death.
18:01It turned out that an avalanche warning had gone out earlier in the day, but Charles ignored
18:06it, and the rest of the group followed.
18:08Charles wasn't charged for any involvements, but it clearly did not portray him in a good
18:13light in the media.
18:1529.
18:17He is a distant relative of Dracula.
18:20Although Charles is not technically a distant relative of Dracula, still, he is related
18:26to Vlad the Impaler, or Romania's Vlad Tepes, the 15th century warlord who inspired Bram
18:32Stoker's Dracula story.
18:34According to NPR, Prince Charles said during a 2011 interview,
18:39"...Transylvania is in my blood.
18:41The genealogy shows that I'm a descendant from Vlad the Impaler, you see."
18:4430.
18:47He is a fan of the Harry Potter books.
18:51If there's one thing in the UK that's as popular as the royal family, it's Harry Potter.
18:56The series is a huge hit and has die-hard fans worldwide.
19:00If you are a Potterhead, you might also enjoy the fact that Charles is a fan of the series.
19:05Julie Walters, the actress who played Molly Weasley once said,
19:09"...the prince said he loved the Potters, and said what great films they were and what
19:13great fun they were."
19:16How many of these facts did you know?
19:18Which fact surprised you the most?
19:20Tell us in the comments.
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