AS Charles prepares to become King in just 35 days, The Sun has chronicled the moments in his life that have led him to being our monarch.
Our brilliant book, shows the episodes that have shaped him over the years as he waited patiently to rule over Britain and the Commonwealth.
His sense of duty is unquestioned, yet those close to our King also value his humour, loyalty and intellectual curiosity. From childhood to crown, we bring you the events that moulded his character and destiny before the Coronation on May 6, a ceremony dating back more than 1,000 years.
In our second day of extracts from our book we celebrate Charles’s qualities and offbeat moments – and the times he landed in trouble . . .
CLOSE BOND WITH KATE
September 28, 2021
THE Duchess of Cambridge and her father-in-law Charles show their mutual affection as they arrive for the premiere of James Bond film No Time To Die, with Kate hugging and kissing the cheek of the future King – who she calls “Pa”.
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In a rare joint engagement at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate stepped out on the red carpet to meet 007 star Daniel Craig.
Healthcare workers and members of the Armed Forces joined the royals to watch the movie as a thank you for their work during the pandemic.
Kate and Charles are not shy about showing their closeness. As well as her “Pa” endearment they often laugh at each other’s jokes in public.
HIYA CHUCK
December 8, 2020
CHARLES shares a chuckle with Vera Duckworth on a royal tour of Coronation Street, with footage of his visit incorporated into a live broadcast that evening to mark the soap’s 60th anniversary.
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It tied in with a storyline that Vera, played by Liz Dawn, thought she had royal blood.
Charles watched rehearsals and told the cast, including Beverley Callard and Bill Roache, that he and Corrie fan Camilla would watch the episode.
He said: “Coronation Street is a wonderful institution.”
ROYAL FLASH DANCE
March 29, 1985
CHARLES becomes the disco king when he cuts loose on a youth centre’s dance floor.
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The Prince sways to the beat as youngsters cheer him on at the centre in Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex. Then he daringly drops to his knees for a break-dance.
Though he was dressed in a suit, tie and smart shoes, the royal raver really got into the rhythm.
Charles was visiting 300 jobless youngsters on a training course run by his charity The Prince’s Trust.
CHARLES FORGETS HIS FLIPPIN’ LINES
February 23, 1970
WHILE studying at Cambridge the Prince wears flippers to play a weatherman in a uni comedy show.
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But halfway through delivering his jokey forecast he falters and says: “What the hell comes next? This does not happen at the BBC.”
That ad-lib gets the biggest laugh of the evening, though the rest of his act is hardly hilarious.
He said: “By morning promiscuity will be widespread, but it may give way to some hill snog.
“Fist and bog patches . . . and virility will at first be poor . . . a manic depression over Ireland. An obsession over Sweden will be relieved by a warm front to be followed shortly by a cold back.”
Charles was a keen actor, playing Macbeth at school aged 17, and in a 1969 TV interview he said he would have liked to have become an actor in another life.
He said: “It’s great fun, I love it. It gives me great pleasure.”
CHARLES SPICES UP HIS IMAGE
November 1, 1997
THE Prince declares it the “second best day of my life”, while President Nelson Mandela ranked it among his greatest days.
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And the Spice Girls, the unlikely cause of their excitement, totter on platform shoes beside the two statesmen, giggling in delight.
The photocall at Mandela’s Pretoria residence was staged before the girls’ charity concert, attended by Charles and Prince Harry.
It was the first demonstration of moves to make the heir to the throne appear more human to a cynical Press and public after Princess Diana’s death two months earlier.
After joking that it was his second best day, Charles delivered his punchline – that his best day had been “meeting them the first time”.
To the delight of the 100 journalists and photographers covering his seven-day tour of Southern Africa, Charles and Mandela grin broadly as they were asked how it felt to be so close to five beautiful young women.
Clutching Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton, Mandela says: “These are my heroes and this is one of the greatest days of my life.”
PRINCE HAS A NOSE FOR NEWS
January 24, 1980
OUR future King tries to sneak past the Press – in a disguise that was bound to hit the headlines.
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Charles appears outside his Swiss holiday chalet wearing a false moustache, specs and a funny nose.
Then, in a voice straight out of his favourite 1950s radio comedy The Goon Show, he says: “Who do you think I am – Prince Charles or something?”
When he first met his future wife Camilla Shand in 1972, they bonded over a mutual love of The Goons.
His panto performance in Switzerland was part of the cat-and-mouse game the Prince had been playing with the Press since arriving at the ski resort of Klosters.
He rarely managed to give reporters and photographers the slip, but just for a moment his hide-and-seek antics almost worked.
Just after breakfast, one of his holiday companions, Patti Palmer-Tomkinson, came out of the chalet to announce: “I’m sorry to disappoint you but HRH won’t be skiing with us this morning.
“He’s had an accident and is staying at home – but my old Uncle Harry will be coming with us instead.”
Then out steps Uncle Harry – alias the Prince in disguise.
After clowning with photographers for another few moments he said: “I think I’ve earned a good day’s skiing now.”
And off he headed towards the slopes.