By Zechariah Bates
Many are looking forward to celebrating the coronation of the King and Queen Consort on Saturday, 6th May at Westminster Abbey. But do you know any interesting facts about King Charles? Did you know that he is one of the best-selling living artists in Britain and keeps rescue dogs?
Here is our list of seven interesting facts about him that might help give us some idea of how he might rule as King.
1) A climate champion
The British monarchy is a constitutional one and so, in practice, does not actually have any real authority. This being said, Charles has made his stance clear on some key issues such as climate change and heritage conservation. For example, at the UN COP26 conference in Glasgow, he stated that the world should take a “war-like footing” in order to tackle climate change.
2) A calm person (mostly)
As a young Prince of Wales, Charles gave his first ever public speech when he was 21 during the Urdd Eisteddfodd in Aberystwyth. After he was introduced to speak, some Welsh nationalists stood up and left in protest. But the future King remained composed on stage and proceeded to give his speech as the rest of the audience clapped for him.
However, he has sometimes let his calmness slip. Following his mother’s death, he was seen to be annoyed at a leaky pen.
3) A prolific writer
King Charles has authored and co-authored around 20 books, including The Elements of Organic Gardening: Highgrove, in which he details methods for sustainable and organic gardening. He is not afraid to express his views in other formats either, giving many talks, including a speech titled “Islam and the West” in 1993.
4) A best-selling painter
Not only is the King fond of writing and music, but he also enjoys painting. He is one of the UK’s best-selling living artists, earning an estimated £6 million for selling copies of his work between 1997 and 2016. His artwork, exclusively done with watercolours, frequently depicts landscapes and family homes. All proceeds went to The Prince’s Foundation, a charity which promotes sustainability.
On painting, the King said: “It all requires the most intense concentration and, consequently, is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know.”
5) A Welsh culture enthusiast
The future king was the longest serving Prince of Wales before he became a monarch. Charles spent nine months at Aberystwyth University learning Welsh language and culture before his investiture as Prince of Wales. He recalls that one day he went driving around the coast and “got completely and utterly lost” and there was no one to ask for directions. Suddenly, a man on a bicycle appeared and the future King did his best to speak in Welsh asking for directions. Apparently, the man could not understand a word he was saying – it turned out the man was Polish!
6) An animal lover
Like his mother, King Charles is a huge fan of animals. He currently owns two Jack Russel Terrier dogs named Beth and Bluebell. Not only are these dogs incredibly cute, but they are also rescue animals from Battersea dog shelter.
7) A dedicated military officer
Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, King Charles became the Commander-in-Chief of the UK Armed Forces. Like many members of the royal family, the King served in the military for some years, ending his active service in the Royal Navy in 1977.
Clearly, the King has many interests and is an advocate for a number of causes. However, in his first address as King, he did state that he had “new responsibilities” and that it would “no longer be possible” to give as much attention to some of the issues which he cares about.
Will this mean he will try to rule a style similar to his late mother? Only time will tell.
About the author
Zechariah Bates is a senior year history student at Lancaster University. He is a person of mixed ethnicity (including Filipino) and is very interested in helping the Filipino diaspora to find their voice as overseas workers, as well as keeping their heritage and history alive. He also writes articles for a youth-led organisation called Okibu which also aims to raise awareness about the diaspora.
