“P” is for “Prince”
From Prince Charles to King Charles III in “only” 70 years!
By Phyllis Knox
This blog is part of a very special series created and written by Phyllis Knox, “Alphabetic Musings”, whereby she chooses a word starting with a particular letter from the alphabet and injects it with her storytelling magic.
Here, at the very beginning of my blog, I would like to suggest a book called A Sketch of the Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man, by Louis A. Di Donato. In his book, he explains the roles we all play throughout our lives:
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts…
from: William Shakespeare, As You Like It Act II, Scene VII
I grew up seeing images and film footage of a boy my age who would someday become the King of the United Kingdom. It was so mysterious to me that in the 20th Century, royal families still reigned over kingdoms. This particular prince, Charles, lived in majestic castles, played polo, wore royal-like clothing, went to private schools, and spoke in a manner which sounded out of character for someone my age. I often wondered as I went about my own anonymous life and business what he, Prince Charles, was thinking as the press followed his every move. In the mid-sixties, like me, Charles (as I then called him) would graduate from the equivalent of a Canadian High School. I would then spend the summers of 1966, ‘67 & ‘68 in a care-free world of extreme fun! Charles, on the other hand, would be preparing to join the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force which, at some point, would be one of his ‘obligations’ and he would be given responsibilities way beyond the imagination of a happy young teenager such as I. If my memory serves me well, I can actually remember feeling sorry for him. I wanted to enjoy my life, not work.
Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince Charles of Edinburgh, was born on November 14, 1948 in Buckingham Palace, London, England. Phyllis Ann Knox (no title) was born on December 4, 1948 at the Infirmary in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A world apart, across the Pond, separated by history, geography, status – and the list goes on. I wonder, though: was that young 18 year-old so different from the boys who had sat at the desks and in the same classrooms as I had, had danced with their classmates at the prom, or who had played basketball for St. Pat’s School? Well, were they so different from “Charles”? I think not. Today, King Charles III says that he is an ordinary man with extraordinary obligations. There is probably a lot of truth in that statement, EH?
Charles’ life is filled with ups and downs just as all our lives are. He has big ears and apparently he was bullied as a child. You would think that somebody would have suggested a little tuck by way of plastic surgery, but, no. There they are, his most dominant feature, for all to comment on (as I am doing at this very moment). He has not been above ridicule and criticism ever in his life.
He is followed and harassed to this day. It is said that he will never be the monarch his mother Elizabeth II was. Perhaps that is true, for she gave up everything in order to fulfill her duties. I admit it: I have no idea, whatsoever, what her duties might have been. To me, she travelled the world (first class, of course). She spoke at banquets put on for her benefit and she rode horses while playing with her beloved Corgis. I am not part of the inner circle, but, it doesn’t sound half bad. In all seriousness, Charles would have been forced to follow in his mother’s footsteps, not an easy task considering she was the only Queen of England (and the Commonwealth) from February 6, 1952 (when Charles was t 4 years old) until her death on September 8, 2022. Almost all of us have never known any other sovereign...she seemed indestructible.
But alas, she is gone. Charles III, as he is now known, was crowned on May 6, 2023 – exactly one month before the day I sat down to write this. Okay, we kind of expected that he would be crowned, but that his wife, Camilla, would be crowned “Queen” is beyond expectations! In days of yore, she would have been crowned “Queen Consort”. She is not, after all, in direct line to the throne at all, EH! Sometimes, we change the goal line in order to fit our needs. I get it.
Charles has one younger sister, Anne, the Princess Royal, and two younger brothers, Prince Andrew the Duke of York (not sure if the title has held through the scandals) and Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh. Since Charles is now the reigning king, his first-born child, Prince William, whose mother was Princess Diana, is first in line to the throne. When King Charles III is no more, so to speak, young William will become king. He and Kate have three children and their names are George (9), Charlotte (8), and Louis (5). These grandchildren of Charles III’s are now second, third and fourth in line to the throne.
Charles is now 74 years of age. Even if he lives to be his mother’s age of 96, he will reign for only 22 years. He has been preparing for over 70 years for the job! Comparatively, William is only 40 years of age. If my calculations are correct, that would make the next King of England and the Commonwealth, 60 years old on the day of his Coronation! Who knows what the future holds, EH?
P.S. I have been quite lighthearted in my thoughts and in my words while describing some members of this particular ‘dynasty’. In all honesty, I truly respect the people - the kings and queens, the princes and the princesses - who live their lives so differently from the rest of us. I, personally, enjoy the fact that I have been allowed to choose my own path throughout most of these 74 years. Though life may sometimes be difficult, it is always interesting. I tend to believe that just below the surface of “pomp and circumstance” such as the royals are forced to live, are “regular” people not so different from me and mine. I want to think that we all have more in common in our daily lives, which brings us together than any differences that surface to tear the world and all around us apart. But at the end of the day, I am happy to have been born a “commoner.”
-Phyllis
