King Charles spent decades preparing for the throne
1. The new king's supporters laud him as the hardest-working royal
2. But the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II has a long history of political controversy and dividing public opinion.
3. LONDON — in the millennium-long history of the British royal family, no heir has prepared for the crown longer than King Charles III.
4. He ascended to the throne Thursday after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II
5. Fulfilling a destiny placed upon him at age 3, when she became the monarch in 1952.
6. Charles’ wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, now has the title of queen consort.
7. Whereas Elizabeth was crowned at 27, Charles is 73
8. Older at ascension than any other monarch in British history.
9. Charles is also now head of the Commonwealth, a postcolonial group of 54 countries comprising 2.4 billion people.
10. He is head of state in 15 of those nations — including Canada and Australia — although the queen’s death is likely to stoke an already simmering debate in the Caribbean
11. And elsewhere about ditching their former colonial overseers for good.