Everything King Charles Has Said About Ascending the Throne in 8 Slides
While King Charles III did not show a sign he would abdicate after his cancer diagnosis, royal fans started asking whether he would do so and give way to his son Prince William.
Feb. 9 2024, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
King Charles III Aims Higher
Prince William is King Charles' immediate heir to the throne.
Speaking with TIME Magazine a decade before he became the monarch, King Charles III candidly shared his opinion of giving his role to the "rightful heir" instead. With that, he would need to give up the throne.
He responded, "If you chuck away too many things, you end up discovering there was value in them."
King Charles Knows His Duty
There have been petitions pushing Prince William to assume the throne instead of King Charles.
"I've had this extraordinary feeling, for years and years, ever since I can remember really, of wanting to heal and make things better," King Charles shared in his 2013 TIME profile.
To do so, he disclosed what he felt about assuming the crown.
He said, "I feel more than anything else it's my duty to worry about everybody and their lives in this country, to try to find a way of improving things if I possibly can."
Charles Makes a Promise Before Becoming a King
King Charles was only 3 years old when he became an heir.
BBC released a documentary in 2018 to celebrate King Charles' birthday. The monarch — still serving as Charles, Prince of Wales at that time — answered the query about whether he would still meddle in controversial affairs once he ascended to the throne.
"You know I've tried to make sure whatever I've done has been nonparty political, but I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two. So, you can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir," he said.
King Charles added, "So, clearly … I won't be able to do the same things I've done you know as heir, so of course you operate within the … the constitutional parameters. But it's a different function."
King Charles III Dismisses Rumors
King Charles became the longest serving Prince of Wales in 2017.
At the 2021 Prince's Trust Awards Trophy Ceremony, the now-King addressed the idea of having his son, Prince William, become the new monarch after Queen Elizabeth II.
He quipped, "I remember there were an enormous number of people who were trying to get in, as they were waiting for me to get out. Story of my life."
King Charles III Recites His Coronation Oath
King Charles became the oldest and the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.
In May 2023, King Charles attended his coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, where he delivered his royal coronation oath as he formally began his new role as the monarch.
"I, Charles, do solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God profess, testify, and declare that I am a faithful Protestant, and that I will, according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the throne, uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers according to law," he said.
King Charles III Acknowledges His New Responsibilities
King Charles' full name is Charles Philip Arthur George.
When he officially made his way to the British throne on September 11, 2022, he delivered a statement acknowledging the new responsibilities he wholeheartedly accepted.
"In carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, to which I dedicate what remains to me of my life, I pray for the guidance and help of almighty God," King Charles stated.
King Charles III Embraces His New Role as a King
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Funeral preparations for King Charles are reportedly underway.
After Queen Elizabeth II's death, King Charles delivered his first public address as the new reigning monarch and spoke about his new role.
"My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities," he said. "It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others."
King Charles III Wants To Keep The Commonwealth Together
His wife, Camilla, became the Queen Consort.
Also in his first speech, King Charles opened up about his key priorities as the new head of the royal family and the country.
"As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," he continued.
