Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales, has finally become king. But at 73, the focus of his reign will be his age — and the declining influence of the British monarchy around the world.
Charles has spent virtually his whole life as heir apparent and has become a familiar figure in his own right, even as he starts a new job at an age when most people have retired.
But in stark contrast to the neutrality his mother observed, he has at times courted controversy with strongly held views that have made him a more outspoken, divisive figure.
While princess Elizabeth became queen aged 25 to huge popular support in a Britain recovering from World War II, the public has had decades to form its opinion — good or bad — of Charles.
According to one YouGov poll in May 2022, he had a 56 percent approval rating — well behind the queen (81 percent), his eldest son Prince William (77 percent), and William’s wife, Catherine (76 percent). Camilla — Charles’ second wife — trailed him at 48 percent.
Since the death of his father Prince Philip in April 2021 and his mother’s declining health, Charles has been noticeably more visible, tightening an inner circle around him with Camilla, his youngest brother Edward, William and Kate.
“Whatever happens, he’s not going to have a long reign and that’s going to be difficult for him,” said royal author Phil Dampier. “But he’s known this for a long time, and I think people are now going to start to be looking at William and Kate for the future,” he told AFP.
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