60 things about Charles

9:04am Friday 14th November 2008

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As the Prince of Wales celebrates his 60th birthday today, Owen Amos discovers some not-so-well-known facts about the heir to the throne

1. It took three years, two months and 21 days – from Charles’ birth to George VI’s death – for Charles to rise from second to first in line of succession.

2. He has waited 56 years, nine months, and eight days – and counting – to rise from heir to the throne.

3. He was born at 9.14pm at Buckingham Palace and lived there until he was eight months old, before moving to Clarence House.

4. He weighed 7lb 6oz.

5. His middle names are Phillip Arthur George.

6. His birth was announced with a proclamation on the railings at Buckingham Palace.

7. All American radio shows were interrupted to announce his birth.

8. He was baptised with water from the River Jordan.

9. He has eight godparents.

10. He is heir to the throne of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the United Kingdom.

11. He is also heir to the titles of Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Duke of Normandy, Lord of Mann, and Paramount Chief of Fiji.

12. In Scotland, he is titled Duke of Rothesay.

13. Charles was the first heir apparent educated at school, rather than by tutor.

14. He started at Cheam School near Newbury, Berkshire aged eight.

15. He played football at Cheam. His school report said: “Football – enjoying the game”.

16. He played polo from 1963 to 2005.

17. Charles is a trained scuba diver.

18. From 1962 to 1967, Charles attended Gordonstoun school in Scotland.

19. In rugby at Gordonstoun, he was targeted with boots and fists by other boys.

20. In one letter home, he wrote: “I hardly get any sleep because I snore and get hit on the head. It’s absolute hell.”

21. His fellow pupils also threw slippers at him and poked fun at his big ears.

22. From February to July 1966, he spent two terms at Timbertop, a remote annexe of a school in Melbourne, Australia.

23. In March 1967 he played the Pirate King in a school production of Pirates of Penzance.

24. He was made head boy at Gordonstoun.

25. He has six O-Levels.

26. He went to Cambridge University in 1967 to read archaeology and anthropology.

27. He joined his college drama society.

28. He spoke at Cambridge Union debates.

29. The Palace barred him from joining the Buddhist society and political groups.

30. Before being invested as Prince of Wales by The Queen in 1969, he spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth.

31. At Aberystwyth, he wrote: “The whole atmosphere is different… I miss Cambridge immensely.”

32. His parents gave him an Aston Martin sports car for his 21st birthday.

33. Charles proposed to his cousin Amanda Knatchbull in 1979. She said no.

34. When his engagement to Diana was announced in 1981, he was 32 and she was 19.

35. After the announcement, the band of the Coldstream Guards played “Congratulations”.

36. The worldwide television audience for the wedding was 750 million.

37. All Europe’s monarchs attended, apart from King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

38. The President of Ireland did not attend, due to The Troubles.

39. The British and Canadian Privy Councils had to approve the marriage.

40. His separation from the Princess of Wales was announced to the Commons on December 9, 1992.

41. The marriage ended in divorce on August 28, 1996.

42. On Google, Charles, Prince of Wales, returns 410,00 hits.

43. Diana, Princess of Wales, returns 640,000 hits.

44. Charles and Camilla’s marriage was scheduled for April 8, 2005. It was moved back a day after clashing with Pope John Paul II’s funeral.

45. The Duchy of Cornwall’s estate consists of 54,521 hectares of land in 23 counties.

46. In 2007-08, his income from the Duchy was £12.8m after tax.

47. Over 60 per cent of the income was spent on official duties and charitable activities.

48. The Prince is not entitled to proceeds on the sale of the Duchy’s capital assets.

49. Charles employs the equivalent of 136.5 full-time staff. Of these, 30 are personal, garden and farm staff.

50. In 2000, Charles appeared as himself in Coronation Street’s 40th anniversary show. He had a whisky at the Rovers Return.

51. This year he turned down an appearance in Doctor Who.

52. Charles is patron or president of around 400 organisations.

53. The Prince’s Trust, founded in 1976 by Charles, has helped 550,000 young people.

54. Today, Charles will attend the start of Youth Week and meet young people who have participated in The Prince’s Trust Team Programme at Beckton Community Centre, London.

55. In 2006-07, he conducted 632 official engagements, of which 86 were overseas.

56. In 2006-2007, Charles personally wrote 2,134 letters.

57. He and Camilla jointly wrote 53.

58. In the same year, 31,853 letters were sent to Charles, Camilla and Princes William and Harry.

59. Charles has produced a number of art works under the name AG Carrick.

60. In Jonathan Dimbleby’s biography of Charles, the last entry is “Zoroastrianism” – the religion based on the Iranian prophet Zoroaster.