Prince Charles is the oldest child of
Queen Elizabeth II of
Great Britain and her husband
Prince Philip. He was born 14 November
1948. He is
heir apparent to the country's
throne, though there has been some talk that he might abdicate in favor of his son
Prince William.
He studied archeology, anthropology, and history at Cambridge University, and later learned to fly jet aircraft and helicopters for the RAF. On 29 July 1981 he married Lady Diana Spencer; the two had two children, Prince William and Prince Harry. His marriage to Diana broke up and was officially dissolved on 28 August 1996 after a few years of separation. Many people see him as the more guilty party in the marriage's breakup, which is why he is less popular than his late ex-wife or his children. Nonetheless, there is no official word that he would choose not to become king upon his mother's death.