Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is the heir apparent to the British throne as the eldest son of Elizabeth II. He has been Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay since 1952, and he is the oldest and longest-serving heir apparent in British history.
He is also the longest-serving Prince of Wales, having held that title since 1958. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun schools, which his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, had attended as a child. Charles also spent a year at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia.
Kate Middleton's friends 'taken aback' after asking them to call her by a different name
ok.co.ukKate Middleton's inner circle was left quite surprised when she sent out an email requesting they address her by a different name.
After graduating from university with Prince William, the couple were affectionately dubbed 'Kate and Wills' by the public and media alike.
Despite being universally known as Kate, it turns out that the Duchess of Cambridge prefers her full name, Catherine. Reports from 2008 reveal that she emailed friends asking them to refer to her as Catherine, hinting at her preparation for her future role in the Royal Family.Two years before the world saw her iconic sapphire engagement ring, Kate was already considering the responsibilities she would take on as a member of the Royal Family.
Columnist Adam Helliker wrote in the Sunday Express at the time: "With Prince William's engagement now a surefire certainty (even Ladbrokes has stopped taking bets on whether it will happen after a flurry of well-placed wagers) there are intriguing signs that Kate Middleton is preparing for her future role." He added: "It looks like she's taking it very seriously indeed too," reports the Mirror. "I hear that in the past few weeks the former accessories buyer has quietly informed friends that she would like to drop the informal 'Kate' and in future wishes to be known by her full name: 'Catherine'." Royal commentator Daniela Elser revealed that Kate's pals were somewhat "a little taken aback" by her request.
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