How much time Charles has left is unknown; it could either be 20 or 30 years, but this does definitely give William the opportunity to prepare to take on his father's role as the king.
After the demise of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, King Charles III became the ruling monarch, and at 73 years, he is the oldest person in Britain to become king. Though his mother was the longest reigning British monarch, Charles is reportedly aware he will not get to spend so much time on the throne. The most important part of his duty is to ensure the throne is there for future generations, a royal expert told Insider. Charles was only 3 years old when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952, making him her heir apparent throughout her 70-year reign. But given his age, he is aware of how little time he may have left on the throne, according to Marlene Koenig, a royal historian who specializes in British and European history.
"He knows that his time is shorter," Koenig said, comparing Charles' reign to his mother's. "But he's gonna do the best that he can. He is and he knows he is a caretaker for the next generation," she added, referencing Prince William, his eldest son, and Prince George, his eldest grandson. William, 40, and George, 9, are both first and second in line to the throne respectively.
Even in his first speech as king, Charles hinted that he is aware of the time limit, by pledging to uphold constitutional principles "throughout the remaining time God grants me." Dr. Bob Morris, an honorary senior research associate at the Constitution Unit at UCL, then said that all monarchs in some way serve as placeholders for their heirs. "Somebody's going to replace them," he said. "There's nothing more certain than that." Having said that, Morris said that since Charles is not exactly a young king, the time he has left could be useful to William and his wife, Kate Middleton. "It'd help to prepare them for taking over," Morris said.
How much time Charles has left is unknown; it could either be 20 or 30 years, but this does definitely give William the opportunity to prepare to take on his father's role as the king. She added that Charles's reign also gives William time to focus on his family and raise his three children with Kate, without the responsibility of being head of the monarchy. Because, sooner or later, William will be king. And when it happens, Koenig said she thinks he "will certainly have a long reign" in comparison to Charles.
References:
https://www.insider.com/king-charles-caretaker-of-throne-for-prince-william-expert-says-2022-9
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