Little Prince Charles, described as a “truly magnificent baby”, was born 75 years ago today in the palace he now occupies as monarch.
The future king’s arrival at Buckingham Palace at 9.14pm was the first royal birth at the London residence in 62 years.
The then-Princess Elisabeth endured a tough 30 hours of labor before undergoing a caesarean section in a makeshift maternity ward in the palace’s Belgian Suite.
Soon afterwards, the thousands of Britons gathered at the palace gates received the news they had been waiting for.
Having just found out from royal page Stanley Childs, the police inspector on duty told the crowds through clasped hands: “It’s a prince.”
Moments later, cheers erupted as the news spread through the crowd.
Prince Philip, who had been nervously playing squash during his wife’s labor, quickly returned to the palace where he opened a bottle of champagne.
The Queen told her music teacher in the following weeks that Charles had an “interesting pair of hands for a baby” – a fact that has been commented on in recent years.
Little Prince Charles, described as a “truly magnificent baby”, was born 75 years ago today in the palace he now occupies as monarch. The King’s arrival at Buckingham Palace at 9.14pm was the first royal birth at the London residence in 62 years. Above: Charles with the then Princess Elizabeth at his christening in December 1948
The Queen told her music teacher in the following weeks that Charles had an “interesting pair of hands for a baby” – a fact that has been commented on in recent years. Above: Charles with his mother in 1949
The birth of the heir to the throne was the first at Buckingham Palace since that of Princess Patricia – the daughter of Queen Victoria’s third son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.
The Belgian Suite was later used for the arrival of Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
After playing his game of squash, Philip was drying himself off after swimming when a footman informed him of Charles’ arrival.
Along with the champagne, he greeted the queen after she woke up from anesthesia with a bouquet of red roses and carnations – her favorites.
Until Charles’ arrival, it was tradition for the Home Secretary to be present to witness the birth of the heir to the throne.
However, this tradition was abandoned and it was the first time since the 18th century that no government official was present at the birth of an heir.
The Queen wrote in a letter to her music teacher: “The baby is very sweet and we are enormously proud of him.”
In November 1948, crowds gather outside Buckingham Palace as they await news of Charles’s birth
The Chron reports on the King’s birth at Buckingham Palace. Crowds gathered outside awaiting news of the royal birth
The front page of the Chron following Charles’s christening, which took place on December 15, 1948
“He’s got an interesting pair of hands for a baby.”
“They are quite large, but with delicate long fingers that are very different from mine and certainly not his father’s.”
“It will be interesting to see what comes of it.”
When Philip was asked what his young son looked like, he replied with characteristic bluntness: “A plum pudding.”
At the gates of the palace the crowd shouted in vain: “We want Philip!”
When he didn’t show up, they sang lullabies instead.
Traditionally, the lights in the fountain in Trafalgar Square were turned blue to signal a boy.
Troops around the capital fired ceremonial gun salutes as the bells of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral rang out.
Queen Mary – Charles’ great-grandmother – was taken to the princess’s chambers to see the little baby.
As she then left the palace to return to Marlborough House, the enthusiastic crowd surged forward, almost bringing her car to a halt.
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip posed for an official photo with Prince Charles at his christening
The future queen holds her baby son in her arms as she poses for a photo with her grandmother Queen Mary and her father King Charles at his christening
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, holds baby Charles in her arms at his christening
Little Prince Charles sleeps in the arms of his great-grandmother Queen Mary at his christening
The Chron reported that police had to ask cheering well-wishers for “some calm.”
When that didn’t dampen her spirits, two palace officials came out and said, “Princess Elizabeth would like to get some rest.” “Prince Philip is with her and there will be no more tonight.”
Charles was baptized on December 15 in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace at a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher.
Charles’ maternal grandparents, King George VI, were at the family occasion. and Queen Elizabeth, present.
They beamed for a family photo with Charles in his flowing white dress and Philip standing behind them.
The official images were taken by Sterling Henry Nahum, who also took the official photos for the wedding of the Queen and Prince Philip.
Charles spent the first year of his life in his parents’ rented house, Windlesham Moor in Surrey
The Queen and Philip moved in shortly after their wedding in 1947 and remained there until the end of 1949
Charles, then only nine months old, sits on the lawn in Windlesham in July 1949
Prince Philip holds his eldest son in his arms in Windlesham as Princess Elizabeth looks on. The photo was taken in July 1949
An aerial view of Windlesham Moor in Surrey, the country home of the then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh
Charles spent the first year of his life in his parents’ rented house, Windlesham Moor in Surrey.
Photos show him sitting in a playpen on the property’s property and playing on the lawn with his parents.
Windlesham was six miles from Windsor Castle and also not far from Bagshot Park, now the home of Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The Queen and Philip moved in shortly after their wedding in 1947 and remained there until the end of 1949.