Cannon fire celebrated the 75th birthday of King Charles III in London on Tuesday, who shows no signs of slowing down and is publicly committed to causes close to his heart, such as the environment.
• Also read: The first coins depicting King Charles were minted on Tuesday
The sovereign, who likes to project the image of a hard worker, marks his nine-quarters of a century with a busy schedule, such as his first year on the throne, which was marked by official visits to Germany, France and Kenya, as well as his coronation last May.
The celebrations began on Monday with an “afternoon tea,” a tea dance with giant cakes, in the gardens of Highgrove in the west of England, where he founded an organic farm and local residents were randomly drawn from among all those who looked like him in 1948 born.
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On Tuesday, 41 cannon shots were fired near Buckingham Palace at midday, before another 62-gun salvo followed from the Tower of London an hour later. As is tradition for British rulers, we will have to wait until next June for the remaining official ceremonies, as the Salute to the Colors parade takes place at a time of year more suitable for outdoor activities.
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The sovereign also has several official engagements on the agenda. He will join Queen Camilla at a food aid distribution center to launch a charity project to combat waste and hunger.
The king, who ascended to the throne in September 2022 following the death of his mother Elizabeth II, appears on the front page of homeless magazine Big Issue this week to defend the initiative.
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A reception for 400 nurses and midwives is planned at Buckingham Palace this afternoon to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS, an institution beloved by Britons but in the midst of a crisis.
The day must end with a private dinner with his loved ones, again without his youngest son Harry, in exile in California with his wife Meghan and their two children.
The 39-year-old duke, who has made harsh comments about his father and older brother William in recent months, was expected to convey his wishes to the king by telephone, according to the BBC.
Not very popular
Born Prince Charles Philip Arthur George at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948, when his mother was still a princess, the old King Charles III is a far cry from the immense popularity of Elizabeth II, with 52% positive opinions, according to the YouGov Institute his strong public presence.
His heir William, valued by 69% of Britons, is far ahead of him. But there was no question that Charles would be handed over directly to him after spending almost a lifetime preparing for the throne.
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The ruler appears to be more committed than the late queen and is more discreet in his views when it comes to causes such as protecting nature, one of his long-standing struggles. That’s why he will go to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai in early December and give a speech there.
He also spoke about the United Kingdom’s colonial and slavery past. During his visit to Nairobi in early November, he declared that there was “no excuse” for the atrocities of British colonization against Kenyans – but without asking for forgiveness, as some have demanded.
“He confronts the more problematic aspects of history in a way that Elizabeth II never would have,” notes historian Ed Owens, a specialist on the British monarchy. “He is more active on a diplomatic level than his mother, but has a busy schedule to appear as a figure committed to his role.”
On her 65th birthday, Camilla confessed that her husband loved birthday parties for “the cake and a bit of song” but was “the hardest person there is when it comes to presents”: “So he likes to make a list of that , what He wants us to do not make a mistake.