When Does Prince Charles Become King?
Prince Charles is now the King. Upon the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth at age 96 in September 2022, Charles immediately ascended to the throne, per the British line of succession. Just as Queen Elizabeth became monarch the moment her father, King George VI, died, King Charles, too, takes on the role as British monarch immediately.
Like his mother, Charles had to decide his regnal name immediately. Elizabeth decided to use her birth name, and Charles followed suit: He is officially known as King Charles, and his coronation will take place on May 6, 2023, when he will be crowned at Westminster Abbey in front of around 2,000 guests. The official invitation for the event further confirmed his regnal name as King Charles. See the invitation here.
King Charles was the longest-serving Prince of Wales in British history. There is no automatic succession to the title, so his heir apparent—his eldest son, Prince William—must be created Prince of Wales. In his first speech as monarch, he granted Prince William the Prince of Wales title, making Kate Middleton the Princess of Wales, the title famously held by William’s mother Princess Diana.
The King said, "Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given."
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