Prince Charles, the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, became King Charles III in 2022.
© Jeff Gilbert, Alamy Images

Saturday, May 6th, was the coronation of King Charles in London, England. Charles III became king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Sept. 8, 2022. During the coronation ceremony, he received the crown and other symbolic items as king of the United Kingdom.

This coronation was only the second in history to be televised. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2nd, 1953, and was the first televised ceremony. Diplomats, leaders, and other royals attended the ceremony honoring King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. Eight months after the death of its longest-reigning sovereign, the United Kingdom tuned in to crown King Charles III in front of thousands.

Queen Consort Camilla was crowned alongside King Charles. In February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II announced that Charles’ wife, Camilla, will be named Queen Consort once Charles inherits the throne. The current heir to the throne, Prince William, his wife, Princess Catherine, and their three children attended. Prince Harry, King Charles’ second-born son, also attended the ceremony. His wife Meghan, the Dutchess of Sussex, and their two children remained in California during the festivities.

Since the accession of the throne is accompanied by death, the royal family waits to celebrate the coronation. The ceremony is steeped in traditions dating back to the A.D. 750′s. The archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby presented the monarch to the audience and performed the steps of the coronation. King Charles took the coronation oath, swearing to rule justly and to support the Church of England. He was given a Bible, sword, rod, orb, ring, and a cloak of gold cloth as symbols of ruling. After receiving those symbols, the archbishop of Canterbury placed the crown on King Charles’ head. The service continued, and then King Charles processed out of the church to a banquet.

King Charles was heir to the throne for 70 years before being named king. Charles was born on Nov. 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace in London. He was the eldest child of Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. In 1958, Queen Elizabeth officially named Charles Prince of Wales, the 700-year-old title traditionally given to the heir to the throne. In 1969, she presented the prince to the people of Wales in a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle in Wales.

Prince Charles enrolled at the Royal Air Force College in 1971 and graduated from its advanced flying course later that year. He then entered the Royal Navy and served until 1976. In the Navy, his activities included flying helicopters and commanding a ship, the minehunter Bronington. As prince, Charles concerned himself with such issues as disadvantaged people, education, and the environment. He also has been a critic of modern architecture. Charles is the founder of two charitable organizations—The Prince’s Trust and The Prince’s Youth Business Trust.

Queen is a British rock band that gained international fame in the 1970′s. The original group members were, from left to right, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Roger Taylor, and Brian May. This photo shows the group performing at the Montreux Golden Rose Pop Festival in Switzerland.
Credit: © Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy Images

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. All month long, Behind the Headlines will feature lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning pioneers in a variety of areas.

Halftime shows, cheers, and marching bands are well-known staples of sporting events. While fans cheer for their teams and order hot dogs from their seats, they will sing such classic songs as “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

These sporting-event anthems were recorded by the rock group Queen, which gained popularity in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Leading this band—just as a captain leads a sports team—was the British rock singer, songwriter, and musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991). He was known for his soaring, operatic vocals and theatrical stage presence.

British musician Freddie Mercury
Credit: © Phil Dent, Getty Images

Mercury was born on Sept. 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, to Parsi parents from India. His real name was Farrokh Bulsara. He was given the nickname Freddie while attending a British boarding school. Around this time, he began taking piano lessons. He later played in rock and roll bands. In 1964, Bulsara’s family moved to Middlesex, England.

In the late 1960′s, Bulsara attended Ealing Art College in London. Around this time, he befriended several musicians in a local band called Smile. They were lead singer and bassist Tim Staffell, guitarist Brian May, and drummer Roger Taylor. Inspired by the group, Bulsara began singing and playing piano with several rock groups. He joined Smile as lead singer after Staffell left the group. In 1970, encouraged by Bulsara, the group changed its name to Queen. Soon after, Bulsara changed his last name to Mercury. Bassist John Deacon joined the group in 1971.

The group’s first album, Queen, was released in 1973. The albums Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack were released in 1974. The group’s third album, A Night at the Opera (1975) was a breakthrough for the group. It featured the huge hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” written by Mercury. It has been called one of the greatest songs in rock and popular music. The song is a six-minute musical suite, containing several movements, including a piano ballad section; a layered, operatic vocal passage; and a charging, hard rock segment. A groundbreaking promotional music video accompanied the song’s release. Years before the era of MTV, when music videos became commonplace, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” video greatly added to the song’s popularity.

Queen combined hard rock and flamboyant (showy) “glam” rock with layered guitars and intricate vocal harmonies. Queen’s many hits include “Bicycle Race” (1978); “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Killer Queen,” and “You’re My Best Friend” (all 1979); “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (both 1980); “Somebody to Love” (1981); “Under Pressure” (with the British singer David Bowie, 1981); and “I Want to Break Free” and “Radio Ga Ga” (both 1984).

Mercury also performed as a solo artist. He recorded the albums Mr. Bad Guy (1985) and Barcelona (1988). He also recorded a number of singles, including “Time” (1986) and “The Great Pretender” (1987).

Mercury died of complications from AIDS on Nov. 24, 1991. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Credit: © Phil Dent, Getty Images

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. All month long, Behind the Headlines will feature lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning pioneers in a variety of areas.

As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, many people are returning to sporting events. While fans cheer for their teams and order hot dogs from their seats, they will sing such classic songs as “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

These sporting-event anthems were recorded by the rock group Queen, which gained popularity in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Leading this band—just as a captain leads a sports team—was the British rock singer, songwriter, and musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991). He was known for his soaring, operatic vocals and theatrical stage presence.

Mercury was born on Sept. 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, to Parsi parents from India. His real name was Farrokh Bulsara. He was given the nickname Freddie while attending a British boarding school. Around this time, he began taking piano lessons. He later played in rock and roll bands. In 1964, Bulsara’s family moved to Middlesex, England.

In the late 1960′s, Bulsara attended Ealing Art College in London. Around this time, he befriended several musicians in a local band called Smile. They were lead singer and bassist Tim Staffell, guitarist Brian May, and drummer Roger Taylor. Inspired by the group, Bulsara began singing and playing piano with several rock groups. He joined Smile as lead singer after Staffell left the group. In 1970, encouraged by Bulsara, the group changed its name to Queen. Soon after, Bulsara changed his last name to Mercury. Bassist John Deacon joined the group in 1971.

The group’s first album, Queen, was released in 1973. The albums Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack were released in 1974. The group’s third album, A Night at the Opera (1975) was a breakthrough for the group. It featured the huge hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” written by Mercury. It has been called one of the greatest songs in rock and popular music. The song is a six-minute musical suite, containing several movements, including a piano ballad section; a layered, operatic vocal passage; and a charging, hard rock segment. A groundbreaking promotional music video accompanied the song’s release. Years before the era of MTV, when music videos became commonplace, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” video greatly added to the song’s popularity.

Queen combined hard rock and flamboyant (showy) “glam” rock with layered guitars and intricate vocal harmonies. Queen’s many hits include “Bicycle Race” (1978); “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Killer Queen,” and “You’re My Best Friend” (all 1979); “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (both 1980); “Somebody to Love” (1981); “Under Pressure” (with the British singer David Bowie, 1981); and “I Want to Break Free” and “Radio Ga Ga” (both 1984).

Mercury also performed as a solo artist. He recorded the albums Mr. Bad Guy (1985) and Barcelona (1988). He also recorded a number of singles, including “Time” (1986) and “The Great Pretender” (1987).

Mercury died of complications from AIDS on Nov. 24, 1991. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Feb. 6, 2012

The diamond jubilee celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne began with gun salutes around the United Kingdom, including a 41-gun salute in London’s Hyde Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London. Elizabeth ascended to the British throne on the death of her father, George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952. Queen Elizabeth is the head of state of the United Kingdom as well as 16 other countries, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wave to a joyous crowd in London during the queen's Golden Jubilee, which marked the 50th anniversary of her reign. AP/Wide World

Elizabeth will be 86 years old on April 21. Her mother, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, lived to be 101.

Queen Elizabeth II has reined longer than any other British monarch with the exception of her great-great-grandmother, Victoria, who ruled for 63 years, from 1837 to 1901. Victoria’s diamond jubilee was officially celebrated on June 22, 1897.  At the time, the British Empire was near its zenith, covering some 13 million square miles (33.7 million square kilometers), almost a quarter of Earth’s total land area. Victoria ruled over one-fifth of the world’s population.

Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom for 63 years. During her reign, often called the Victorian Age, the United Kingdom built a huge empire and became the world's richest country. Bridgeman/Art Resource

Additional World Book articles

• Kings and queens of  the United Kingdom
• Philip, Prince
• United Kingdom, history of (The Victorian Age–1840’s-about 1900)
• The Queen Mother: Creator of the Modern Monarchy (a special report)