PRINCE OF HOPE
The birth of Prince Charles brought joy to his family, but his early years would see several separations from his parents.
If the marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip in 1947 had been billed as a celebration after years of wartime austerity, then news the couple were expecting a baby just under 12 months later was a pivotal moment. A decade after the abdication of Edward VIII, the House of Windsor was given a renewed strength by his birth, which secured the succession into the 21st century.
Elizabeth and Philip prepared for their baby’s arrival in Buckingham Palace but the labour proved arduous. Prince Philip, like fathers of the time, was kept outside the delivery suite and, as labour entered a second day, he took his anxiety out on the squash court. It was there that he heard news of the birth.
The official announcement came just before midnight. Celebration bonfires were lit around the country and outside the palace, and crowds partied into the small hours until they were asked to quieten their cheers to allow mother and baby to rest.
Charles Philip Arthur George – His Royal Highness, Prince Charles of
