Say what you want about Prince Charles, there’s no denying that seeing the future King of England in the role of proud father and grandfather has shown a whole new side to the soon to-be 70-year-old.
Despite raising his sons in extreme circumstances, not only with the glare of the world’s spotlight on Prince William and Prince Harry but also having to deal with the immeasurable loss of their mother, Princess Diana in 1997, Prince Charles has always put the well-being of his two boys first.
And clearly, his hard work has paid off.
WATCH IN THE PLAYER ABOVE: Prince Charles and Princess Diana play with a young Prince William and Prince Harry
Prince William, 36, and Prince Harry, 34, are arguably the most popular royal members in recent history and the pair are not only charismatic, but also stand-up role models, paving the way for issues close to their heart including mental health, veteran support, and gender equality.
William has become the ultimate family man, a dedicated husband and an adoring father preparing to become the Future King of England all the while giving his two children, Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince Louis, six months, the most normal upbringing possible.
While Prince Harry has totally reinvented himself from problematic party boy, to passionate humanitarian. Inheriting his mother’s Midas touch and his father’s sense of humour, Harry’s is the People’s Prince.
The brothers were only 15 and 12 when they lost their mother and they credit their father for being an incredible pillar of strength in the heartbreaking aftermath of her death.
“One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is tell your children that your other parent has died. How you deal with that, I don’t know,” Prince Harry explained in the 2017 BBC documentary special Diana, 7 Days.
Adding: “But he was there for us. He was the one out of two left. And he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after. But he was going through the same grieving process as well.”
Indeed, Charles’ dedication to his sons while balancing his duty has clearly impressed his boys.
In May this year, during a garden party at Buckingham Palace held to mark his upcoming 70th, Prince Harry praised his father’s legacy and work ethic.
“Pa, I was again struck by the range and diversity of the work which you are involved with,” a proud Harry beamed.
“Currently there are your two major charities, The Prince’s Trust and the newly formed – Prince’s Foundation – which has brought together your work supporting vulnerable young people in society, the built environment, culture, heritage and education. These sit alongside your 18 military associations and more than 420 patronages, ranging from music and the arts to rare breeds and plant life.”
“Although the subjects vary enormously, I know that the way in which you work with each of them does not.”
“His enthusiasm and energy are truly infectious; it has certainly inspired William and I to get involved in issues we care passionately about and to do whatever we can to make a difference. In fact, many of the issues William and I now work on are subjects we were introduced to by our father growing up. You have inspired William and I,” he added.
In recent years, we’ve seen Prince Charles in the heartwarming new role as grandfather to William and Kate’s three children.
Even Charles admits he melts around them!
“[They’ll] look after me when I’m tottering about,” the royal has affectionately mused of his grandkids.
As Prince Charles prepares to ring in his milestone 70th birthday on November 14th, we look at the Prince of Wales’ role as a father and his best moments with Prince William and Prince Harry.
The four of us: Despite Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s tumultuous marriage, their sons always came first. (Image: Getty)
The early years: Princess Diana cradles a newborn Prince Harry while Prince Charles holds Prince William back in 1984. (Image: Rex Features)
A precious bond: Harry and Charles share a tender moment. (Image: Getty)
Like father, like son: Harry and his beloved “pa” are both decorated soldiers. (Image: Getty)
A future King is born: Prince William makes his grand debut on the 21st of June, 1982. “He has the good fortune not to look like me!” Charles joked at the time. (Image: Getty)
The firstborn Prince: William was nicknamed “Wombat” by his parents. (Image: Getty)
Royally sweet: “It began when I was two. I’ve been rightfully told because I can’t remember back that far. But when we went to Australia with our parents, and the wombat, you know, that’s the local animal. So I just basically got called that. Not because I look like a wombat, or maybe I do,” William later explained of his adorable title.
Baby’s first royal tour: Prince Charles and Prince William step out in New Zealand in 1983. (Image: Getty)
A doting double act: Diana and Charles would do anything for their boys.
Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Prince William in 1983
Royal flush: We’d love to know what’s on that phone! The boys have their dad in a fit of giggles at the 2014 Invictus Games in London. (Image: Getty)
Moving up the ranks: A proud Prince Charles poses with Prince Harry following his son’s promotion to captain of an Apache Helicopter in 2011. (Image: Getty)
Duty calls: The Windsor trio gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday celebrations in 2000. (Image: Getty)
Prince Charles talks about playing polo with Prince William and Prince Harry
Kings of the snow: Before his sons married, Charles would enjoy annual father-son skip trips.
A kiss for pa: Prince Harry proves you’re never too old to show affection towards your dad. (Image: Getty)
Fluffy love: Prince Harry, Prince Charles and Princess Diana with the family bunny rabbit at their Highgrove Home estate in 1986. (Image: Getty)
Raising future leaders: In the 90s, shortly after splitting from Princess Diana, Prince Charles gave a rare interview on fatherhood admitting it was “marvellous to see them [William and Harry] develop and get good at certain things and develop interests, it gives me enormous pleasure, satisfaction and pride!” (Image: Getty)
The one trait he wanted his boys to have: “Sensitivity to others, which by any definition is actually called good manners, which I think a lot of people have forgotten. And also, on the whole, do to others as you’d have them do to you, which is not a bad way of trying to operate,” the father-of-two explained. (Image: Getty)
A hands-on parent: “I’ve always mucked around with them a great deal! When William was tiny, I used to muck around with him as much as I possibly could,” Charles revealed of his love of playing with his sons. (Image: Getty)
A royal divide: After Diana and Charles separated in 1992, the boys shared their time between their mother and their father and Charles admitted raising a young family with the glare of the world’s spotlight took its toll. “We discuss it [co-parenting] but that’s a matter for us. It’s not a matter for other people to decide how our children should be educated or brought up but you can bet your bottom dollar they will all interfere and they’ll say ‘it should have been done this way!’ that’s become a national pastime,” he said at the time. (Image: Getty)
Caught in the middle: “It was an interesting way of growing up. The two of us were bouncing between the two of them. We never saw our mother enough. We never saw our father enough,” Prince Harry reflected of his parents’ divorce last year. (Image: Rex Features)
A mother’s passing: In 1997, Charles, William and Harry’s worlds would change forever after Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris. (Image: Getty)
A pillar of strength: As the sole parent of two of the world’s most famous boys, Prince Charles has been an incredible role model and father to Prince William and Harry and for that, the brothers are eternally grateful. (Image: Getty)
Unimaginable grief: “One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is tell your children that your other parent has died. How you deal with that, I don’t know,” Prince Harry has said of his dad. (Image: Getty)
Family ties: “But he was there for us. He was the one out of two left. And he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after. But he was going through the same grieving process as well,” Harry added. (Image: Rex Features)
Back to nature: During those heartbreaking years in the aftermath of Diana’s death, Charles helped his boys heal with nature, love and protection. (Image: Getty)
The next chapter: Prince Charles and Prince William at their home in Tetbury, South West England before William in 2000 as William took a year off before starting his art history degree at St. Andrews University in Scotland. (Image: Getty)
A serendipitous decision: As fate would have it, Prince William ended up meeting his future wife, Duchess Catherine, at St. Andrews and Prince Charles is his daughter-in-law’s number one fan. (Image: Getty)
His pride and joy! Becoming a grandfather to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis has shown a whole new side to the future King. (Image: Getty)
Three generations of Kings: “[They’ll] look after me when I’m tottering about,” the royal has affectionately mused of Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s three little ones. (Image: Buckingham Palace)
Father of the groom: Of course, another huge personal milestone for Prince Charles was the Royal Wedding of his youngest son, Prince Harry, to Meghan Markle in May this year. (Image: Getty)
The ultimate father-in law: Prince Charles welcomed Meghan Markle into the family with open arms back in May when he walked her down the aisle after her father pulled out. In an historical moment, instead of “giving her away”, Prince Charles stood back as Meghan stepped forward to her husband, Prince Harry. According to CNN, the actor came up with the plan and both Harry and Charles were “delighted” with it. (Image: Getty)
Prince Charles walks Meghan Markle down the aisle
A new member of the family! In fact, Charles is so delighted with his newest daughter-in-law, he’s reportedly nicknamed her “Tungsten” after the rare metal because she’s “tough and unbending just like the very strong metal.” (Image: Getty)
He’s just dad at the end of the day: Prince of Wales, future King of England, heir to the throne… Prince Charles has many titles but being a father will always come first. (Image: Getty)
