What's in a name? If that name is Charles, it's a few centuries of bad blood and treason.
Here's why Charles considered swapping names, and everything else set to change under the new king.
Prince William will now take his father's previous title of the Duke of Cambridge and
the Duke of Cornwall. William will likely become known as the Prince of Wales, the title long held
by his father, after Charles is crowned king. As reported by Cosmopolitan, as the Prince of Wales,
William plans to focus on a handful of critical issues, including early childhood development,
mental health, and the environment. He also apparently plans to cut the current Prince of
Wales' staff by 50%, which is said to match Charles' vision of a slimmed-down monarchy.
"There's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two."
As Prince William won't automatically receive the title upon Charles' succession, it's unclear when
the new name will come into force. As Newsweek noted, Charles was not named Prince of Wales
until his mother had been queen for six years. William will also participate in the investiture
of the Prince of Wales, during which he will swear an oath of allegiance to his father, the king.
Prince William's wife, Kate Middleton, the current Duchess of Cambridge, is
also set to receive a new title once Charles is crowned. It's assumed that
once her husband is named the Prince of Wales, Kate will receive the title Princess of Wales.
This was the very same title that William's late mother, Princess Diana, received
when she married Charles. The Princess of Wales title remains synonymous with Diana,
more than two decades after her tragic death. Notably, Camilla Parker Bowles
opted not to use the title in public after marrying Charles, which was largely expected.
Of Kate's title change, a source close to the royal family told The Telegraph,
"I'm sure it'll be a bit of a bittersweet moment. This is [Diana's] son and his wife, so in some
ways, it will come full circle – but it will also be a poignant reminder of what we all lost."
There's another change that people in the UK will need to adjust to now that Charles is king,
and that's a new national anthem. The reason for this swap is fairly apparent,
as the current song is "God Save the Queen." When Charles ascends to the throne, the song
will make a quick and easy lyric swap back to "God Save the King," which was used for former kings.
It's expected that the new version of the song will be played at the coronation of Charles and
Camilla. Most people in the United Kingdom have never heard a version of the song other than "God
Save the Queen." As a result, there will be an adjustment period as the country rallies around
the word swap and their new monarch in the wake of losing the queen they have supported for so long.
While some family members may be getting new titles once Charles is king,
the next monarch typically also gets the option to choose a completely different name
if he would like to. As Express reported in July 2022,
the country has already been ruled by a Charles I and a Charles II, and both have bad reputations.
This alone could have prompted Charles to take the opportunity to choose a new name as king.
For instance, Charles I was put on trial for treason, and beheaded 1649. In 1660,
his son Charles II was brought back from exile and became king,
but his personal life was often scrutinized. As a result, Charles could easily have decided to
style himself after Queen Elizabeth's father and instead become King George VII. However,
he decided to stick it out as Charles III, which was confirmed on September 8.
As if becoming king isn't enough, Charles previously revealed that he might add to his
own title when he ascends the throne. During an interview with BBC Radio 2's Sunday Hour in 2015,
Charles explained that he would like to become the Defender of the Anglican Faith when he's king.
"I particularly wanted to show solidarity, really."
However, Charles has also been open about hoping to modernize the role, indicating that he would
like the title to encompass every religion in modern-day Britain. In his interview with
Sunday Hour, Charles revealed that he finds the role to be a particularly important one, saying,
"I mind about the inclusion of other people's faiths
and their freedom to worship in this country."
In February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II released a statement confirming
a rumor that had been circulating for quite some time. She explained,
"It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes,
Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service."
Charles issued his own statement in response, saying,
"We are deeply conscious of the honor represented by my mother’s wish.
As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people
of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout."
The queen's statement represented a huge turnaround. Following their 2005 wedding,
it was announced that Camilla would be known as Princess Consort once Charles became king.
At the time, it was believed that this was out of respect for the late Princess Diana.
In February 2022, it was reported that Prince Charles would be making another
fairly significant change once he's on the throne. According to The Scottish Daily Express,
the queen's beloved Balmoral estate in Scotland will no longer be a royal residence and will
instead be turned into a museum that honors the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
As the longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom to date,
it's a fitting tribute for what is largely believed to be Queen Elizabeth's favorite home.
Charles reportedly first discussed his museum idea back in 2008. It's also
worth noting that Charles and Camilla have a home on the Balmoral estate,
which is where the pair spent their honeymoon. However, it's thought that the new king plans
to keep his home on the estate when the main Balmoral residence is turned into a museum.