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Charles III waited a very long time to become King. Since his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969, he filled his life with activity, pursuing deeply held passions and causes – on the environment, farming, architecture, charities to help young people and projects to improve understanding between religious groups. At times he courted controversy as he spoke out about his beliefs. He has been dismissed as eccentric, but defenders say he is remarkably prescient, predicting looming problems and trends way ahead of others.

In this programme, we speak to the people who know him best, to explain the ideas and values which motivated him for so many decades. We discover how his many eclectic projects are rooted in his spiritual beliefs about the essential harmony of the universe and his reverence for the natural world. And we unveil a sometimes surprising figure. Charles III is a creature of contradictions – a traditionalist and an innovator, a conservative who is also a radical, a moderniser who firmly believes in the timeless power of the monarchy.

As Prince of Wales, he sometimes intervened in political controversies. He established projects and initiatives around the world linked to his activism. What will happen now that he is subject to constraints as a constitutional monarch and expected to be impartial? And will a man in his mid-70s retain the same energy he displayed over more than half a century while waiting to become King?

(Photo: King Charles III in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, 22 March, 2023 London. Credit: Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/Reuters)