Claim: Charles, Prince of Wales sponsors The Prince's Charities.

Charles , Prince of Wales -LRB- Charles Philip Arthur George ; born 14 November 1948 -RRB- is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II . Known alternatively in South West England as Duke of Cornwall and in Scotland as Duke of Rothesay , he is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history , having held the position since 1952 . He is also the oldest person to be next in line to the throne since Sophia of Hanover -LRB- the heir presumptive to Queen Anne -RRB- , who died in 1714 at the age of 83 .   Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun Schools , which his father , Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , had attended as a child , as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria , Australia . After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College , Cambridge , Charles served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976 .   In 1981 , he married Lady Diana Spencer and they had two sons : Prince William -LRB- born 1982 -RRB- later to become Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Harry -LRB- born 1984 -RRB- . In 1996 , the couple divorced , following well-publicised extramarital affairs . Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year . In 2005 , Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles .   Charles 's interests encompass a range of humanitarian and social issues : he founded The Prince 's Trust in 1976 , sponsors The Prince 's Charities , and is patron of numerous other charitable and arts organisations . Charles has long championed organic farming for which he established the Duchy Home Farm , run by the Duchy of Cornwall , which produces ingredients for the Duchy Originals brand which he founded in 1990 . Charles has sought to raise world awareness of the dangers facing the natural environment , such as climate change . As an environmentalist , he has received numerous awards and recognition from environmental groups around the world . His support for alternative medicine , including homeopathy , has been criticised by some in the medical community . He has been outspoken on the role of architecture in society and the conservation of historic buildings . Subsequently , Charles created Poundbury , an experimental new town based on his theories , in Dorset in 1993 . He has authored a number of books , including A Vision of Britain : A Personal View of Architecture in 1989 and the children 's book The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980 .