As Charles is heralded as His Majesty, the King, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, we take a look at some of the dashing and handsome pictures snapped of him through the years.
This is a man reporting in for duty, a man who has spent his whole life training to be the King of England – and now his reign has begun.
But there’s another side to Charles worth celebrating. While it might be an unpopular opinion, this royalists among us truly believe that the King of England is extremely dashing.
Look past his bumbling goofiness, his scandal-prone past and the flushed complexion and you’ll find an unlikely pin-up who was indeed quite a babe back in his heyday. And he has great posture.
From his ripped six-pack, impressive sporting prowess, impeccable style, and at one point, a rugged beard that would give Prince Harry a run for his money, Charles’ underrated good looks in his youth don’t get nearly enough airtime.
Speaking of his dapper dress sense, Charles says he’s “a classic, timeless, man.”
“I have always believed in trying to keep as many of my clothes and shoes going for as long as possible (some go back to 1971 and one jacket to 1969!) – through patches and repairs – and in this way I tend to be in fashion once every 25 years,” he once revealed to The Australian Financial Review Magazine.
He’s a water baby. (Image: Getty)
Adding: “It is extraordinary how fashions change and, speaking as someone who, on the whole, hates throwing away things without finding another use for them or mending them, I couldn’t be more delighted if, at last, there is a growing awareness of the urgent need to get away from the ‘throwaway society’ and to move towards a more ‘circular economy.'”
Ahh a royal who uses his powers for good – and looks ever so swanky while doing it.
We’ve rounded up a whole treasure trove of photos which show the new King’s most surprisingly handsome moments.
READ NEXT: 17 photos of Prince William looking really, really, ridiculously handsome
Charle, King of Style
Has anyone rocked a safari suit as well as Prince Charles, pictured here during a visit to Cameroon in 1990? We think not! (Images: Getty)
Dapper duo and royal brothers Prince Charles and Prince Andrew don their Sunday best for a polo match in 1980. (Images: Getty)
Clean tailoring, beige tones, a crisp blue shirt and a green and a red striped tie was a winning combo for the father-of-two during a garden party in 1994. (Images: Getty)
The name’s Charles, Prince Charles: We’re getting serious James Bond vibes thanks to those trendy shades. (Image: Getty)
Put a ring on it: Prince Charles’ go-to accessory is his gold signet ring, which he wears on his pinky finger and, adds a timeless touch to all of his ensembles. The treasured piece of jewellery, which has been rocking since the 70s, is emblazoned with the official Prince of Wales symbol. (Image: Getty)
Prince Charles serves some serious style lessons on the slopes in Liechtenstein in 1983. Bonus points for the yellow turtle-neck and snazzy neckerchief. (Image: Steve Wood/REX/Shutterstock)
Apres ski! The Prince of Wales’ slope fashion is next level dapper. (Image: Mike Forster/ANL/REX/Shutterstock)
Prince Charles and Princess Diana fully embracing the 80s on a family holiday to Switzerland in 1988. (Image: David Hartley/REX/Shutterstock)
Top of the morning to you, good sir! It doesn’t get much better than a prince in a morning suit. (Image: M Moore/Evening Standard/REX/Shutterstock)
The action man
What can’t he do? Prince Charles windsurfs in Deauville, France in 1978. (Image: Getty)
The sporty prince takes to the seas again in 1969. (Image: Getty)
It’s a sentence we never thought we’d say but by golly, Prince Charles is really pulling off those Vans. (Image: Getty)
The polo-playing prince had quite a toned physique during the 70s. (Image: Getty)
The look of concentration speaks volumes of Charles’ steely determination. (Image: Getty)
Who knew jodhpurs and knee-high boots could look so smart? (Image: Getty)
Just weeks before their 1981 wedding, Charles and Lady Diana Spencer turned heads at the polo at Windsor Great Park. Now, where do we get a pair of Diana’s adorable dungarees? (Image: Getty)
Charles Down Under! The prince takes in a swim at Bondi Beach during an official tour of Australia in 1981. (Image: Getty)
The prince takes a dip at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Australia back in 1983. (Image: Getty)
Pucker up: Who could forget when Aussie model Jane Priest famously planted a giant kiss on Charles’ cheek causing him to blush during another trip to Perth in 1979? (Image: Getty)
Whoops! Charles nearly loses his micro-short swimming trunks during a swim at Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia in 1979. (Image: Dolly Tuffin YouTube)
The poster boy
Charles’ timeless style was honoured just last year, when he was made the Esquire cover star. (Image: Esquire)
While the cover lines are rather harsh, the image is beyond powerful. (Image: Esquire)
All hail Prince Charles! In October this year, the Prince of Wales graced the cover of GQ magazine as they awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Philanthropy. (Image: GQ)
On becoming King, Charles told Vanity Fair‘s December issue this year: “In my case there are so many things that need to be done.”
The man in uniform
As well as his tireless work to help build a sustainable future, Prince Charles is a decorated serviceman, having worked in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. Here, Charles completes his Parachute training as Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment at RAF South Cerney in 1978. (Image: Getty)
Prince Charles enjoys a break from the army during his 26th birthday celebrations in 1974. (Image: Getty)
Charles shows a sign of salute during a visit to Bruneval in Normandy, France, to officially open a war memorial in 1982. (Image: Getty)
The kilted prince
With all the hope in the world under their wings, Prince Charles and Princess Diana bask in their newlywed glow on honeymoon in Balmoral, Scotland in 1981. (Image: Getty)
Even royals print clash and Charles pulls it off with aplomb. (Image: Getty)
As a member of the Royal Family, Charles has several royal tartans that he’s allowed to wear, including the Balmoral print, which was designed by Prince Albert. (Image: Getty)
The bearded royal… Remind you of someone?
It’s a little known fact but Charles sported a smart naval beard in the 70s. Here, the royal rides horseback dressed in traditional tweeds. (Image: Getty)
The prince in love
Out of all of Charles’ phases and life stages, we think he’s never looked happier, healthier and more content than with the love of his life, Duchess Camilla. Happy birthday, Your Royal Highness! Being in love suits you. (Image: Getty/handout)
