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Prince Charles at Royal Albert Hall in London, February 1985. David Levenson / Getty Images
U.K. Royals

Photos: Life of King Charles III

The coronation Saturday will be the culmination of a life spent in the eye of a public over whom he now reigns. Here are some photos that illustrate the life of Britain’s new monarch.

By NBC News

He was 4 when his mother was crowned. Now seven decades later, King Charles III will take center stage for his own coronation.

Saturday's display of ancient pageantry will be the culmination of a life spent in the eye of a public over whom he now reigns.

From Wales to the White House, through nature and family drama, here are some photos that best illustrate the life of Britain's new monarch — before an occasion sure to generate many more.

Image: Princess Elizabeth bends over baby Prince Charles on Jan. 1949.
Princess Elizabeth with baby Prince Charles, January 1949.AFP - Getty Images file
Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after her Coronation ceremony with Prince Charles, Princess Anne and The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on June 2, 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after her coronation, with Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, June 1953.Fox Photos / Getty Images
Prince Charles
Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace on his eighth birthday, 1956.Antony Armstrong Jones / Getty Images
The Investiture of Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle, Caernarfon, Wales on July 1, 1969.
The investiture of Prince Charles, at Caernarfon Castle, Wales, July 1969.Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Prince Charles during his time as an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge, England.
Prince Charles in his undergraduate days at Trinity College, Cambridge, England.Hulton Deutsch / Corbis via Getty Images
Prince Charles visits President Richard Nixon at the White House on July 18, 1970.
Prince Charles visits President Richard Nixon at the White House, July 1970.HUM Images / Universal Images Group
Prince Charles on holiday in Barbados, October 1970.
Prince Charles on holiday in Barbados, October 1970.David Cairns / Getty Images
Prince Charles on the grounds of Balmoral Castle on his 30th birthday, on Nov. 14, 1978.
Prince Charles on the grounds of Balmoral Castle, Scotland, on his 30th birthday, November 1978.Fox Photos / Getty Images
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at their engagement in February, at their wedding in July, and their honeymoon at Balmoral in August.
From left: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at their engagement in February 1981; at their wedding that July; and their honeymoon at Balmoral in August.Tim Graham Photo Library / Corbis / Getty Images
Prince Charles and Princess Diana hold their newborn son Prince William at his christening on Aug. 4, 1982; Prince Charles brings Prince William to the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital to visit his new brother Prince Harry on Sept. 16, 1984.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana hold Prince William at his christening in August 1982; Prince Charles brings Prince William to St. Mary's Hospital to visit his new brother, Prince Harry, September 1984.PA Images / Daily Express / Getty Images
Prince Charles drives a chiefton tank at an army range In Tidworth, England, on June 12, 1985.
Prince Charles drives a tank at an army range in Tidworth, England, June 1985.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Prince Charles sits sketches the gardens of Kyoto Omiya Palace in Kyoto, Japan, May 8, 1986 during a six-day official visit.
Prince Charles sketches in the gardens of Kyoto Omiya Palace in Japan, May 1986, during a six-day official visit.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry ride their bikes after returning from the stables at Sandringham Estate, In Norfolk.
Princes Charles, William and Harry ride bikes after returning from the stables at Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk, England, in 1990.Julian Parker / UK Press via Getty Images
Prince Charles and Princess Diana attending a presidential banquet at the Blue House In Seoul, South Korea on Nov. 3, 1992.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana attend a presidential banquet at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, November 1992.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
The British newspapers front page headlines regarding the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana on Dec. 21, 1995.
British newspaper headlines report on the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, December 1995.Martin Cleaver / AP
Prince Charles meets The Spice Girls at the Manchester Opera House for a royal gala performance to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Prince's Trust Charity on May 11, 1997.
Prince Charles meets the Spice Girls at the Manchester Opera House for a royal gala performance to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Prince's Trust Charity, May 1997.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Prince Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry at Glen Muick on The Balmoral Castle Estate, Scotland, on Aug. 16, 1997.
Prince Charles with William and Harry at Glen Muick on the Balmoral Castle Estate, August 1997.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Charles, Prince of Wales bow their heads behind Diana's casket during the funeral procession of Diana, Princess of Wales on Sept. 6, 1997.
Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles at Princess Diana's funeral procession, September 1997.Robert Wallis / Corbis via Getty Images
Prince Charles watches the Gentoo penguins during his visit to Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Isle on March 14, 1999.
Prince Charles with Gentoo penguins during a visit to Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Isle, March 1999.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles at the Service of Prayer and Dedication blessing their marriage at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005 in Berkshire, England.
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles at their wedding at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, in April 2005.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Prince George of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, during the annual Trooping The Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 13, 2015 in London.
Camilla, Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George and Queen Elizabeth II during the annual Trooping the Color ceremony at Buckingham Palace, June 2015.Radcliffe / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales visit the Grand Mosque on the first day of a Royal tour of the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 6, 2016 in in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Camilla and Prince Charles visit the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi during a tour of the United Arab Emirates, November 2016. Chris Jackson / Getty Images
Meghan Markle is accompanied by Prince Charles down the aisle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during the wedding ceremony of Harry and Meghan.
Meghan Markle is accompanied by Prince Charles down the aisle in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, May 2018, at her wedding to Prince Harry.Dominic Lipinski / WPA Pool via Getty Images
Image: HRH The Prince of Wales Birthday Family Portrait
Prince Charles celebrates his 70th Birthday in the gardens of Clarence House, London, with Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry and Meghan, September 2018.Chris Jackson / Clarence House via Getty Images
Prince Charles during a visit to Dunnottar Castle, the cliff top fortress which was once the home of the Earls Marischal, near Stonehaven on Oct. 2, 2019.
Prince Charles during a visit to Dunnottar Castle, the cliff-top fortress near Stonehaven, Scotland, October 2019.Jane Barlow / PA Images via Getty Images
State Opening Of Parliament
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles proceed through the Royal Gallery before the queen's speech during the opening of Parliament at Westminster Palace, October 2019.Leon Neal / Getty Images
Prince Charles follows The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England.
Prince Charles follows Prince Philip's coffin at Windsor Castle, April 2021.Hannah McKay / WPA Pool via Getty Images
Prince Charles sits by the Imperial State Crown as he delivers the Queen’s Speech during the state opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 10, 2022 in London.
Prince Charles, sitting next to the crown, delivers the queen’s speech during the opening of Parliament at the House of Lords, May 2022.Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
King Charles III follows behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey after the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 19, 2022 in London.
King Charles III follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey, September 2022.Danny Lawson / WPA Pool / Getty Images
King Charles III and the Queen Consort in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, London, March 2023.
King Charles III and the Queen Consort in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, March 2023.Hugo Burnand / Royal Household 2023 / PA Wire