King Charles Is Unrecognizable In Throwback Photos From His Youth
There's no denying that King Charles III has maintained a fairly consistent look over the years. Sure, his hair has gone from brownish-gray to salt and pepper and finally white, but other than that, he's been a constant for at least the last three decades — and that makes images of him from his university years all the more surprising.
King Charles became the first heir of the Royal Family to earn a university degree in 1971. He earned his bachelor's degree from Cambridge University's Trinity College, and he also earned his master's there in 1975. pic.twitter.com/YrOPpGImrS
— Princess Pinocchio 🇬🇧🏴 (@PinocchPrincess) August 26, 2023
In images uploaded to X (formerly known as Twitter) by a royal family fan, a young Charles could be seen smiling solo while at Cambridge University's Trinity College, as well as hanging out with friends. In the latter, he was pictured beaming at someone off-camera, flashing a toothy grin that made him look so much like his late mother that we did a double take. In both pictures, Charles' thick, dark hair stands out, as does his young, gangly frame.
The second picture uploaded to X seems to show Charles at a play rehearsal, as each person present has what looks like a script in front of them. The then-Prince of Wales looked incredibly at ease, which checks out, since as fans of the king will know, one of the highlights of Charles' college experience was his time spent with the institution's drama society. In fact, in one 1970 interview, he hinted that being part of the drama society had helped him with his official role. Of course, in more recent years, we've seen more glimpses of that, with the now-king making a surprise cameo for The Royal Shakespeare Company's "Hamlet"-inspired sketch. However, a love of acting isn't the only thing to have stayed consistent in spite of the former Prince of Wales' transformation.
King Charles has stayed true to his personal style for years
As a septuagenarian, it's no surprise that King Charles looks different from his late teens, early 20s self. However, one thing that stands out about old images of King Charles is that his snazzy style has remained remarkably similar.
Back in 2022, GQ named Charles a style icon. The outlet even went as far as claiming he was the most stylish king to accede the throne of all time. Speaking to GQ, a retail director for Turnbull & Asser (a high-end menswear brand which Charles has officially endorsed through his royal warrant) explained of his majesty's style, "He clearly wears what he feels comfortable in and does not follow trends." No surprise, there — some may remember that back in 2011, Daily Mail reported that while on an engagement in Cape Town, South Africa, he told models at a wool event (Charles is passionate about the sustainability of the fabric), "My fashion sense only changes every 25 years." Charles went on to quip, "I'm a classic, timeless man."
Though in the pics shared to X, Charles was not wearing his trademark double-breasted jacket, he did rock decidedly formal attire, even though in the second snap, his co-stars rocked more laidback styles. However, as demonstrated in the image of him sitting on the floor in formal shirt, tie and vest, he wasn't especially bothered by it. King Charles' looks may have changed with his age, but like he said himself, his preferred aesthetic is a timeless one, and he's always remained true to that.