Prince Charles has longest wait in line for throne

Published on Wednesday 20 April 2011 15:42

The Prince of Wales has become the longest serving heir apparent in British history.

Charles has overtaken the record set by his great-great grandfather King Edward VII.

The prince became heir apparent when his mother Princess Elizabeth acceded the throne to become Queen on 6 February 1952.

Edward VII was born the heir apparent on 9 November 1841 when his mother, Queen Victoria, was already on the throne.

He took over as king when she died on 22 January 1901, having been heir apparent for 59 years, two months and 13 days.Clarence House said that the Prince of Wales has now been heir apparent for 59 years, 2 months and 14 days.

Charles, 62, was just three years old when he became heir to the throne. He was nine when he was given the title the Prince of Wales in 1958.

The heir apparent, always the eldest son of a sovereign, is the next in line to the throne whose right to succeed cannot be altered by the birth of another.

Preparations for the wedding of Charles' son Prince William to Kate Middleton next week continued yesterday, as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had lunch with Miss Middleton's parents.

It is believed to be the first time the monarch has met Michael and Carole Middleton.

A source described the gathering of the Middletons and the Queen and Duke as having a "warm atmosphere".

It is thought the lunch was a long-standing engagement in the diary of both the monarch and Ms Middleton's parents.

Also present were a small number of members of the Royal Household, thought to be private secretaries.

Yesterday, it was revealed that the 600,000 people expected to line the route between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey on the wedding day will be entertained by the Band of the Coldstream Guards.

Lieutenant Colonel Graham Jones, the Band of the Coldstream's director of music, said: "We're not just a marching band - we do pop, state ceremonial marching music, and more popular fare You name it, we can play it - even Robbie Williams."