Born to Rule: When Charles is King

TODAY
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  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • WEEKLY SERIES
Born to Rule: When Charles is King

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8th at the age of 96 years old, months after her Platinum Jubilee, her 70th year as the Queen of the United Kingdom. As the world remembers the longest-reigning monarch, her eldest son Prince Charles is now KING Charles III. It’s the moment he was born destined for – and at 73, he’s been waiting a long time. As one era closes, another one begins. Can Prince Charles fill his mother’s shoes? Will the people accept him as king? Is there even a place for monarchy in our modern world? In Born to Rule, NBC’s Keir Simmons talks to journalists and royal insiders who’ve followed Prince Charles for decades to help us understand this man who is now king.

Season 1

  1. EPISODE 1

    The End of Empire

    This year, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. At age 96, the Queen is the longest-reigning monarch in British history, and her eldest son, Prince Charles, has waited longer than any heir presumptive in British history to ascend the throne. Practically no one alive today in the UK can remember a time before the Queen. But as his moment approaches, so does widespread apprehension: Can Prince Charles fill his mother’s shoes? Will the people accept him as king? Is there even a place for monarchy in our modern world? This episode of Born to Rule was recorded before King Charles became King. Through our series, you get to hear in real time what we are thinking as events unfold -- extraordinary Royal events that have both uplifted the Royal family and rocked it to the core.

    39 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    The Prince Who Talked to Flowers

    Prince Charles has long been seen as an eccentric - his passion for gardening and watercolor painting combined with his love of the luxurious royal life has given him the reputation of being out-of-touch with the average person. But Charles might also be considered ahead of his time - a long-time environmentalist who’s been spearheading initiatives for sustainable living for more than 50 years. Many of the prince’s ideas, at first quickly dismissed, have turned out to be prescient. We’re taking a deeper look at this complex man. Did he become Prince Charles because of his upbringing or despite it? And how will the Prince Charles that we have come to know evolve into King Charles when he must meet his destiny. This episode of Born to Rule was recorded before King Charles became King. Through our series, you get to hear in real time what we are thinking as events unfold -- extraordinary Royal events that have both uplifted the Royal family and rocked it to the core.

    34 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Whatever "In Love" Means

    In 1981, the world watched as Prince Charles married the perfect royal bride: Lady Diana Spencer. Young, beautiful, and stylish, Diana breathed new life into the monarchy. But the fairytale didn’t last long. In the years that followed, Diana and Charles’s troubled marriage and bitter divorce was a constant in the tabloids, and Diana’s death in a car accident in 1997 shook the world. And through it all, Charles gained a reputation as an unfaithful husband to the “people’s princess” as he carried on an affair with friend Camilla Parker Bowles. But today, Camilla — once known as the notorious “other woman” — is poised to become Queen Consort when Charles takes the throne. It’s a reflection of the changes the monarchy has undergone in the aftermath of the Charles and Diana saga… and the fulfillment of Prince Charles’s decades-long quest to have the love of his life accepted by the royal establishment and the British public. This episode of Born to Rule was recorded before King Charles became King. Through our series, you get to hear in real time what we are thinking as events unfold -- extraordinary Royal events that have both uplifted the Royal family and rocked it to the core.

    42 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Power and the Palace

    The royal family is no stranger to controversy — and Prince Charles has often been at the center of the scandal-du-jour. What happens when he takes on the job of maintaining the monarchy’s public image… the one he’s been accused of tarnishing over the years? We’ll take a look at the more recent scandals Charles has had to manage alongside the Queen – from questions about how some of his charities raise money to his brother Prince Andrew’s settlement in a sexual abuse lawsuit, to his son Prince Harry’s departure from the Firm. What other challenges might lie ahead for the future king, and how will he manage them? This episode of Born to Rule was recorded before King Charles became King. Through our series, you get to hear in real time what we are thinking as events unfold -- extraordinary Royal events that have both uplifted the Royal family and rocked it to the core.

    31 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    The Heir and the Spare

    During her Platinum Jubilee celebration this year, Queen Elizabeth greeted the crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, dressed in bright blue with a cane in hand, at 96 years old… there’s no denying change is coming. On her left: William, Kate, and the kids. On her right: Charles and Camilla. The message was clear — this is the future of the monarchy, with Charles at the helm. In our final episode, we’re taking a look at what’s next for the royal family. From Charles to William to little George, what does a modern monarchy look like? Where do Harry and Meghan fit in? And after 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, is the world ready for King Charles? This episode of Born to Rule was recorded before King Charles became King. Through our series, you get to hear in real time what we are thinking as events unfold -- extraordinary Royal events that have both uplifted the Royal family and rocked it to the core.

    39 min

  6. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Introducing Born to Rule: When Charles is King

    This year marks Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, her 70th year as Queen of the United Kingdom. As the world prepares to celebrate an icon, the British royal establishment is working quietly behind the scenes to prepare the stage for Prince Charles to replace his mother and become King. It’s the moment he was destined for – and at 73, he’s been waiting a long time. But as his moment approaches, so does widespread apprehension: Can Prince Charles fill his mother’s shoes? Will the people accept him as king? Is there even a place for monarchy in our modern world? In Born to Rule, NBC’s Keir Simmons talks to journalists and royal insiders who’ve followed Prince Charles for decades to help us understand the man who will be king.

    2 min
  7. NBC News Special Report: Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96, Prince Charles becomes King Charles III

    BONUS

    NBC News Special Report: Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96, Prince Charles becomes King Charles III

    Lester Holt anchors an NBC News Special Report with the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death. The 96-year-old was Britain's longest reigning monarch. Remembering the Queen. Plus, Charles becomes King Charles. Keir Simmons reports from London.

    19 min
  8. NBC News Special Report: King Charles III Addresses Nation for the First Time After Death of Queen Elizabeth II

    BONUS

    NBC News Special Report: King Charles III Addresses Nation for the First Time After Death of Queen Elizabeth II

    King Charles III pays tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in a televised speech to the nation.  TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie reports LIVE from London.

    22 min

  9. BONUS

    Prince Harry's Tell-All Memoir and the Future of the Crown

    A lot has changed since the last episode of Born to Rule was released. After Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8, 2022, Prince Charles became King Charles III and thereby fulfilled his destiny. But some things haven’t changed – like the relationship between Prince Harry and the rest of the British royal family. Since excerpts from Prince Harry’s much anticipated memoir, Spare, became public, the book has made headlines around the world. We’re taking a look at the impact of this bombshell book. Keir Simmons sits down with Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals and royal editor at Vanity Fair, and journalist and royal commentator, Afua Hagan, for a candid conversation about the impact this memoir could have on the reign of King Charles III.

    34 min

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8th at the age of 96 years old, months after her Platinum Jubilee, her 70th year as the Queen of the United Kingdom. As the world remembers the longest-reigning monarch, her eldest son Prince Charles is now KING Charles III. It’s the moment he was born destined for – and at 73, he’s been waiting a long time. As one era closes, another one begins. Can Prince Charles fill his mother’s shoes? Will the people accept him as king? Is there even a place for monarchy in our modern world? In Born to Rule, NBC’s Keir Simmons talks to journalists and royal insiders who’ve followed Prince Charles for decades to help us understand this man who is now king.

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