King Charles Turns 74 — He Celebrates 1st Birthday without Mom by His Side

• King Charles' 74th birthday was quite different from his others.

• The monarch released a stunning new portrait.

• Only two royals celebrated King Charles' birthday publicly.

• Four years ago, the King faced a birthday "nightmare" with his sons.

On November 14, 2022, King Charles III celebrated his 74th birthday as the new monarch. The royal honored the day by sharing an image of himself as the new Park Ranger of Windsor Great Park.

The photo was released on his birthday and marked his appointment as Ranger, a post his late father, Prince Philip, once held for 70 years. The King's grandfather, King George VI, also had the position, while the first ranger was Sir Henry Nevill, appointed in 1559.

Some of the new duties the King was responsible for included offering guidance to Deputy Ranger. The picture shared on his birthday showed him leaning with a cane against an old oak tree in Windsor Great Park as the sun shone in the background.

Celebrations for his special day started where King Charles was born, at Buckingham Palace. The band of the Household Cavalry sang "Happy Birthday" at the Changing the Guard ceremony.

At midday, a 41-gun royal salute from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery was held in Green Park. This was the first birthday that His Majesty celebrated without his mother, the Queen.

The Royal Family's social media accounts announced that Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 on September 8, 2022, leaving her son to ascend the throne. Besides the UK and some parts of the world celebrating the King's birthday, some people close to him also did so in public.

How Did King Charles' Children Celebrate His Birthday?

To pay tribute to King Charles on his birthday, his son, Prince William, and his wife, Princess Kate, shared a loving post only on their joint Twitter account. The couple uploaded a beautiful picture of the monarch smiling joyously while looking at a crowd.

The couple, who became the new Prince and Princess of Wales after the title was taken from William's father and late mother, Princess Diana, also included a lovely but short message to the birthday boy. The caption read:

"Wishing a very happy birthday to His Majesty The King!"

King Charles' youngest and second son, Prince Harry, and his wife, Duchess Meghan, didn't publically wish him a happy birthday. It appeared the Wales were the only senior royals who publicly bothered to wish the monarch well on his special day.

However, Harry and Meghan might have wished him well privately. The Royal Collection Trust shared a picture of His Majesty when he was younger alongside his sister, Princess Anne, and wrote:

"Happy birthday to King Charles III!"

The trust explained that the photo was taken in 1951 and showed the King kissing his younger sister's hand. Although his 2022 birthday appeared to have gone by without any glitches, that wasn't always the case.

What Was King Charles' "Birthday Nightmare"?

Four years ago, on King Charles' 70th birthday, the day allegedly didn't go as the royal had wished. Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, royal experts and co-authors, said the birthday family photoshoot taken on the day included his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.

The image also included William and Kate and Harry and Meghan, but even though everyone was smiling, the occasion wasn't all happiness. King Charles' grandchildren from William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, posed for the image too.

An aide claimed the brothers [Prince Harry and Prince William] sometimes had to compete to receive additional funds for projects.

In Scobie and Durand's book, "Finding Freedom," the pair claimed a royal insider revealed the birthday had been a "nightmare." The writers' source alleged that Harry and William were able to be "hot and cold" against their father at times.

The relationship between the monarch and his sons was reportedly made more difficult because he was technically their boss. The planning for the birthday photo sessions was described as an "absolute nightmare" because of the two siblings, with the insider noting:

"Neither William nor Harry made much of an effort to make themselves available."

Two pictures were released from the shoot, with the first one looking more formal while the second showed the family looking more relaxed and laughing together. The book also revealed how money was a constant tension between King Charles and his sons.

At the time, the monarch was looking after the Duchy of Cornwall and had to "control the purse strings" regarding how the siblings spent money. An aide claimed the brothers sometimes had to compete to receive additional funds for projects.