These diverse interests make Charles the most cultured monarch in over a century. If Queen Elizabeth II, who died last year, was more interested in horse racing than her thousands of performances during her reign, Charles’ passion for the arts and pastimes would have played into the concerns of his former throne holders. Is the same.
In the 17th century, Charles IA patron of painters such as Rubens and Van Dyck, it has built one of Europe’s most important art collections. His son, Charles II, reopened English theaters after a long period of closure by Puritan rebels, laying the foundation for today’s West End. In the 18th century, George III built his finest collection of 65,000 volumes, The heart of the British Library.
But whereas previous monarchs were known for their passion, Charles was often defined by what he didn’t like. used to repeatedly attack modern architecture and promote alternatives based on classical forms. On several occasions, he directly intervened to stop a building project made of glass and steel. In the process, he has earned the ire of British architects, some of whom have accused his intervention of being unconstitutional.
On Saturday, the King’s love of music comes into full play. For his coronation he commissioned 12 works, including “Agnas Dei” for chorus by London-born American composer Tarik Oregan. In a phone interview, Oregan said that “dives into Charles’ likes and dislikes” surfaced a photo of a man with “apparently nuanced” interests.
“He’s obviously someone heavily influenced by music and other arts,” said Oregan.
Charles has repeatedly said that his love of culture was inspired by his grandmother, the mother of Queen Elizabeth. He took him to the Royal Opera House in London to see his first ballet when he was seven years old.charles said in a radio interview in 2018.
