Extreme sports, gardening and more: what hobbies King Charles III had in his youth. Photo.

On Saturday, May 6, the coronation ceremony of Charles III will take place. This means that, after all the formalities, the UK will have a new ruler: a passionate philosopher, environmentalist, talented artist and writer.

Nowadays, the head of the throne has little time for hobbies, as the scope of his duties has increased significantly. What did the future king do in his younger years? Read the article in OBOZREVATEL.

1. Extreme hobbies

In his youth, Charles preferred outdoor activities. He was a skilled polo, hockey and tennis player, an excellent horseman, aviation, surfing and diving. His Majesty was not stopped by numerous injuries. In 1996, he fell from a horse and suffered a double fracture of his arm. Six months later, he returned to playing polo, but seriously injured his knee and broke a rib.

Over time, his passion for extreme sports has not faded. At the age of 74, the King, together with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, and the family of Prince William and Kate Middleton, goes skiing.

2. Watercolour painting

Charles started painting in the 1970s. He always does it outdoors, and tries to finish each work in one day. For convenience, he uses watercolours that dry quickly. During the opening of one of his exhibitions, His Majesty said: "This hobby requires intense concentration, and therefore it is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I have ever done. In fact, I find that painting takes me to another dimension, which is refreshing."

Watercolour paintings have brought Charles more than $3 million, which were donated to charities. Mostly, the head of the throne paints landscapes and architecture. His collection includes images of scenes from southern France and Tanzania, as well as Scottish landscapes (Hoonah Mill and Glenn Callater).

3. Organic gardening

This has been the King's favourite pastime for over 30 years. Highgrove House is his pride. It is the private residence of Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Over the years, His Majesty has worked hard to transform the area around the estate into a garden. There is a lawn with wild flowers, an oak grove spread over two hectares, chestnuts, poplars and beech trees.

4. Music

Charles studied piano, trumpet and cello as a child. Although he called himself "hopeless" in terms of musical talent, he eventually chose the cello and even played in the Trinity College orchestra as a student.

5. Writing

In 1980, Charles wrote a children's fairy tale called The Old Man of Lochnagar, about a man who, in search of peace and quiet, went to a cave where he found only adventure. The BBC made an animated film based on this story, which was narrated by the author himself. Later, His Majesty began publishing books on ecology, art and architecture.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote about the 5 most famous coronation mishaps.

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