Prince Charles is Longest-Waiting Heir Apparent

The Prince of Wales has waited nearly six decades to take over the throne from his beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II turned 85 today, and her grandson, Prince William, is set to marry Kate Middleton next week. But the man in the middle – Prince Charles – made his own bit of history this week by becoming the British monarchy's longest-waiting heir apparent. For 59 years, two months, and 14 days, Charles, the goofily grinning Prince of Wales, has waited to take over the throne from his widely admired mother. Charles' wait time has surpassed that of King Edward VII, who had to wait from his birth in 1841 until his mother, Queen Victoria, died in 1901 to take the crown.