King Charles III: a later life calling

The appointment of our new septuagenarian monarch has prompted Alexandra Davis, Director of Marketing and Communications, to reflect on how we might all prepare for new challenges in our later years

What feels like several years ago, way back in the summer, I wrote a piece reflecting on the life and faith of Elizabeth II as we celebrated her Platinum Jubilee. Of course, since then we have said goodbye to our Queen and welcomed our new King, Charles III. And I suspect many of us have pondered what it must be like to step into your life-long calling at the ripe old age of 73...

Charles III is the oldest monarch to accede to the throne. Lots of people take up new hobbies or step into new roles in later life, often supporting their communities practically, emotionally, and spiritually, but very, very few of us will ever have to step into a job quite as big as King in our seventies.

I guess the big difference between the King and the rest of us (other than all the other things that are definitely different between us and him!) is that he’s spent his life working up to this moment. He always knew that it was unlikely that his later life would be organic gardening and watercolours; he’s been preparing, training, getting ready for this moment since he became heir to the throne at three years old. While the rest of us spend our middle life working, doing, achieving, in the anticipation of a quieter season as we get older, Charles III has known always that this stage of his life would carry more responsibility than his life leading up to it.

I wonder what our communities would be like if we all saw our calling a bit like this: that later life isn’t a time to take it easy, but a time to prepare for and commit to. Obviously, there are likely to be changes to our lives as we get older, especially when it comes to physical ability and health, but could our mindsets be shaped to help us think of later life as a rich source of achievement? A time of influencing, supporting, encouraging, others; a time of connection and engagement with the world around us. Those given the gift of later life are given something very special, something to be trained for and embraced.

So, let’s be praying for our new King, that he will adjust to his new role and find all the energy and inspiration that he needs as our head of state. Let’s also pray that, in the same way that his mother found a new source of hope and guidance in her faith in her later years, that he too would grow in his knowledge and understanding of Jesus. And let’s pray that we would each be inspired and encouraged to train for our later lives, to prepare ourselves to use them well for God’s glory.