Prince Charles turns 60, still waiting for throne

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There is no doubt that Charles is less popular than the queen, who commands wide respect throughout Britain for her unswerving devotion to duty for more than half a century. She became queen on the death of her father George VI in 1952. Charles, the eldest of her four children, was not yet 4 years old.

Charles' many detractors see him as a slightly potty eccentric who talks to his plants and is so committed to environmental causes that he converted his vintage Aston Martin to run on surplus wine.

Some still fault him for the spectacular flameout of his marriage to Princess Diana and his not-too-carefully-concealed extramarital affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, now his second wife.

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Image hurt
His image has been hurt by unauthorized leaks about his gilded lifestyle, including reports that one of his aides squeezes his toothpaste onto his toothbrush for him.

This negative view has led a boomlet of support for the idea that Charles should forgo the chance to become king at an elderly age and instead pass the crown to Prince William, his dashing eldest son.

But that idea will never fly, said Vernon Bogdanor, a professor of government at Oxford University who has written extensively about constitutional matters.

"That's not possible without legislation in Britain and 15 other Commonwealth monarchies," he said. "The monarchy is not seen as something you can choose to accept or not."

Bogdanor concedes that Charles' reputation was at a low point after his disastrous divorce from Diana, and polls show he remains less popular than the queen. The Daily Mirror newspaper summed up many Britons' feelings Thursday in an editorial. "Happy birthday, Charles," it said, "but long may the queen reign over us."

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But Bogdanor said the public view of the prince has improved since then. Charles has lectured around the world on the environment, championed interfaith dialogue and channeled millions to good causes through his Prince's Trust charity, which helps young people get education, work and training.

"He's the first heir to the throne to find a role for himself," Bogdanor said.

"He's connected with outsiders the politicians sometimes ignore. I think now people appreciate what he's done. He could have sat back and done nothing."