Picture Archive: Royal Offspring, 1953
Before there was William and Kate's baby, Prince Charles was a child heir.
But his wait isn't over. Most reports from Britain say Charles is likely to remain in his holding pattern indefinitely.
Even though a third-in-line heir will be in place when Elizabeth II's first great-grandchild is born, experts predict that the queen won't abdicate. She continues to enjoy reported good health and great popularity—a recent poll showed 83 percent of Britons think she should retain the throne. What's more, staying the course runs in her family: Her father died while still king, as did his father.
At 87, Elizabeth II is Britain's oldest reigning monarch. But she's not the longest reigning. That honor goes to Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 and a half years.
Today, Prince William, born in 1982,
