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The Royal Family Reveals That King Charles Is the First-Ever Monarch to Achieve This Underwater Skill

Catch him under the waves

King Charles.
Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Evidently, if we ever get the chance to meet King Charles III, 74, we might best bond with him by asking to go for a swim.

In a new post on the official royal family Instagram account, it was revealed that His Royal Majesty has quite the secret skill. “Did you know that The King is the first British monarch to be a qualified diver?” the caption reveals.

The slideshow includes major throwbacks of the monarch that see him decked out in full scuba gear. “In 1975, at the age of 26 years old, His Majesty undertook a half-hour dive under Arctic ice at Resolute Bay, Canada,” the caption notes. “Years later, The King dived underwater onto the Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s warship, nine times before it was raised from the seabed in 1982.”

Why bring this up now? Well, it seems the king’s love for the underwater activity hasn't waned over the years, and he still feels drawn to the sea. In fact, he even made a trip to the Global Underwater Hub (GUH) in Aberdeenshire, Scotland just this past Friday, September 29, to learn about undersea efforts being led by the org.

charles hero 2
Jane Barlow/WPA Pool/Getty Images

As detailed in the caption of the post, the king used his visit to learn about underwater diving technology, 3D image capturing and eco-friendly artificial reefs that are being used to enhance biodiversity.

In case you didn't know, much of King Charles’s life has been tied to the sea. He served with the Royal Navy throughout the ’70s and even commanded the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington in 1976.

Meanwhile, we shouldn't be surprised that the GUH is dedicated to environmental preservation, given the king’s ongoing dedication to sustainability.

charles hero2
Jane Barlow/WPA Pool/Getty Images

We learn something new about you every day, Charles.

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calfee

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the former Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features Editor at ROCKET Magazine. When he's not dissecting the latest trends in entertainment (or guiding you on what to watch), he covers all the hottest red carpet looks and fashion movements. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him at an NYC concert, thrift store or LGBTQ+ bookstore happily perusing the shelves.