| Richard IV | |
|---|---|
| Head of the Commonwealth
| |
| |
| King of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms | |
| Reign | 11 April 1980 - 30 November 2014 |
| Coronation | 19 December 1980 |
| Predecessor | George X |
| Successor | Richard V |
| Born | 6 February, 1947 Buckingham Palace, London, United Kingdom |
| Spouse | Princess Sarah of Glücksburg (m. 1980) |
| Issue | Richard V Katherine, Duchess of Hull |
| Full name | |
| Richard Charles Ernest Augustus | |
| House | London |
| Father | George X |
| Mother | Maxima, Queen Consort |
| Religion | Anglicanism |
Richard IV (Richard Charles Ernest Augustus; born 6 February 1947) is a member of the British royal family who reigned as King of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 11 April 1980 until his abdication on 30 November 2014.
Richard was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his paternal grandfather, King George IX, and was seven when his father, George X, ascended the throne in 1954, making him the heir apparent. He was made Prince of Wales in 1957. For the first few years of his childhood, he was tutored by a private teacher, although he later went to Oxford University where he graduated in 1971. Following university, he served five years in the Royal Navy, having the rank of Commander by the time he left. In 1978, he met Princess Sarah of Glücksburg, and started a relationship before marrying in January 1980.
On 11 April 1980, George X died of coronary thrombosis, resulting in the ascension of Richard as King. A few months later, Richard and Sarah's first child, Prince Richard, was born in October 1980. In 1982, Richard IV became the first British monarch to make a state visit to Russia. Throughout his reign, Richard IV remained relatively popular, especially due to his suprisingly liberal views; he has expressed support for same-sex marriages, and also supported the London Agreement, which implemented absolute primogeniture, in which the first child of a reigning monarch - regardless of gender - is the heir apparent to the British throne.
On 30 November 2014, unrelated to the recent referendums, Richard IV announced his abdication due to health concerns. After his abdication, he moved to a small countryhouse Chichester in West Sussex where he peacefully retired. He has been ranked as one of the best British monarchs of all time.
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